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PAG E C H R O N I C L E
L U X U R Y
M A G A Z I N E
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N O V E M B E R
2 0 2 0
THE
H O U S T O N
Entrancing Khruangbin’s Laura Lee
Opens Saturday, November 21, 2020
5500 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77004 • (713) 639-7300 • mfah.org/getmodern • #GetModernMFAH • Yayoi Kusama, Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity, 2009, Wood, metal, glass mirrors, plastic, acrylic paint, and LED edition 3/3, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, museum purchase funded by the Caroline Wiess Law Accessions Endowment Fund. © Yayoi Kusama
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There notionthat thatsome many It’s notisaasecret potential home sellers who houses sell quickly while would like to move are not others sit on the market listing their homes right now, without so much as a nibble. believing that nobody is lookHere are of Martha ing to buysome because of COVIDTurner Sotheby’s International 19. This couldn’t be further Realty’s from theexpert truth. tricks you’ll definitely want to take into account. If You’re Ready to Sell, Martha Turner Sotheby’s International
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Concerns over people the corona“The first thing see virus to house,” hinder the is thedon’t front have of your opportunity. Marilyn says. Homeowners “You need willing to let potential buyto have everything looking ers inside their home should nice so that people will want know to go.”that physical showings and open houses are now touchless. agents wear When you All were touring masks and practice social dozens of homes before distancing.
choosing to make an offer on one, did you arrive at Low Inventory of Homes For aSale home you didn’t even Is Keeping Prices High bother entering? “When COVID first hit and we
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Because inventory is current-
ly so much lower “If you’re going tothan havethe numberpeople of buyers, agents 30,000 lookthe at your at Martha Turner Sotheby’s house online, it has to appeal International Realty are is quick to 30,000 people, which to admit the homes hard to say the least,”they’re listing are getting multiple Marilyn advises. offers.
The ideal way to appeal to that will tell you how to get orange but, the buyer coming all home buyers is by letting your home ready to sell. in might have gone to LSU. No Excuses Pinpoint Pricing Is an Absolute Lifestyle Changes from COVID-19 them picture themselves “We’re not talking about Marilyn emphasizes, “Your Must Make This Your Best Chance to living in your house. aMove complete remodel of house must One reason be for neutral.” the massive This means getting rid of a house,” Marilyn points “You want to be dead-on when uptick is that a lot of counpersonal Take down out. “We’re talking partrenewing of using work White tries best are not you price items. your property, otherThe COVID-19 era hasabout produced The those family photos and highlights that will make the Glove is sellers don’t have wise it will stay on the market,” new realizations for families as far visas for American citizens.to This means companies other knickknacks. home certain wayofficso pay for any local of these services as whatlook theyaneed: home Marilyn explains. “When you are bringing workers back people really want it.” es, adequate yards, and more until after the home sells. hit the list price dead-on, you’ll home. storage space, to name a few. A Martha Turner Sotheby’s White Glove will pay for the probably get multiple offers.” International Realty agent will What makes this so beneficial painting of the house, new “It is vitally important thatand As Vice of Operations “We’re seeing big changes act as aPresident neutral third party. to the sellers is they don’ton countertops, bathrooms, sellers in Houston list with for Martha Turner Sotheby’s the buyer side, and that need have to deal with anything. anything else that needs to International Realty, Paul Kilian a company that has worldfor change is driven lifestyle,” “A lot of times we tell people White Glove sendsby a project be done. agrees with this big takeaway. wide reach,” Marilyn says. Marilyn says of the current mindthat may be a $10,000 rug manager who is going to “Well-priced homes are moving set. “Buyers in incorrect houses “We have two and a half your grandma once owned, supervise and make sure Why Usevisitors WhitetoGlove extremely quickly.” times to more are excited and they’re explorbut it needs to be taken away,” everything gets done sothebysrealty.com than ing.” Marilyn says with correctly. The seller doesn’t “While othercompetitor.” brokers may For example, one aofchuckle. their our nearest have to go find the workers offer something similar,” agents recently listed a house Mortgage Rates Are Currently Update Way: This or even move all of their Marilyn says,June “thealone, White in West U,the andRight the owner In May and at a Record Low Industry on aprice Dime belongings out. White Glove Glove deeper and wanted toChanges set the asking Marthaservice Turner is Sotheby’s International Realty closed does all ofhave this been for you. at several thousand over what more comprehensive than Those who following 50 buyers who were relo-on they expected to get. the market lately know that mort- any “In this industry,” she After other plan currently cating to Houston; this gage rates at a historicSpots low. some advice,people the client listened Attend says, “what want theare Neglected the market.” And remember, includes onlypay those In fact, you can nab a 30-year to always expert opinion and then reis changing.” sellers don’t forwho this closed. until “There isn’t another fixed loanhelps at anisinterest rate of ceived 4 contracts in 4 days. “It really to hear it from service they close, company that canplus. beat us,” overparty,” 3% or aMarilyn 15-year loan That’s where White Glove ajustthird says.in which is a massive says Marilyn. the mid-2% range. “It’s really un“We nailed the price for that sellcomes in, a turnkey service For example, you may be a believable,” Marilyn says. “Peoer, and he what he wanted offered bygot Martha Turner proud alumnus who painted ple want these low mortgages.” immediately,” Marilyn says. Sotheby’s International Realty your whole house a UT
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ed i to r ’s L E T T E R
It was starting to feel like Groundhog Day at my house. Every day was a repeat of the one before. So when my son asked if I could help him move to the East Coast for grad school at Savannah College of Art and Design, I umped at the chance for a cross-country road trip. When we arrived in Savannah, Ga., it was much as I had remembered Forsyth Park s moss-laden oak trees boughs nearly sweep the ground, historical buildings line the waterfront and cozy, manicured s uares surround downtown. But what I didn t e pect was the city s cool vibe more new South than ld South. My room at the iver Street Inn faced the water. Its white-washed anti ue brick interior was furnished with high-end anti ues, but in minimalist fashion. The clientele at Savannah s restaurants is a hip crowd, even in masks. Dining al fresco at The Grey, a sleek art deco Greyhound bus terminal, is a splendid four- to eight-course pri fi e e perience from James Beard Award-winning chef Mashama Bailey. Grab a uick breakfast at the nostalgic Back in the Day Bakery. ic s on the iver is a hopping restaurant in a th-century warehouse you ll want a seat on the patio under the oak trees for this classic Southern meal. And as you walk around the historic district, feel free to take a cocktail roadie open-container alcohol is permitted. Shopping is e ually chic. The Paris Market on Broughton Street in the historic district is filled with an eclectic mi of artisan soaps and candles, anti ues, collectibles and a coffee bar. Picker s Market has a great selection of midcentury-modern and vintage pieces. And Shop-
SCAD on Madison S uare offers original art, photography, te tiles and ewelry made by students and faculty. Super cool. In this issue of Page, entertainment critic-at-large Andrew Dansby profiles one of ouston s hippest. Although Khruangbin s entrancing bassist singer Laura Lee is currently living in upstate New York, where Ben Sklar photographed her for our cover story, we still claim her. She and guitarist Mark Speer and drummer Donald DJ Johnson met here and launched the mostly instrumental, global music band in . Lee gets into character for her shows through fashion. Playing in front of , people can be terrifying, she says. So the wigs and the stage costumes became a sort of armor. As a child, Lizzy Chestnut Bentley never wanted to take her pink cowboy boots off. Society writer Amber Elliott interviews the -yearold founder of City Boots who today designs top-shelf boots for the modern cowgirl. These feminine boots go anywhere no need to take them off. As the holidays approach, it s time to think about friends, family and tablescapes. Luckily, my favorite GT designer, Leanne Ford, has teamed with Crate&Barrel to curate a collection of beautifully minimal dishes and linens made in Portugal. ome-design writer Diane Cowen shows us those and other new additions to the holiday table. We hope you will find some ideas in these pages. Melissa Aguilar / [email protected] Instagram.com / melissawaguilar
FROM LEFT: FORSYTH PARK IN SAVANNAH; LEANNE FORD’S NEW TABLETOP COLLECTION; LAURA LEE OF KHRUANGBIN.
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Melissa Aguilar, Crate & Barrel, Ben Sklar
The new South
Melissa Aguilar, Crate & Barrel, Ben Sklar
ON THE COVER: LAURA LEE, SINGER/BASSIST FOR HOUSTON BAND KHRUANGBIN. PHOTO BY BEN SKLAR
MELISSA WARD AGUILAR
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
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Senior Editor, Features & Niche Products
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Travel & Food Editor
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
SUSAN BARBER
Emma Balter, Diane Cowen, Andrew Dansby, Amber Elliott, Julie Garcia, Molly Glentzer, Greg Morago, Joy Sewing
Creative Director SCOTT KINGSLEY
Director of Photography GARY FULGHUM
Features Copy Desk Chief NADYA SHAKOOR
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JOHNNY GONZALES
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Director, Digital Products Find The Page content at houstonchronicle.com/ thepage.
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Digital Producer
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table of CONTENTS EDITOR S LETTER
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STAFF
7 BUZZ
A new book channels ouston-raised Wes Anderson through photos from around the world. 0 The swank new Giorgetti condo building is an homage to the Italian furniture maker. 2
A taste of Te as spirits. 22
What ouston author Chris Cander is reading now. 3
ur seasonal fragrance report. 23 Bouncy, whimsical fringe adds a bit of fun to fashion. 24
Bluebird Backcountry gives social-distance skiing new meaning. 4
Inside ouston Ballet dancer Allison Miller s pandemic she-shed. 26
Claud Cecil Gurney tells the story of his lu ury wallpaper brand. 5
Great gifts for everyone on your list. 28
ice illage biz Love & Make is on the grow. 6
What is natural wine and where to find it in ouston. 32
Serena Williams new good-luck charms. 7
What if your zodiac sign could tell you how to best stay in shape 34 PROFILE
Meet the artisans of the MFA s new Kinder building. 36
Courtney Barton has a fresh, new shop in ound Top. 8
FASHION
At , style icon and T professor Iris Apfel is living in color. 40
ouston-native designer gets CFDA nomination.
2
CO ER STORY ON TREND
Stylish wear-all-day sneakers make a statement. 2
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42
ow fashion helps ouston-reared Laura Lee of hip psych-funk band Khruangbin come alive on stage. 42
table of CONTENTS
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In Tucson, it s all about Sonoran-style Me ican food. 62 AE sheikhdom hopes Bear Grylls camp draws pandemic tourists. 70
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DINING
Want to help restaurants Try these ouston dining indulgences. 72
HOME DESIGN
Adaptable tabletop d cor to transition from Thanksgiving to New Year s. 50 The best home accessories for party season. 53 Inside an energy e ecutive s Broad aks home filled with treasures. 54 TRA EL
Escaping the winter ski crowds in Colorado s San Juan Mountains. 62
SOCIETY
azzle Dazzle supporters treated to Lynn Wyatt home tour. 74
50
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City Boots founder makes the leap from oil and gas to colorful cowgirl boots. 76 REFLECTION
Kyrie Connor on how to be happy though miserable. 78
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Sweet n
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By AND EW DANSBY
Most travel books seek to shrink the known world in some way. Full of beautiful photos, history and e pression of e perience, they make a large planet seem smaller. Then there s Accidentally Wes Anderson, which does that but through a very particular lens. Wally Koval and his wife, Amanda, were enthusiastic travelers before they started an Instagram account with daily photos of places around the world that, well, looked like they might appear in the works of Anderson, a ouston-born filmmaker. Anderson s nine films the th has been delayed because of the pandemic routinely display a certain visual aesthetic that is easy to identify when seen and difficult to pinpoint with words.
Little attributes appear and reappear in his work the use of pastels, repetition in miniature, symmetry. Sometimes, a grand but rundown building has a bit of Anderson flair. ther times, it s a lonely water pump, brightly colored
against a sparkling sea. The book is more than ust an assemblage of photos randomly submitted and published. The Kovals curatorial process is sharp, and the sites organized by continent. Also included is a bit of background on
each locale, freeing it from a loose association to Anderson s films. The history of these places is as important to us as the symmetry and the pastel palette, Wally Koval says. We wanted to provide some substance with the conte t. So, hopefully, people will learn something interesting along the way as opposed to seeing a random photo with no credit. If anything, Accidentally Wes
Anderson underscores how some architectural trends e tend far beyond the places we routinely see them in the nited States A building in Portugal looks like it might have a twin in Miami. And the book also finds that little cultural totems and necessities post offices, water supply stations, lighthouses and such are often global. The end result of Accidentally Wes Anderson isn t necessarily a punch list of places to see on a single trip but, rather, lovely little stations around the world all strangely united in some little way by their design or the feeling they convey accompanied by their surroundings. They re sweet and striking little places that can spark a little melancholy or oy. Like a Wes Anderson film.
CRAWLEY EDGE BOATSHED IN PERTH, AUSTRALIA, PHOTOGRAPHED BY JAMES WONG, AND POST OFFICE IN WRANGELL, ALASKA, BY HEATH TRAVELS, IN "ACCIDENTALLY WES ANDERSON"
© Hou
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A DIS T INC T IVE LIFES T YLE D E S E R V E S A D I S T I N C T I V E R E A L E S TAT E E X P E R I E N C E Let us help you find or sell your home, visit: GaryGreene.com
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FAIRHAVEN ESTATES 21427 FAIRHAVEN MANOR CIRCLE | $1,499,000 713.961.1722
HOCKLEY (10± ACRES) 18918 HOPFE ROAD | $1,450,000 JAMIE BERLIN | 281.728.6436
CINCO RANCH 4210 CANARY ISLE COURT | $1,350,000 281.646.1136
AVALON AT SEVEN MEADOWS 8018 SALTA VERDE POINT | $815,000 TRACEY RUMSEY RILEY | 832.515.1443
©2020 Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Better Homes and Gardens® is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC. Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Franchise is Independently Owned and Operated. If your property is currently listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers.
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By DIANE C WEN • Photography by DI YA PANDE
ment building. “We wanted the DNA of the company woven into the building and its materials,” Hooker said, explaining that the unusual brick pattern on the building’s exterior spells out “G-i-o-r-g-e-t-t-i” in binary code, and the shape of the building is inspired by its Origami sideboard. The black bricks of varying thicknesses were chosen for their resemblance to the black basalt pavers used in many streets in Italy. Inside, the public spaces impress with Giorgetti furnishings and features designed by its artisans. Triangles of walnut, with different finishes — from matte to glossy —
are laid together for a three-dimensional effect on the floor, up a back wall and then crawling back over the ceiling in the lobby seating area. Giorgetti couches and chairs are clustered around a generous coffee table, giving this space the feel of a living room. A second public space is covered in veiny Italian marble and decorated with a bespoke wall of art niches that display Giorgettimade art glass. The brand only in recent years rolled out a line of kitchen cabinets, and they are featured in the kitchens in each of the 32 units, finished out as owners make their selections. The two- and three-bedroom
units range from 2,700 square feet to 6,700 square feet and cost from $1.9 million to $4.3 million, each has its own covered loggia, ranging from 500 to 2,000 square feet. The model unit, one of the 2,700square-foot condos, is decorated fully in Giorgetti, to show how their sleek European-style cabinets look in the kitchen, including slender Giorgetti pendants dangling over the long island. The bedrooms, dining room and living room are all filled with Giorgetti furnishings, such as the Drive sofa in its sectional form, with a sculptural Move rocking armchair around a cluster of low tables. The Giorgetti brand may be less known in Houston, where traditional décor has given way to more transitional style only in the past few years. It’s sold at CASA Houston, a shop — launched by Hooker and Sudhoff a few years ago — with a collection of other European brands that include Listone Giordano wood flooring, Rimadesio closet and cabinet systems, Poltrona Frau leather furniture and Voyage et Cie home fragrance.
THE FRONT LOBBY OFFERS ELEGANT SEATING AREAS. THE MODEL UNIT IN THE GIORGETTI FEATURES A SLEEK KITCHEN.
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Simon Gentry
The new Giorgetti-branded residential midrise in Houston’s Upper Kirby District could be one of the most stylish condo buildings in the city. Spouses Jerry Hooker and Jacob Sudhoff were inspired to create a building with the more than 120year-old Italian furniture brand from a single chair that they owned — the Progetti, a work of art in leather and wood. Hooker is an architect by trade and principal at Mirador Group, while Sudhoff is CEO of Douglas Elliman Texas property firm. This project has been in the making for several years, with its sales center opening in the fall of 2016 and construction starting in the spring of 2018. Though half of the Giorgetti’s 32 units are sold and residents have moved in, the formal unveiling of the building waited until well into October because of the coronavirus pandemic. A block that once was filled with nondescript postwar beige buildings, now has the chic, seven-floor Giorgetti, a close neighbor to the 40-story Hanover River Oaks apart-
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In 2019, Chris Cander offered a new novel, “The Weight of a Piano,” that felt much like its titular instrument: a formidable thing of beauty lovingly and exactingly constructed from a variety of pieces. The Houston novelist’s first two books gave fair warning that she was a young talent to watch, but with “Piano,” she created a compact epic about family and identity, trauma and reconciliation. Like everybody else, she has spent most of 2020 doing her socially distant best, which entails ample reading and also work on her next novel. Here are five books she has recently enjoyed. Four of them are more recent, while one, a Houston classic, celebrated its 45th anniversary this year.
“T “Terms of Endearment,” Larry McMurtry (Simon and Scuster, 1975) “Re-reading this wonderful novel was the perfect antidote to my pandemicitis. McMurtry’s dialogue makes me swoon, and the prose is impeccable. It’s even more meaningful now that I’m writing — for the first time — a book set in Houston.”
Simon Gentry
“Lab Girl,” Hope Jahren (Knopf, 2016) “I absolutely adore this riveting, revelatory literary memoir about Jahren’s rugged childhood in rural Minnesota, her aptitude for and love of science, and her profound understanding of the importance of nature. It’s a palate cleanser, an instruction manual, and a treatise on the relationship between humanity and biology. It makes me wish I’d paid more attention in science class, and also, that I could be her friend.”
“The Boy in the Field,” Margot Livesy (HarperCollins, 2020) “How are our lives changed in the wake of unspeakable violence? This is the central question in this intelligent, luminous novel, which I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.”
“Northernmost,” Peter Geye (Knopf, 2020) “This brilliant, braided narrative begins in Norway in 1897, 97 when a 97, man finally makes it home after a near-death experience in the Arctic only to find his wife attending his burial. Two hundred years later, his descendant is struggling to find her true self. It’s about love and passion and the loss and search for both, and adventure in its myriad forms.”
“The Truth About Me,” Louise Marburg (WT (WTAW Press, 2017) “Masterful, insightful, economical prose drives these 12 short stories, but it’s Marburg’s characters that I can’t stop thinking about. They seem to levitate within their often unremarkable lives, which makes their experiences truly unforgettable.”
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ount By JEN M P
When the coronavirus shut down ski resorts, devoted outdoor enthusiasts hit the backcountry. In March alone, online sales of alpine touring equipment were up 34 percent, as more people decided to earn their turns skinning up the mountain rather than be sidelined for a season. But playing in the backcountry comes with serious risks, especially if you’re not well versed in avalanche safety. Bluebird Backcountry, America’s first inbounds backcountry ski area, offers a safe place to learn the sport, with ski patrol and avalanche mitigation. Located on 1,200 acres just outside of
Y • Photography by D
te G McLENNAN
BLUEBIRD BACKCOUNTRY IS AMERICA’S FIRST
Steamboat Springs, Colo., Bluebird combines the terrain of the real backcountry with resort conveniences, like gear rentals, bathrooms, food trucks and guides. By capping capacity at 200 skiers per day every season, you get the solitude of the wilderness but also opportunities to sign up for safety clinics and lessons that help you master using uphill touring gear. “I dare anyone to find a more COVID-friendly ski experience,” says co-founder Erik Lambert. Season pass from $299 and day pass $50; bluebirdbackcountry.com
INBOUNDS BACKCOUNTRY SKI AREA.
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Pu Ying Huang, Natalie Sternberg
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NAP BAR FOUNDER KHALIAH GUILLORY
“L’EDEN” HAND-PAINTED WALLPAPER IN EDEN DESIGN COLORS ON SCENIC PAPER ADORNS AUTHOR CLAUD CECIL GURNEY’S LONDON HOME. THE ROOM IS FEATURED IN GURNEY’S NEW BOOK.
With the stress and anxiety of the pandemic, many of us could use a good night’s sleep. Good sleep can help boost your mood and even give your immune system a good kick. Khaliah Guillory, founder of the Nap Bar, has created the perfect holiday gift box for the sleepless. The Better Sleep Box has a curated collection of items to help destress and get a good night’s rest. It includes a vegan soy candle, vegan aromatherapy pillow mist, a blackout sleep mask, downloadable brain-wave sounds and sleep tips. The Better Sleep Box is $69 at napbarnow.com. Joy Sewing
Pu Ying Huang, Natalie Sternberg
Retirement has allowed Claud Cecil Gurney to tell the long and winding story of his de Gournay wallpaper company. His chinoiserie wallcoverings are coveted by top interior designers for their hand-painted designs, custom colorways and bespoke scenes of botanicals and nature. Gurney’s new book, “de Gournay: Hand-Painted Interiors” (Rizzoli; $75; 256 pp.), features page after page of beautiful interiors, all with his wallpaper as a background. Buy this book for yourself, or add it to the list of great gifts for design-minded friends. Diane Cowen
THE BETTER SLEEP BOX
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LOVE & MAKE FOUNDERS BUKOLA AIGBEDION, LEFT, AND AMARA AIGBEDION
OLAPLEX NO. 5 HAIR CARE IS ONE OF SEPHORA’S BESTSELLING HAIR CARE PRODUCTS.
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i LOVE & MAKE NOW SHIPS A HANDS-ON CANDLEMAKING EXPERIENCE.
fragrance, a customer’s preference is extremely personal. “Your sense of smell can affect your mood. Whatever note you’re smelling invokes a different memory — each scent can bring those back to you.” 2516 Times; loveandmake.com Allison Bagley
Al Bello
Stars from Drew Barrymore to Halle Berry say they owe their healthy tresses to Olaplex, the hair care system they swear makes hair stronger, healthier and all around more fabulous. Olaplex features a nontoxic chemistry designed to repair all hair types, from straight to coily. It’s one of Sephora’s top hair care lines. “Olaplex enjoys a cult following because the products are so efficacious; they work,” said Janet Gurwitch, an Olaplex board member and investor and founder of Laura Mercier Cosmetics. “Most of us have damaged hair due to over-processing our hair with blow drying, coloring and straightening. As a beauty investor, I am very selective.” Want to try it out? The Holiday Hair Fix Kit, $60, includes 3.3-ounce sizes of No. 3 Hair Perfector, No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner and No. 6 Bond Smoother. Olaplex is available at Olaplex.com, Sephora and Nordstrom. Joy Sewing
Sisters-in-law Bukola Aigbedion and Amara Aigbedion have a different candle for every room in their homes — and for every mood. This spring, the business partners expanded Love & Make — their DIY workshop studio where small classes play with oils to blend custom candles and soaps — to a larger space within Rice Village. When the pandemic hit, the pair began to ship their hands-on candlemaking experience. Using a box of soy chips, fragrance vials, glass thermometers, melting pots and wick cutters, groups of friends and oil-and-gas corporate teams followed along in virtual classes. Bukola and Amara also set to work on testing, formulating and developing their first retail candle collection, which launches this month. Borrowing from customer favorites in their workshops, the new line of 12 signature soy blends use fragrances such as white tea, ginger, frankincense, myrrh, fraser fir and pumpkin, sometimes layered with a botanical or citrus. Love & Make has reopened with limited classes, with the candles on offer for the holiday gifting season. “For us, candles are about experience and ambience,” Amara says. “I think the sense of smell is one that we tend to neglect.” Bukola agrees, adding that when it comes to choosing a candle
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et t ow The most wonderful time of the year? For home scents, it’s now — when ev every room rocks with the unmistakable smells of winter forest, citrus, baking spices, chilled berries and wood fires. Trick out your living spaces with these new candl ndles. Greg Morago Greg ra rago
The home-fragrance company has a crisp winner up its sleeve. For holiday 2020 comes this crisp mix of blue cypress, juniper berry, vanilla bean and the icy jolt of mountain snow; $42 at Saks Fifth f Avenue fth Av and Bering’s Hardwar Hardw dware are.
Jo Malone went to town on citrus with this union of sweet orange, ripe mandarin and a squeeze of bitter orange. Also available as a body cologne; $7 at Dillard’ $72 ard’s, ard’ d’s, Macy’s and Jo Malone boutiques.
One of three limit limited-edition candles for holida holiday season 2020, this is a journe journey deep into a forest of fir fir, eucalyptus, rosemary and peppermint; $78 at Nords Nordstrom tr and Diptyque, River Riv Oa Oaks Dist Di rict.
Se en
Al Bello
Serena Williams is unstoppable on and off the court. This year, the tennis champion introduced her signature Unstoppable Collection of fine jewelry, featuring a toggle necklace inspired by the piece she wore during four consecutive Grand Slam wins. The limited-edition necklace is available in 14-karat gold, individually numbered and handcrafted with a diamond accent.
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o
The e ne neck ckla lace ce co come mes s with a thank-you card personally signed by Williams, as well as a certificate of authenticity. It sells for $800 at serenawilliamsjewelry.com. Jo Sewing Joy wi wing
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Sho To create her airy, otherwordly aesthetic under the tents in ound Top, year after year ouston te tile designer Courtney Barton made her setup more elaborate installing doors, resurrecting fabric walls and layering rugs on the grass. This ctober, after Anti ues Weeks took a spring pandemic hiatus, Barton was able to greet her shoppers for the first time in a way that was less labor intensive by turning the key in her very own permanent retail shop. With a wraparound porch framed in steel sheets, her -s uare-foot casita s interior is an entirely white, palate-cleansing backdrop for her dohar blankets, block-print pillows, embroidered napkins, stacks of intricately etched bowls, colorful camel tassels and other global wares that make up a te ture-rich aesthetic. Near a century-old wooden counter Barton found in India, her selection of furniture constantly rotates, perhaps including a rickshaw reupholstered in vintage saris, a pair of low-slung midcentury chairs or ottomans covered in nubby alpaca boucl and other te tiles that make my heart sing. Louisiana-reared Barton, , launched her business years ago as a roving trunk show inspired by time she spent living with her husband in Malaysia. The brand eventually grew into a shared retail space in pper Kirby, but ound Top is a fitting location for her first stand-alone location, she says. It s a magical little town where friends and business
owners she s met over the years have poured so much of their energy, time, financing and dreams into building it up, she says. I knew I wanted a slice of that. Not to mention, the twice-annual customer base is unmatched, she says, describing her returning shoppers as a mi of well-traveled designers, buyers
and creatives largely based on the coasts. It s not unusual for them to recognize the mughal design on her soft, uilted blankets or to identify block printing from the specific region in southern India from which Barton sources. An afternoon can slip away swapping travel stories, she says. Last fall, when Barton was packing up a large order of the
COURTNEY BARTON HAS OPENED A NEW STORE IN ROUND TOP.
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candles she has poured into vintage lassi cups once used for sipping spiced yogurt in India, she discovered the purchaser was using them to outfit a very, very well-known restaurant out of California. It s so kismet, she says of ound Top encounters like that. You re treated to those little snippets you really wouldn t have access to otherwise. Barton s is one of si storefronts in the brand-new ound Top illage development that she says is intended to be a destination for a shopper to park and weave through every shop. ne gallery is home to third-generation La Grange eweler ichard Schmidt. er new space is a place to house her more is more mi of the old and the new, such as anti ue suzani wedding shawls she finds on the outskirts of Jaipur, vintage ikat fabrics she rips up to make into weekender bags and the types of treasures she sends on a shipping container to the Port of ouston after her annual buying trips. Maybe she ll find room for her bespoke Arabian Nights children s tent that was featured in the Wall Street Journal this spring as a pandemic-era play structure to brighten weeks of lockdown all things for the customer who, Barton says, wants to be surrounded by beauty. I never thought I d have one store, let alone two I truly could not be prouder of this. Courtney Barton, 2912 Ferndale in Houston and 603 N. Washington in Round Top; shopcourtneybarton.com
Harlow & May Studios
By ALLIS N BAGLEY
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Harlow & May Studios
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For fashion designers, being honored by the Council of Fashion Designer of America is like getting an Oscar. Even a nomination carries weight. This year, the CFDA nominated menswear designer Kenneth Nicholson , a Houston native, with its American Emerging Designer of the Year. He was one of five U.S. designers up for the award. Nicholson has made a name for himself for his gender-bending menswear. His celebrity clients include Houston Ballet’s Harper Watters, who was one of his runway models. Nicholson, a graduate of Langham Creek High School who now lives in Los Angeles, is among a number of menswear designers pushing the boundaries of what men wear. “When you watch the red carpet for award shows, how many times do they go on about what the women are wearing but nothing really about the men?” Nicholson said. “Women have always been able to steal from men’s closets, but only in modern day is it frowned upon for men to do the same.” Nicholson, who launched his collection in 2016, showed his designs for the first time at New York Fashion Week in 2018 with a 40-look runway show. Joy Sewing
HOUSTON NATIVE DESIGNER KENNETH NICHOLSON HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR A CFDA AWARD.
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o e oun
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Upgrade your relaxation ritual with new pajamas and loungewear, ideal for curling up for fireside movies and marathon catch-up calls with friends near and far. Allison Bagley
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COTTON POPLIN PAJAMA SET WITH PINK PIPING; $98 AT BROOKS BROTHERS.COM
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Zach Hilty & Zach Whitford
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The uarantine-era statement sta shoe is the wear-all-day wear-all-da fashion sneaker. With s-era fitness-culture influence inf or head-turning details such as shearling, metallic laces, studs and peeks of playful pla animal print, this season s styles st easily transition from at-home loungewear to al fresco cocktail hours. Wanna take the ne t step At distressed-aesthetic Italian shoewear brand Golden Goose s new Galleria bouti ue where colorful, star-adorned kicks hang from the ceiling and washing machines serve as design elements an in-house artist will soon offer of toe-to-heel customization, stomiza stomization, including painting, personalized lettering and additional distressing. It s time to tie one on.
RE/DONE 70S RUNNER SNEAKER; $460 AT NET-A-PORTER.COM
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t te o Te By G EG M
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The li uor market is flooded with collectible bottles. These Te as brands, including some produced in
Made from grains white corn, rye, barley grown by Te as farmers, this bourbon is the first release of south Austin-based Still Austin Whiskey Co. E pect flavors of cinnamon toast, brown butter and custard , stillaustin.com.
ouston-based eneno offers a bright blanco in addition to this oak barrel-aged a e o that offers notes of chocolate, hazelnut and peppery cinnamon. Mastros Steakhouse, MAD and Toulouse pour this amber sipper , venenote uila.com.
This percent blue agave silver te uila features aromas of lime and pineapple and a clean, floral finish with citrus notes. Actor Chris Noth claims ma or ownership of the company, based in The Woodlands, that also makes an a e o and reposado , ambhar.com.
ouston, are something special to savor.
From the first legal distillery in Te as comes the edition of the ye distillery s straight bourbon whiskey. At . proof, the unfiltered bourbon sports notes of caramel, toasted figs, toasted honey, plum elly, molasses, coffee and apple-cinnamon sugar , garrisonbros.com.
This premium moonshine is made from West Te as-grown evergreen sotol, also known as Desert Spoon. Based in Driftwood, the company produces a uni ue spirit that has the citrusy, herbal taste of a gin crossed with te uila , desertdoor.com.
The ouston-based distillery, housed in the former ncle Bens ice factory, makes vodka and bourbon, including a new percent rye from the Te as Panhandle region. A nose of honey and vanilla and a palate of cinnamon and tropical fruit , gulfcoastdistillers.com.
0 Distilled from hemp seed and locally sourced corn, this vodka comes from oustons first fully Black-owned distillery founded by Ben Williams brother to chef Chris Williams of Lucilles and Wendell obbins III , highwayvodka.com.
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Available only in Te as, this new straight bourbon whiskey celebrates the birthday of oustons first legal whiskey distillery. Aged for two years and finished in barrels, the whiskey offers flavors of baking spices and vanilla , yellowrosedistilling.com.
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For many, autumn brings the most welcome sensory pleasures dusky dusk hues, holiday holida spices, harvest flavors and the comforting warmth of cashmere sweaters. swea You can find those same sensations sensa at the fragrance counter with a crop of new scents.
This new unise scent capitalizes on Gotham s inherent energ energy and gutsy endurance with a mi of ginger and pink pepper with a rose heart and a base of sandalwood and patchouli pa at Saks Fifth Fifth Avenue.
This new limited-edition fragrance is built on soft sof musk and amber umped up with citrus and tis-the-season uniper housed in a flacon with a eewel-like cap at Jo Ma Malone London ndon in iver aks District.
The designer describes his new scent as ripe fruit at its most erotic a voluptuous nectar of stone fruit and Sicilian blood orange invested vested with notes of cardamom, rum, cognac, heliotrope and patchouli pa at Saks Fifth Fif Avenue and Tom Ford at the Galleria.
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n es
a ,
There are three single-note fragrances in Chloe s collection of flower-filled ower-f ower-filled collection, including Tuberosa , celebrating the creamy cream white allure of the into ica icating, honeyed tuberose and at Nordstrom.
The Calvin Klein scent story continues with this e tension of Eternit Eau Eternity Fresh, reimagined with pear peony, pear, black currant, bergamot and rose with poetic touches of pa patchouli, musk and amber at Macy cy s.
The ouse of Creed is celebrating the -year anniversary of its landmark Aventus with a limited-edition collector s bottle bot of the heady, heady unise uice that tha marries bergamot, blackcurrant, apple, birch, pa patchouli, asmine and oakmoss at Neiman Marcus.
The passion of the City Cit of Light smolders in Yves Saint Laurent s seductive new fragrance of red berries and white datur da a flower enriched with warm, white musk. omantic, n est-ce pas at Sephora and lta.
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THRO
SOM SHAD Dominnico
LI
STR AMING
FRING
Bottega eneta
ORTHY Chanel
S IRTING TH ISS Prada
ON TH FRING S Gauchere
BEAUTY
S
S
T
S
S
ip lips for fall and winter crave rich color, high shine and plenty of frosty sparkle. Greg Morago
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Lipstick and high-gloss shine in one wand tinted in seasonal Chic Beige at Dillard s.
This gloss is boss, with diamond powder for holiday high shine at Nordstrom.
Winter works its icy magic with this snowcap lipstick in pearly pink iridescence at Tom Ford in the Galleria.
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FRILLS AND THRILLS Bottega eneta
Be the star of the party with lips lavished with this shimmering lipstick in a cinnamon shade at Saks Fifth Avenue.
For a world on edge, there is no better fashion trend to celebrate than fringe. Alas, the global pandemic has been reshaping the lu ury world, with retailers and designers scaling back. But bouncy, draping, whimsical fringe adds a bit of fun to fashion something we need now more than ever. Prada, ochas, Bottega eneta and Givenchy all featured fringe-accented piece on the runway for fall. ihanna graced the cover of the September issue of arper s Bazaar wearing a plush yellow Bottega eneta coat with fringe. Beyonc also has sported fringed pieces, including a crystal-embellished skirt designed by D.Bleu.Dazzled for her Black Is King visual album for Disney . The best part about fringe is that it feels fresh and isn t saddled down in Western style. We ll save that for the rodeo. Now, if we could only have fringed loungewear for hanging around the house. Joy Sewing
A limited-edition lipstick with very berry color to take you through the season at Sephora.
Beyonc wears sparkly fringe looks in Black is King on Disney .
MYSTICAL CRYSTAL Miu Miu
SCHOOL-GIRL TRIM Dior
Creamy and long lasting, this new holiday shade promises silky, semimatte coverage at Neiman Marcus.
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Stu o
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By M LLY GLENT E • Photography by MA
G N ALE
HOUSTON BALLET FIRST SOLOIST ALLISON MILLER FITTED OUT HER “SHE SHED” STUDIO FOR SEWING AND CRAFTS.
Allison Miller would rather have been onstage or ouston Ballet s studios. But when pandemic safety protocols forced the company to shelve its plans, the cheerful first soloist was thankful to have a new dream place to be between her at-home workouts a meticulously organized little sanctuary where she retreats to keep her creative side humming. Whether I come in here to sit and read or make something, it makes me feel happy and calm, she says. Especially in a crazy year like this. When Miller and her husband, Amaya Coffee owner Ma Gonzalez, moved into their renovated First Ward bungalow in , the backyard was hardly inspiring. She knew she would claim the standard, barn-roof Tuff Shed for herself and drew up plans on graph paper to plot out every inch of the tiny space. I m really detail oriented, she says. And in -by- feet, I had to be really thoughtful. It took weeks to decide the size of the sewing table. When the couple decided to move the little building a few feet, the pro ect turned into a in
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A BASKET OF THREAD AND POINTE SHOES ARE BOTH USEFUL AND DECORATIVE.
complete backyard and deck redesign. The shed, which Miller calls her studio, became the star of the show, transformed with dark gray metal siding, a horizontal window, a glass-and-steel double door and an overhang above the entry. A new boardwalk leads the way there, past a multilevel deck and a clean, contemporary seating area on crushed granite. Contractor Carl Eaves renovated the building, and Gonzalez finished out the inside. They installed white shiplap walls up to the gambrel ceiling on three sides, to e pand the sense of space. ne pink sheetrock wall became the focus point for small art works and a pair of Mitzi sconces with lace details. Miller found ust the right task light to hang above her sewing table from Long Made Co., a ouston lighting design house that s nearby in Si th Ward. The sewing table dilemma was solved, somewhat miraculously, when Gonzalez realized he had a spare work table e actly the size she wanted, with holes already cut in it that could hide sewing machine cords. Fitting, since Miller
has her husband to thank for her sewing fi ation. After they met about a decade ago, the first birthday present he gave her, ust because it was something he thought she might like, was a sewing machine. ntil then, the only sewing she had done was by hand, putting ribbons on her pointe shoes. She started tackling all kinds of pro ects, and ouston Ballet s in-house seamstresses helped her along. Miller soon graduated to making costumes and fancy dresses. She displays some of her favorites as shed d cor A glittering black two-piece gown she made for a ballet ball, kept on a dress form, combines mirrorlike fringe with see-through mesh. ther outfits she loves hang together out in the open, including vintage dresses from a great aunt s bouti ue, a family wedding gown and rehearsal tutus and costumes. The shed was completed early this year, ust in time to be stuck at home, Miller says. She made face masks for family and friends, plus a few matching outfits with masks for herself. When ouston Ballet artistic director Stanton Welch asked her to film herself doing part of Divergence at home for a company video, she also showed her craft e pertise with paper. She performed for the video in a paper replica of the comple Divergence costumes, which have ribbonlike headpieces, molded bustiers and stiffly pleated tutus that look like oversize ruffs for the hips. Dancing is so demanding, Miller says. Anything I do in here is a way to shift my brain. She may have inherited her sewing genes from her mother s mother, who was an accomplished seamstress. But growing up in St. Petersburg, Fla., she caught the craft bug with her mother. If we had to make something for school, my mom always went above and beyond, she says. Miller got the above and beyond instinct from her mother, too. In a ouston Ballet at ome video from last spring, Miller invites viewers into her kitchen as she compiles perfect-looking, made-from-scratch pop tarts, complete with cherry am that she dehydrated in the oven. Making a beautiful sugar cookie is like glittering something, she says. est assured, theres a supply of glitter somewhere among the labeled bo es of the shed s shelves, alongside a nicely edited selection of career mementos. Everything in here means something, Miller says. It s so nice to have all these things that bring me oy in one place.
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GIFT GUIDE
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GIFT GUIDE
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MARSEILLE SEILLES SILK
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•
and been instantly confused by it. What is so natural about this wine, or rather, what isn t natural about wine in the first place Wine is fermented grapes, but there are many approaches to growing those grapes and making the wine. Just like food, wine can be made by using all kinds of additives, such as sulfites to stabilize the product, or coloring agents to make a red wine look darker. intners may choose to spray their vineyards with pesticides and herbicides.
y y STE E G N ALES Commercial yeast, instead of indigenous yeast, can be introduced to ump-start fermentation. Natural wine, put in the simplest of terms, is a wine made with as little manipulation as possible nothing is added, nothing is removed. At its best, natural wine is delicious, uicy and full of life. It errs on the lighter side and can be a great e pression of terroir. It s often associated with cloudy-looking, funky-tasting
wines with unusual flavor profiles an ac uired taste, celebrated by some and hated by others. In reality, the natty spectrum is vast, from unconventional yet balanced wines, to wines with downright flaws, and everything in between. Indeed, the definition can get murky. nlike products labeled SDA rganic, for e ample, there is no actual certification or any laws that regulate what can and cannot be called natural wine. This has often led to disagreements within the natural-wine community itself. It certainly leads to a lot of confusion for the consumer. It s also allowed the idea to be appropriated for marketing. The wellness space, now a multibillion-dollar industry, has endorsed products of all kinds that are organic or biodynamic a
OWNERS JOHN GLANZMAN AND STEVE BUECHNER OPENED LIGHTS YEARS, A MONTROSE SHOP-BAR DEDICATED TO NATURAL WINE.
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i b s m h a w y n Steve Gonzales / Staff photographer
When Steve Buechner and John Glanzman opened Lights Years, a hybrid shop-bar entirely dedicated to natural wine, in Montrose in , they knew they were tapping into something, but the venture became even more successful than they anticipated. Despite having to close the bar these past few months because of the pandemic, the shop has been going strong, and the duo is forging ahead with a new import company, distributing more natural wine to venues in ouston and elsewhere in Te as. The ethos of natural wine really aligns uite neatly with a lot of consumers lifestyles in other respects, whether it s organic food or artisanal products, says Buechner. The natural-wine gospel is spreading. But many wine drinkers may have heard the term
b y G a s h w l i
d c t n t
b o i i
The pandemic has made it difficult for restaurants and bars to operate this year, but it s possible to support them with your dollars and snag a great bottle of natural wine at the same time. At Nancy’s Hustle 2704 Polk, 346-571-7931; nancyshustle.com , co-owner Sean Jensen says most of what is on the list would be considered natural, but hes not dogmatic about it. ather, his focus is on introducing great-tasting uice that is sustainably made. Nancy s reopened for dine-in in September but is still accepting to-go orders, including percent off on wine.
Steve Gonzales / Staff photographer
step beyond organic . Natural wine fits well with the idea of being mindful of what you put in your body. Gwyneth Paltrow s Goop has touted natural, organic and biodynamic wines. This summer, Cameron Diaz released her own clean wine, Avaline, which emulated natural-wine language around additives and ingredient transparency. Wine critic Esther Mobley found in July that on closer inspection, Avaline didn t meet basic criteria for natural wine. Its sulfites content, while lower than most conventional wine, is still higher than a generally agreed-upon threshold for natural wine. It also uses commercial yeast and fining agents, both no-nos in the natty movement. As the category grows and defines itself, theres bound to be confusing messaging. Luckily, there is an increasing number of natural-wine stewards in ouston to guide the consumer. Many people are intimidated by wine generally, and adding this other potentially difficult element is tricky, says Buechner. For him, it starts with a conversation.
When Light Years was operating as a bar, the team always had wines open from the rotating list for patrons to try, a conduit toward finding a pour they ll like and learning something new. When the coronavirus hit, that went away at first, but Buechner now finds he has more time to spend with the customer in a retail setting than a fast-paced bar setting. Many locals who fre uented the bar didn t even know Light Years was also a shop and have since become regulars for their off-premise consumption needs. Sean Jensen, co-owner of Nancy s ustle, has also observed a shift in the natural-wine conversation in ouston. There are more restaurants and wine bars opening that focus on natural wine , he says. And in general, a lot of restaurants that may not have had that as their focus before have adopted that approach more and more. If you re curious to delve more into the world of natural wine, heres where to find some bottles in ouston.
Lights Years in Montrose is the first wine bar in ouston to have a uni ue focus on natural wine. In normal times, customers can choose a bottle to drink on-premise for ust more than the retail price. For now, Light Years is operating only as a to-go store, but its selection is still rich and varied. rder online for pickup or drop by the shop for a conversation. 1304 W. Alabama, 713-425-6673; lightyearswine.com Heights Grocer opened its small corner shop in . The natty selection is solid, and theres always a helpful staffer on hand to talk through choices. The shop also sells other artisanal products, such as gourmet food and home goods. For the adventurous, eights Grocer has a popular wine club with two tiers three bottles for or si bottles for a month. Members also receive percent off in-store purchases. 4525 N. Main, 281-703-5615; theheightsgrocer.com
Theodore Rex 1302 Nance, 832-830-8592; trexhouston.com , Justin Yu s flagship near downtown also has a wine list that skews natural, including a section of p tillant naturel pet-nat for short , a fun style of sparkling wine that has also been trending in recent years. Dine-in, or carryout for percent off the entire wine list. Midtowns 13 Celsius 3000 Caroline, 713-529-8466; 13celsius.com has long carried natty wines, and these days customers can en oy percent off wine and beer if purchased to-go. Camerata at Paulie’s 1830 Westheimer, 713-522-8466; pauliesrestaurant.com/camerata in Montrose also dabbles in the trendy uice and has offered virtual tastings throughout the pandemic that are available to view online. Vibrant 1931 Fairview, 832-409-6423; wearevibrant.com is an all-day caf in Montrose that serves e clusively natural wine along with its gluten- and dairy-free food menu. Verdine 449 W. 19th, 713-876-4768; wearevibrant.com in the eights is the newest kid on the block. The -percent vegan restaurant opened in and offers sustainable, organic and natural wines.
LIGHTS YEARS IS A HYBRID SHOP-BAR ENTIRELY DEDICATED TO NATURAL WINE IN MONTROSE.
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FITNESS INSTRUCTOR JESS ARCHER USES ZODIAC SIGNS TO PERSONALIZE HER CLIENT’S FITNESS PLANS.
on TREND
A fitness routine written in the stars By LINDSAY PEY PEYTON YTON • Photography Photogr by GODOFREDO A. VÁSQUEZ Since people with an Aries sun sign are ruled by Mars — named for the Roman god of war — personal trainer and astrologer Jess Archer might recommend a kickboxing class, allowing them to tap into their combative comba side. For Geminis, who are known for being quick and jumpy, jumpy she’d suggest a 20-minute session of high-intensit interval high-intensity va training. val But sun signs are just the beginning. Archer likes to examine clients’ natal na charts, which map the location loca of planets and stars at the time of their birth. That gives her more insight into their beha behaviors, traits and personality. personalit “Think of it as a cosmic selfie, selfie,” ie,” Archer said. Combined with her passion for fitness, this knowledge becomes a blueprint for knowing wha makes clients tick, what what wha motivates them to get in shape and to stick with it. Clients are increasingly willing to talk about astrology. astrolog “There’s been a major ma resurgence,” Archer said. “People are looking for something more.” Archer’s interest in horoscopes began to pique about eight years ago; she studied at the Houston Institute of Astrology. trolog trology. Before long, she found that tha astrolog could help her connect astrology with clients as a fitness trainer. ainer As ainer. a Scorpio, Archers knows she can be a bit obsessive. “I’m all the way wa in or I’m not in it at all,” she said. With fitness, Archer has been “all the way wa in” for as long as she can remember. remember Even as a child, she would pore over exercise books and practice poses of fitness models. Archer was always alwa at tic; in high school, she was athle captain of her varsity rsit soccer team. rsity After, After ter, she headed to the University iversit iversity
of Houston to study public rela relations but left the program to pursue fitness instead. At age 22, Archer competed in her first bikini competition — and began to take home awards. At first, the experience was rewarding. “Y prepare for 12 to 16 weeks “You to get on stage,” she said. “You “Y feel so accomplished even if you take last place. What Wha matt ma ers is that tha you got up there.” there. But the competitions eventually began to erode her self-esteem. By her late la 20s, she had dropped to 96 pounds. She was also diagnosed with at attention-de ficit/hyper cit/h cit/hyper activity tivit tivity disorder (ADHD) and prescribed Adderall. The prescription didn’t seem beneficial to her, her so she dropped it, resulting in extr ex a pounds. “I started gaining weight, and I couldn’t stop,” stop, she said. Depression followed. “I went from thinking that tha all tha matt that ma ers is the way wa I look to, ‘Here I am, and suddenly, suddenly none of my clothes fit,’ t,’ ” she said. t, Archer coached herself out of the situation: situa “I told myself, self ‘You self, ‘Y know better. er You’re going to stop er. ea eating your feelings. feelings.’ ” She settled tt ttled on a health healthy lthy weight. And now, now as a fitness instructor, tor tor, Archer can empathize empa with her clients. “I’ve been on all sides of the spectrum. I understand,” understand, she said. “So many man people are disconnected from their mind, body and spirit. So many man women have ha self-loa self-loathing and body shame. If you can’t look yourself in the mirror how can we face anything mirror, an else?” Archer turned her love of health into a career; she is a certified tif tified
yoga teacher, teacher personal trainer and reiki master — and works independently independently. She creates crea individualized wellness plans focused on changing nutrition, exercise and mindset to set her clients up for success. State Sta of mind is key to all the other changes, Archer added. “It’s t’ all about mind shifting, t’s shifting,” ting,” she said. “You “Y change someone’s mind, you change their life. You help them click that tha switch. I’m just there to guide the way. wa ” Magnolia resident Joel English started training with Archer right before COVID-19. The first session, they met in person. During lockdown, Archer pivoted to sending workouts and tracking English’s diet virtually. tually tually. “She keeps me accountable,” accountable, English said. He has already dropped 40 pounds and tightened five belt loops. “People ask me what I’m doing,” ing, ing,” English said. “And “A I tell them to give her a call.” call. Ea Eating right and exercising are dif cult, Archer maintains. That’s diffi wh she employs every weapon in why her arsenal to help — whether et ether that’s that’ t’s yoga, diet, weights or even the stars. Wha ver it takes for her clients Whate see the results, Archer said. “Y have “You ha to do hard work and be disciplined,” disciplined, she said. The payof payoff yoff is worth it. “The hardest part is getting started,” ted, she said. “But when you ted,” feel strong, you feel good. You carry yourself differently differently.” ferently.” And that’ that’s t’s what wha she wants for her clients — to help them become stronger, er fitter and healthier. er, healthier “If my client is successful, then I am,” she said. “It means that tha I did my job.” job. P | A | G | E | 35
The t n o the new n e u n
PROFILE
By M LLY GLENT E Photography by ELI ABET C NLEY
new chapter begins for the Museum of Fine Arts, ouston and the city it serves when the Nancy and ich Kinder Building opens its doors to the public Nov. . But the centerpiece of the museums e pansion and endowment campaign is also a vessel of legacies. Steven oll s striking design converses across the campus with Mies van der ohes glass-and-steel Brown Pavilion and the stone facade of afael Moneos Beck Building. The light-driven underground environments conceived by lafur Eliasson and the late Carlos Cruz-Diez, which are among seven newly commissioned site-specific permanent works, echo the story of James Turrell s e isting tunnel. In fact, much of the art in the e hibition hall was ac uired thanks to a historic endowment be ueathed by Caroline Wiess Law. Three multigenerational ouston companies known for their superb craftsmanship also are building on legacies with artisanal work that infuses the structure with ouston soul. ere are their stories.
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Deborah Brochstein is looking forward to visiting her grandfather in the museums new restaurants. Isaac Brochstein died in , but she will see him in the black limba wood paneling of the fine dining room and the cafe. That veneer is sliced from a flitch, or slab of timber, that Isaac purchased in the s and has been held ever since, awaiting the right pro ect. The third-generation CE of Brochsteins also will think of her father, -year-old aymond Brochstein, when she surveys the American black walnut that makes the Lynn Wyatt Theater look like a pristine ewel bo . eneer from a walnut flitch aymond bought years ago hangs in a conference room on the building s first floor. The walnut also covers the concierge and ticket information desks Brochsteins is fabricating.
DEBORAH BROCHSTEIN STANDS IN THE MFAH KINDER BUILDING’S LYNN WYATT THEATER, WHERE HER WOODWORKING COMPANY’S AMERICAN BLACK WALNUT LINES THE WALLS. P | A | G | E | 37
JORGE RODRIGUEZ OF MAREK BROS. STANDS UNDER THE CLOUD-INSPIRED CEILINGS OF THE NEW MFAH KINDER BUILDING. MAREK DID THE BUILDING’S INTERIOR FRAMING AND DRYWALLING.
Founded in by Isaac and his brother Sam, immigrants from what is now Israel, the legendary custom architecture and woodworking company Brochsteins is firmly built into oustons history. It fabricated the millwork for City all and the Shamrock otel, then put its lu urious stamp on Sakowitz and Neiman Marcus stores, among other landmark spaces. aymond, his brother, Branard, and their cousin Joel added museums to the portfolio with ma or pro ects at ichard Meier s Getty Museum in Los Angeles and Philip Johnsons Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth. Along with work for the MFA and the Menil Drawing Institute, the current generation is in the midst of a comple pro ect of curved panels for Los Angeles forthcoming Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. The millwork in the Wyatt Theater is perforated to improve its acoustical performance. It s a pretty intricate room, Deborah said. While veneer is usually se uenced linearly, this design called for a brick pattern and a different type of symmetry. The conference room veneer is special for
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another reason. It came from a tremendous tree a straight flitch that produced , s uare feet of veneer that her father reserved as special inventory. ery few logs are veneer uality, Deborah said. They have to be long, straight and wide. Isaac initially purchased logs to keep the company s retail pro ects moving smoothly when its Art Deco facility on South Main was remote. The limba log he saved was unusually long feet. And the company has used an unusual mathematical se uence to install the veneer, creating a design that mirrors the patterns of a newly commissioned Trenton Doyle ancock tapestry on an opposite wall. In all our years, we ve never done something like that, Deborah said. Black limba is a species native to West Africa, and this flitch is notable because its green and yellow tones are separated by a black line, she added. The consistency enabled us to create an unusual, appro imately symmetrical pattern, and it s finished in a way that looks as unfinished as possible. Some species of trees change uite a bit over time, she said. That log is so much of its era.
i The walls and ceilings of the Kinder Building are as artfully rendered in their way as the paintings, sculpture and immersive installations they surround. Theres not a flat ceiling anywhere, said Jorge odriguez, managing director for Marek Bros., which did the building s interior framing and drywalling. Founded years ago by Te as-born brothers John, Bill and alph Marek, the firm has grown significantly over the decades into a diversified family of companies that s now led by CE Stan Marek. odriguez, who oined the company years ago, collaborated with general contractor McCarthy to achieve the cloud-inspired effects that are likely to draw gazes upward throughout the MFA s spaces. Their five-year process involved creating multiple models at different scales. Any time you try to get metal and sheetrock to bend, it s difficult, odriguez said. And this framing and hanging pro ect had a radius in two directions. Marek s work encompasses all types of
MICHAEL MARALDO JR., LEFT, AND JONATHAN MARALDO OF SOUTHERN TILE & TERRAZZO CREATED THE FLOORS FOR THE KINDER BUILDING’S GROUND FLOOR.
institutional and commercial construction, as well as select private residences notably those of basketball star Yao Ming and philanthropists John and Laura Arnold . But museums present special challenges. They re very optical, odriguez said. Marek craftspeople helped to build olocaust Museum ouston, the Children s Museum of ouston and the Menil Drawing Institute. The company s reputation for pristine walls has been burnished by a relationship with James Turrell that began in , when it built the rooms for the artist s retrospective at the MFA . e likes really crisp, straight lines with no blemishes, so his art stands out, odriguez said. Craftsmen who ve been with us years work on his pieces. Most recently, they ve made the immersive space for Turrell s Caper, Salmon to White Wedgework, a , -s uare-foot installation that comes to life with LED and fluorescent light. The piece has not been e hibited in ouston since but will be back in a ground-floor corner that odriguez refers to as Gallery ero. That e hibition area at street level also holds two other immersive
rooms, Guyla Kosice s The ydrospacial City and Yayoi Kusama s Aftermath of the bliteration of Eternity.
Michael Maraldo Jr. was a teenager when the MFA s Brown Pavilion debuted in . is feet have long felt firmly planted there because his father s company created the building s gleaming sage, black and gray enetian terrazzo tile floors. Now he has added to the story as the second-generation owner of Southern Tile & Terrazzo, which created sympatico floors for the Kinder Building s ground floor and lower level. E cept for one section that ties into the older building, the color is slightly different a crisp-looking black, white and gray. therwise, it s the same specialty product, and one of very few still created on-site. enetian terrazzo begins with layers of mortar in a wire grid that get seeded with marble composite that s compressed with rolling machines, then polished.
Michael Maraldo Sr., who died nine years ago, emigrated from the Northern Italian town of Fruili in , when he was , and founded the company in . is father was a terrazzo man, as were his brother and two uncles, Maraldo Jr. says. Even my mother s father was in the business. We come from a long line. is eldest son, Jonathan Maraldo, is the company s e ecutive vice president, and he also feels a special bridge to the family s work in the Brown Pavilion. It s a pretty uni ue situation, like everything has come full circle, he said. We called in favors to get aggregates in sizes that were no longer available. The MFA s terrazzo is uni uely sized to suit the scale of the massive e hibition halls, he e plained. It creates a more visual effect. The details of the marble stand out more. Father and son are proud to continue the legacy set for their company more than years ago. And the new floors, like the building, will be there for future generations. It will last the life of the building, Michael said. That s the thing about terrazzo. It s sustainable.
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FA S H I O N
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By J Y SEWING Iris Apfel calls herself an accidental icon, but her fans might say otherwise. er style, personality and those oversized glasses are so iconic, it seems she was put on this Earth to make the world a more colorful and stylish place. I never met a color I didn t like, she says. So a coloring book in her honor seems right. The new Iris The Coloring Book niversity of Te as at Austin School of uman Ecology, recently debuted and features the geriatric starlet with illustrations of her from childhood through adulthood, including life with her late husband, Carl Apfel. The couple started ld World Weavers, an international fabric-manufacturing company, that provided fabrics for the White ouse, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and many celebrities. Apfel has been lauded with an e hibit at New York s Metropolitan Museum of Art, has had Barbie made in her likeness, developed a limited-edition collection of makeup for M.A.C. cosmetics and created a ewelry line that she sold on the ome Shopping Network. The documentary Iris, about her life, earned an Emmy nomination. The Iris coloring book benefits the T in NYC program, for which Apfel serves as a visiting professor. Each year, she hosts a group of T students in New York and shows them some of the fashion industry s biggest designer studios and showrooms, from Donna Karan to Naeem Khan. Iris is the most colorful person, said Nancy Prideau , program director for T in NYC.
favor to get all these people to open their studios to us because I don t take any second-raters. It e poses the students to a lot of things that they ve never seen or heard about or known about, which is very good. I like opening up eyes, ears and heads. hat is your best ad ice or students Develop a point of view, try to stick with it and not wobble back and forth. I think you should absorb all you can, then come to your own conclusions and don t try to copy somebody else, and then work. I mean, start at the bottom. So many young people want immediate satisfaction. They want the red carpet and the corner office without working for it. Sooner or later you re found out, and you go down the drain. I think everybody should start at the bottom and learn the foundations of whatever it is they plan on doing and then work at it. hat are you or ing on no The students learn from her that the industry is so much broader. And she can get us into Tommy ilfiger s studio, and he actually appears. We talked with Apfel, who turned in August, from her Palm Beach, Fla., home about her fabulous life, her fashion pet peeves and her love of color. Ho does it eel to be immortali ed in a coloring boo I was very, very surprised. I didn t think it would be such a good idea, but evidently it was.
There was a surge a few years ago of coloring books and everybody was coloring, but then it dropped dead. I didn t think people would be interested, but that surely isn t the case. We seem to have a lot of overseas people buying them, and more people here are wanting one. s a ro essor ith the ni ersity o Texas rogram in Ne Yor ho do you decide hat designers the students get to see I try to keep up relationships with all these designers so that they ll remember us. It s a great
IRIS APFEL TAKES UT FASHION STUDENTS ON NEW YORK DESIGN FIELD TRIPS.
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h, my goodness, so many things. I m putting together a trunk show. I can t give you too many specifics yet, but it should be a big trunk show of a part of my ewelry and accessory collection, which I ve been collecting since I was years old. So you can imagine how many pieces I have. I ve got tons and tons of stuff, and it s time to unload some of it. I m also working on a fabric collection, a tile collection and some home furnishings. So I m pretty busy, thank God. Ho do you decide hat
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e elry ieces to add to your collection I m not very rigid. I buy whatever I like, and it doesn t matter if it s by someone unknown. As a matter of fact, I prefer not to buy big-label names because you see yourself coming and going, no matter how much it costs. I don t like that. I like more individual things. I like to e press myself, and I like to teach the students that they re all individuals, and they should celebrate their originality. Ha e you al ays had the motto ore is more and less is a bore Yes, yes. I ve always been like that. I haven t worn a lot since I ve been uarantined for seven or eight months. I m , so they don t want me out and about. I have a lovely big apartment on a lake, and so I go out on the terrace. I don t go out, so I don t get dressed.
When I do go out, I like to try a different thing every time. I see how it feels, and if it looks too heavy to me, I take something off. I don t operate with any rules or regulations. Ho has andemic li e been Fortunately, I en oy my own company, so that hasn t been a problem. I haven t had too much free time because I always keep myself busy. I get very angry when people call me up and complain because I say, Just be happy that you re here and safe and not sick. I mean, there are so many things you can do. I don t have time to read books or watch T . I watch a few news shows at night, but I don t waste my time. I try to be constructive. I have all these pro ects I m working on, and theres nothing wrong with ust sitting down by yourself and
having a good think.
clear, strong colors. I love orangy reds and tur uoise blues, and I love black and white, and I love gray.
good thin li e that Can you ex lain People don t think anymore. They ust do what everybody else does. They do it because it s easy. People, it seems, are very lazy these days and looking for the easy way out. I ust think people are like sheep, and what one does the other one does. It doesn t make any sense to me. I think diversity is a wonderful thing, and I think it should be celebrated. It takes a lot of effort and energy to be original, but it s worth it. I mean, God put us on Earth, and I don t think he wanted us all to be the same.
Y ou’re years young and y our husband Carl el ho died in 1 li ed to be 1 hat’s your secret to longe ity eally, it s in the lap of the gods. I firmly believe that. I try to live well, help people, think positive. Eat well, don t eat unk food. Don t smoke or do more than social drinking. The usual common sense. Theres no magic formula. You ust have to try to do your best.
re there any colors that you’ll ne er ear I never met a color I didn t like. Some shades of brown, khaki and those yellowish greens don t look good on me. I m best in very
hat brings you oy Being alive. That s a blessing right now, and a lot of people don t understand that. They re foolish. Life is very precious, and it s a great gift.
THE 16-PAGE, $45 “IRIS THE COLORING BOOK” ILLUSTRATES IRIS APFEL’S JOURNEY FROM TEXTILE EXECUTIVE TO FASHION ICON.
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LAURA LEE OF KHRUANGBIN IN ALICE & OLIVIA.
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By AND EW DANSBY • Photography by BEN SKLA
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ne year ago, the members of the band Khruangbin returned to ouston as con uering heroes. The trio had at that point traveled the world playing songs from its breakthrough second album, Con Todo el Mundo, for hundreds of thousands of people beguiled by its internationally minded, not- uite-instrumental sound. Bassist and singer Laura Lee walked to the middle of the stage
LAURA LEE WEARS BOOTS BY MODERN VICE, A DRESS BY MELAMPO MILANO AND TIGHTS BY EMILIO CAVALLINI. OPPOSITE PAGE: LEE IN ALICE & OLIVIA.
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at White ak Music all and dropped a vinyl coat, revealing a bright-blue umpsuit with eyes patched up the legs and sharply arched shoulder pads. Simply put, she looked like an intergalactic comic-book crime fighter. I guess I was ust having my David Bowie moment or something like that, she says. I got to feel like a superhero. Lee describes stepping on stage as getting into character, a defense mechanism of sorts. Years ago, when she and Khruangbin guitarist and vocalist Mark Speer would tour with psych-rock musician Yppah, she d always hide behind sunglasses. In Khruangbin, she and Speer don Cleopatra-style wigs while drummer Donald DJ Johnson finds refuge behind the drum kit. Part of the goal with the wigs was so that we could be recognizable one way on stage and then unrecognizable off stage, Lee says. Even now, playing in front of , people can be terrifying. So the wigs and the stage costumes became a sort of armor. They also put me in a specific zone it gets me ready to be in a performance space to go out there and do my thing. Lees Instagram account speaks to the care she puts into that armor. She never repeats stage gear from a previous show. I have this Toy Story comple about it, she says, laughing. All these clothes in the world, crafted and designed by artistic people, they deserve to be played with and not kept in a bo in the attic. They should get to have a moment of their own. When Lee sees a concert photo, she can tell by what shes wearing where the show took place even after she made the decision to wear two costumes per show after seeing Elton John twice on his last tour. If he could do four costume changes, I thought I needed to get at least two outfits per show, she says. Lee decided to change up her stage wear about four years ago, when Khruangbin was on tour with singer-songwriter Father John Misty
LAURA LEE OF KHRUANGBIN. MAKEUP BY MIA VARRONE
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shows over two months. At the time, Khruangbin had released The niverse Smiles pon You, its first album, but the band had not yet found the sizable audience that would come with Con Todo el Mundo three years later. Lee knew she needed a stylist, but the band had no budget for one. In the restroom at the Pickle Factory, a club in London, she received a compliment on her hair from Megan Boyes, a young stylist who, Lee says, has been with me since. At first, Boyes worked with a tight budget high-end designers weren t interested in loaning out clothes to a band they d never heard of. There has to be something in it for everyone, Lee says. But as the band s renown grew, so did available options for stage wear, and as options for stage wear grew, fashion became a more notable part of the Khruangbin show. Boyes says an early mention in the magazine Grazia caught the attention of some designers. This has obviously came alongside the band getting hugely popular worldwide, Boyes says, so of course more designers hear about them and are interested in dressing them. I know irgil Abloh is a huge Khruangbin fan, Christopher Kane, Mary Katrantzou, Alberta Ferretti all big designers we were thrilled to collaborate with. Boyes also had to take Lees work into consideration She spends minutes per show toting a sizable bass guitar and re uires mobility for some minor choreography. I usually need form-fitting things that allow me to have a little shape behind the guitar, Lee says. If I m wearing something loose or flowing, I get hidden behind it, and you lose something. Boyes prohibited list bangles, floaty sleeves, strapless tops. The music is most important, so the fashion is there to add to the performance, not restrict it, Boyes says. So Boyes sends Lee bo es of clothes before each tour. Lee says she
LEE WEARS A FLORENCE BRIDGE SILVER ROBE AND A TIGER RING THAT WAS A GIFT FROM A FAN.
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gets a feel for each city and venue and tries to go from there, often looking for local or regional designers. Lee insists on standing upon formidable heels. It makes me stand a certain way, sort of standing at attention, she says. They terrify everyone. I ve never fallen, but it ll probably happen. And it ll be totally worth it. Boyes Instagram page resembles an art-gallery catalog, with Lee a constant in photos of radiantly colored bodysuits, gowns and miniskirts. She puts an emphasis on finding young, up-and-coming designers, Lee says. People know ersace, which isn t to say I wouldn t love to wear it. But shes great at finding brands before they get big. And that can be really e citing. Sometimes designers feel more adventurous and creative before they re known. Khruangbin released its third album, Mordechai, this summer. nder normal circumstances, the band would have played scores of shows by this point. As has been anything but normal, the three band members have been off the road. Lee is currently living in upstate New York, where summer has phased out and temperatures have cooled. These days she posts photos of nonstage attire, including custom eans created by Kasey Montazeri, an architecture student who also designs clothes. es part of this interesting Gen thing where people are adapting fashion, reworking something old or taking things that are fancy and making them more street, Lee says. She ordered si pairs of eans from him. I ust told him to do what he wanted. In his case, he cuts up eans, resews them, burns stuff, paints things. I love connecting with these artists but also ust letting them do what they want to do. Describing Montazeri s work, Lee also touched on part of what makes Khruangbin such a magical entity. The band draws inspiration and vibes from all manner of far-flung places Asia, northern Africa, the Caribbean, South America. Theirs is not a process of staking a claim to art from other
LAURA LEE WEARS A ROSA BLOOM JUMPSUIT WITH PLATFORMS BY TERRY DE HAVILLAND.
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cultures but rather reflecting a cultural richness found in their hometown back to the world. To wit, another artist Lee connected with is Argentinian painter Paula Dur . Khruangbin hired Dur to design a poster for the band s show in New York s Central Park. Dur s art often draws from the terrestrial and the celestial. er representation of Khruangbin placed the band on what appears to be some faraway planet. Lee stands in the center in a sky-blue umpsuit with rainbow stripes at the hip and eyes running up the legs. Naturally, Lee and Boyes reached out to Burnt Soul, a London-based company that specializes in catsuits and umpsuits that, Lee says, people can frolic in. So the bassist and the stylist worked with a painter and a design company to turn a spacesuit into a reality, as Lee strode on stage at White ak wearing something that had been a painting four months earlier. I think that s my favorite outfit ever, she says. Most of what I wear on stage is more fashion than costume, but that one was more on the costume side. And I en oyed that. It felt powerful. LEE IN CUSTOM JUMPSUIT BY BURNT SOUL AND CHICAGO SKATES. ABOVE: WITH BANDMATES DONALD “DJ” JOHNSON AND MARK SPEER.
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home DESIGN
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By DIANE C WEN • Photography by CLA DIA CASBA IAN Even in the slow-motion world of the coronavirus pandemic, efficiency matters. Stylish twin sisters egina and Janet Gust egina owns holiday- and event-decorating firm egina Gust Designs, and Janet owns the interior design firm Janet Gust Design Studio en oy decorating, at the holidays and otherwise. Together, they decorated a dining table with an all-purpose base of decorations for entertaining now through winter. That base can then be changed up ust a little for Thanksgiving, Christmas, anukkah or New Year s Eve. Just add and subtract items and colors to suit your taste and your holiday. ere s their primer
The right centerpiece is everything, and it should be lush but not so tall that you can t see over it. For this table, the Gusts started with a fau evergreen garland, though a fresh one is a great alternative. Then they added bunches of magnolia leaves theirs are fau or permanent botanicals, as they are now being upsold with a green velvet finish, but leaves with other colors or a metallic-painted finish would look good, too. Then they added glittery fern fronds, pine cones and clear or smoked-glass ornaments of various shapes and sizes. For a fall table or Thanksgiving, they added mini pumpkins and bunches of small orange flowers throughout the garland. For Christmas, you change it out by removing the fall colors and adding ornaments and flowers that match your home s color palette or holiday decorating palette. For this table, the Gusts inserted bou uets seven flowers each of fresh red roses and stems of red berries throughout the garland.
JANET AND REGINA GUST DECORATED A DINING TABLE FOR A FALL DINNER PARTY.
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2 Whether you go rustic or chic, small or large, you cannot consider your table finished without candles. For this table, they chose a pair of El Padre ela Candelabras by Dallas-based Jan Barboglio.
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ON THE TABLE: Garland florals from Southern Floral Co.; tableware from Kuhl-Linscomb. Juliska dinner ($47) and salad ($40) plates; Juliska pewter gravy boat ($68) and stand ($32); Tina Frey pedestalk resin champagne bucket ($437); Simon Pearce Vintner red and white wine goblets ($75 each); Tritan Champagne flutes ($16); Linen Casa stonewashed linen hemstitch napkins ($27); Sparkle placemats ($15) and napkin rings ($5); wood charger plates ($33); vintage stainless flatware ($160 for four, five-piece place settings)
Janet Gust s thing is te tiles, and she recently designed a series of table runners and Christmas-tree skirts for the holidays. Not only does a table runner create a pretty base, but it keeps decorations from scuffing up your tabletop. Fabric napkins are the best option for this table, they chose linen napkins in a natural color and then glittery, gunmetal-gray placemats and matching napkin rings. It s not necessary for everything to be matchy-matchy, but in this case, the sparkle works like a charm. It s worth nothing that every table has a statement piece or item that drives the d cor. In this case, it s the sparkly placemats, which egina Gust saw and fell in love with. The rest of the d cor and tableware were chosen to coordinate with the placemats.
4 For more formal dinners or ust for fun pull out the good dishes, crystal and silver. The Gust sisters chose Juliska dishes because they loved their gunmetal color and their rustic, artisan-made style, and they looked great on wood charger plates. Silverware should be laid out with two forks on the left side of the plate and a knife and one or two spoons on the right. Glasses or goblets are placed on the right side at the top corner or curve of the plate.
5 Light your candles, dim the lights and en oy your meal, good conversation and great friends and family.
ADD MINI PUMPKINS AND ORANGE FLOWERS FOR THANKSGIVING OR RED ROSES, BERRIES AND GLASS BALLS FOR CHRISTMAS.
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home DESIGN
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By DIANE C WEN When November arrives, it s offi of cially time to think about the best party season of the year, year whether dinner parties, cocktail soirees or family gatherings. ga ere are a few helpful items.
Ikea is partnering with Ben Gorham of Byredo for a limited-edition collection of candles. They come in Fresh, Floral and Woody scents and two sizes.
Christofle ristof s M ristofle D egg, filled with pieces of silver-plated silver-pla flatware, brings a communal feel to the table setting. When dinner is over, over the flatware tucks away nicely in its decorative case with a walnut interior. epicurean-essentials.com
Mi and match ma Bernardaud s Noel Christmas china with red, green or gold bands for an eclectic yet elegant table. They re handcrafted af afted of fine Limoges porcelain and made in France.
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Georg iedel spent a year crea creating the perfect glass for cabernet sauvignon. That glass grew into seven functional shapes for the most popular wine varietals the Winewings, with va a flat bottom and winglike shape.
Amp up your barware mis en place Fine-china maker erend with Schott Schot wiesel s ommage uses its Fish Scale design in its Collection, made of lead-free Golden Elegance patt pa ern. Sure titanium crystal with gently cut edges to be a timeless classic. tha look like cracked ice. that y y y
Whether you ust need a lit pandemic baking little therapy or you want to make your ne t event special, try these mini assorted cake pans.
The delicate mistletoe pattern in Michael Aram s new collection is leafy enough to be used any time but festive enough to shout appy olidays Casserole dish ($300) and server ($80); michaelaram.com
54 live & Loom s olive-oil soap bars have sea salts and natural e tracts. From $4 per bar or $22 for a gift set; oliveandloom.com
837 Gen up your ne t cocktail in style with Tiffany & Co.s brass-and-sterling igger from its Makers collection. $325; Tiffany & Co.
Cork Pops keeps your wine chilled with its wine chiller, a pouring spout with a chill rod attached. Chill your device in the freezer for minutesy, and it s good to go. Bonus drip-free pouring with one hand. $28; corkpops.com
Celsius s new Twist candle eliminates the need for candlesticks. Its long tapers are bent into two candles, each with its own wick and a single base also molded out of paraffin wa . $40; us.54celsius.com
GT host Leanne Ford estored by the Fords has designed a collection of tabletop items for Crate&Barrel, including glasses, dishes and serving pieces. The travel-inspired pieces are dishwasher safe. $12.95 and up; crateandbarrel.com
Don t let Casafina s footed dessert stands simple, functional style fool you they re made in Portugal by hand using a -step finishing process. $57 and up; casafinagifts.com
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ANTIQUE BIOT JARS WITH OLIVE TREES FLANK THE FRONT DOOR OF CATHY AND STEVE GREEN’S HOME. 54 | P | A | G | E
home DESIGN
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By DIANE C WEN • Photography by MIC AEL The Broad aks home of Cathy and Steve Green hints at the other places the couple has called home. There s a beautiful wine room filled with bottles from California vintners and paintings of California scenery, such as the hills of the Diablo ange that were the Greens backyard view during the eight years they lived there before returning to ouston last fall. Steve s ob as an e ecutive in the energy industry also took them and their two sons to Thailand and then Indonesia for eight years, and there they e perienced life as e -pats, taking a deep dive into new cultures while finding community among other oil and gas workers. Framed swords, knives and decorative anti ue hair pins
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from their time overseas line a second-floor-landing wall, and an ornate Burmese bell sits in a corner as if it s waiting to summon someone home. ur first four years were in Bangkok, and I loved that, Cathy said. The company Steve works for helps you find a house, they help you with everything. ur neighborhood wasn t all Americans, but they were all e -pats. Still, when Steve s employer wanted him back in the .S., the family was glad to head back home. The Greens were ready to return to ouston for Steve s work when they found their current home, still under construction by Abercrombie Custom omes and architect udy Colby of Colby Design.
A BEAUTIFUL BLUE-GREEN MALAYER ANTIQUE RUG PROVIDES SOFT COLOR IN THE FOYER, WHICH IS FILLED WITH FRENCH ANTIQUES.
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When we were overseas, they build very big houses for corporate e ecutives, so ours was a gathering place for the kids and their friends, which was great with us, said Steve, a native of Jasper. In California, we had a lot of visitors because we were one hour from Napa, two hours from Pebble Beach and an hour from San Francisco, and we had nice weather all the time. ere, we use the house differently. We have invited friends to come over for dinner parties or backyard barbecues, he continued. The boys come by once a week to catch up. It s the first time we ve all four been in the same city since . The couple s sons -year-old Jeff and -year-old Tyler both live in ouston now. Though they grew up here, they graduated from high school in Thailand when the family lived there. Andy Abercrombie was working with Ginger Barber of Ginger Barber Design on finishes in the home, and the Greens liked her aesthetic so much that they hired her to help them choose lighting and fill the house with mostly new things. Barber s impeccable taste in anti ues is evident ust inside the front door, where you can peer into the dining room or peek into the powder bathroom. There an anti ue French farmhouse sink is placed on a limestone counter with an iron base with a gunmetal-black finish and paired with an ornate vintage mirror and slender sconces. The heavy door looks like it could be an anti ue, too, but it s actually a replica created from a photograph of doors at a Spanish villa. The home already was going to have a wine room at the back of the dining room, but the Greens bought early enough that Steve could finish it out the way he wanted. Cathy, a native of Lamesa, describes them more as wine likers than wine collectors, but the couple does have favorite brands from the years they lived so close to California s wine country. The rock wall behind the bottles is an added feature, and cubbies to hold the wine bottles are situated so that the beautiful background isn t completely covered with bottles from Shafer
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AN OVERSIZE COFFEE TABLE IN THE LIVING ROOM IS HOME TO DECORATIVE TREASURES.
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A BLUE-GREEN VELVET SOFA WITH LINEN SLIPCOVERED CHAIRS FILLS ONE END OF THE OVERSIZED LIVING ROOM.
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A RECLAIMED BEAM IN THE KITCHEN MIMICS THE CEILING TREATMENT IN THE LIVING ROOM.
Though the home s s uare footage is on the large side a little over , s uare feet it s because the rooms are large not because there are so many of them. ne of those oversized rooms is the study. If we sat down with an architect, we d say, We don t need a big study. Now I m spending almost all my time there, so it has turned into a fortuitous thing, Steve said of the room large enough to hold his desk, a couple of comfortable armchairs and a round table with chairs. This is ust what Andy and udy had already come up with, and it has turned out to be handy. Steve is a golfer, so his collection of head covers speaks to the tournaments he s played in, including Pure Insurance First Tee and AT&T National Pro-Ams. The
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CALMING COLORS FILL THE BEDROOM. CATHY GREEN’S PRIORITY WAS BEAUTIFUL, BUT COMFORTABLE.
THE BACKYARD IS SMALL, BUT THE PATIO IS LARGE ENOUGH FOR OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING.
THE WALL AT THE BACK OF THE GREENS' WINE ROOM IS COVERED IN STONE.
company he works for has sponsored the SGA, so there are specialty putters and other memorabilia from the .S. pen, Master s and the British pen. Since it s an outdoor sport and you can easily play it with social distancing, golf is one thing he s been able to do during the pandemic. The second-floor guest bedrooms share a similar palette and materials as the rest of the home sisal rugs, seagrass window shades and plenty of linen. They also hold art and artifacts that the Greens collected on their travels and their years overseas. And on the third floor is the couple s home gym, with a Peloton bike and elliptical machine. Since the couple does most of their living on the main floor, ust getting there without the help of their elevator is part of the e ercise.
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By JEN M
P Y
The San Juan Mountain range in southwest Colorado has always been a paradise for ski purists. Glitzy lodges and DJ-thumping apr s lounges have never been the draw of area mountain towns like Durango, Silverton and uray. If you want ski resorts with heated lift seats, Michelin-rated mountaintop dining and fancy spas, head to Aspen or Park City. The San Juans are beloved for their old-school charm low-frill resorts boasting a single lift, cozy backcountry huts where you hike to score first tracks and an abundance of natural hot springs.
SILVERTON MOUNTAIN IS THE LARGEST SKI AREA IN NORTH AMERICA WITH MORE THAN 26,000 ACRES.
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THE BUCKET-LIST THRILL OF SINGLE-DROP HELI-SKIING AT SILVERTON IS ATTAINABLE FOR JUST $179.
In the midst of a pandemic, these rugged peaks are more appealing than ever. Apr s enthusiasts who live for champagne-popping dance parties and boozy on-piste lunches will most likely sit this season out. But powder hounds who don t want to deal with strict reservation systems and socially distanced lift lines at ma or .S. ski resorts will find a plethora of crowd-free, old-school options in the San Juans. nlike Jackson ole or Park City, these mountains re uire effort to reach, like navigating the snow-covered Million Dollar ighway, a -mile, white-knuckle stretch of road connecting the mountain towns of Silverton and uray. But the reward is having insane terrain all to yourself, and in the last few years, there s the added bonus of stylish lodging, craft breweries and great food. E perts-only Silverton Mountain the largest ski area in North America, with more than , acres has been self-limiting daily skier totals way before the pandemic. The average annual snowfall inches e ceeds the number of daily visitors, ensuring a crowd-free powder e perience. We usually have less than skiers a day, so that e uates to roughly acres for each skier, says Jen Brill, co-owner and guide at Silverton Mountain. Demand for reservations is higher than ever. With no base village and a sole double chairlift that drops skiers at , feet, the e perience is delightfully old school. A uni ue single-drop heli-skiing offer makes the bucket-list thrill attainable for ust , though Brill notes private heli packages from , are selling like crazy this year. And if you really want a truly e clusive e perience, you can rent the entire mountain for up to friends , . Lodging options in Silverton have always felt stuck in the mining town s past, but the debut last year of the Wyman finally provides a midcentury-modern bouti ue hotel alternative to historic digs. If the e treme terrain of Silverton Mountain sounds intimidating, a snowcat adventure can customize runs suited for both intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders. These tank-treaded snow groomers with seats in the back are perfect pandemic-era pods for you and your ski buddies. Silverton Powdercats is only offering private cats this season and can access open bowls, glades and steeps of up to , feet , for up to five guests . Purgatory Snowcat Adventures, Colorado s largest cat skiing operation, is based out of indie-spirited ski resort Purgatory, ust north of Durango. With access to over , acres
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JAMES RANCH RECENTLY DEBUTED A MARKET AND RESTAURANT.
of backcountry terrain, guides can deliver untracked runs ranging from to , feet. While season plans are still being finalized, Dave athburn, general manager of Purgatory esort, says it s likely private cats will be bookable , for up to people . The condo-style lodging at Purgatory is particularly convenient during the pandemic and if you crave something with a bit more character, the owner of the Nugget Mountain Bar has opened two literary-themed cabins with hot tubs and fireplaces steps from the bar. ne of the only apr s options near the resort, the historic cabin-turned-bar will have a large tented deck area this season as well as live music. Even hard-core skiers will want to build in down days this season so they can soak at Durango ot Springs esorts and Spa. Phase one of what was formerly Trimble ot Springs debuted this summer and includes mineral soaking pools, si smaller
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JAMES RANCH IS JUST NORTH OF DURANGO, COLO.
PURGATORY SNOWCAT ADVENTURES IS COLORADO’S LARGEST CAT SKIING OPERATION.
soaking tubs and a -meter, saltwater pool. A spa, food trucks and live music are part of phase two. For those who prefer to earn their turns, nearly -year-old ed Mountain Alpine Lodge offers the cushiest base in the state for backcountry adventures and will only offer buyouts this season. The Douglas fir A-frame is reachable by a mellow to -minute bootpack from .S. and sleeps up to . Included amenities, like flush toilets and WiFi, are anomalies in the backcountry. Founders Nate Disser and Mark Iuppenlatz also own uray-based San Juan Mountain Guides. Given the e pansiveness of the terrain out the lodge s back door and its avalanche danger it s a no-brainer to take advantage of the lodge s custom ski guiding. With , -foot peaks to descend by day and bubbling fondue and Ch teauneuf-du-Pape on offer at night, it s probably the closest you ll come to a European-style ski holiday this year.
JAMES RANCH HAS GREAT BURGERS.
NEW OWNERS HAVE REVITALIZED DURANGO THE NUGGET MOUNTAIN BAR HAS TWO CABINS FOR LODGING.
GETTING THERE From Houston, American Airlines and United Airlines offer flights transiting through Denver to Durango.
WHERE TO STAY Hemingway’s Hideout and the Kerouac Cabin, Durango: Located steps from the Nugget Mountain Bar, cabins have private hot tubs and a shared barrel sauna. They book out fast, so reserve early. From $225; thenuggetmountainbar.com The Wyman Hotel, Silverton: This landmark building on Main Street was recently reimagined as a midcentury-modern, 13-room boutique hotel less than 6 miles from Silverton Mountain. Three more rooms will be added by December, including a 10-bunk luxury hostel room that can be booked by groups for $650 a night. Rooms from $250; thewyman.com
Red Mountain Alpine Lodge, Ridgway: This timber A-frame nestled among pines just 900 feet off of U.S. 550 is only available as a buyout this winter. Three private rooms and 10 loft spaces can sleep up to 19 people. Breakfast, après ski fondue and multicourse dinners are included. Rooms from $2,195 per night for up to 19 people; guided skiing from $199; redmountainalpinelodge.com
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK James Ranch, Durango: This sustainable, family-owned ranch just north of Durango recently debuted a market and restaurant. The 100-percent grass-fed burgers should not be missed. Vegetarians won’t be disappointed with the veggie burger and seasonal salads. jamesranch.net The Nugget Mountain Bar, Durango: Housed in a historic log cabin a half-mile from Purgatory’s entrance, the Nugget has fast become the year-round local watering
HOT SPRINGS RESORT AND SPA.
hole of choice. Pair the Nugget’s signature craft beer with filet mignon sliders from Backcountry Gourmet food truck. thenuggetmountainbar.com
WHAT TO DO Durango Hot Springs Resort and Spa: New owners have revitalized historic Trimble Hot Springs to its former glory. In the 1950s, weekend rodeos and bands provided entertainment, and Clark Cable and Marilyn Monroe were noteworthy guests. $20; durangohotspringsresortandspa.com Ouray Hot Springs: The Ute Indians who settled southwest Colorado’s Uncompahgre Valley called the mineral-rich waters of Box Canyon miracle waters and for centuries used them for healing ceremonies. They’ve been feeding this National Historic Register-listed pool since it opened in 1927. $18; ourayhotsprings.com
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have marked Tucson for generations. inged by mountain ranges in all directions, this city of nearly million in the Sonoran Desert sits at an elevation of about , feet, more than , feet higher than Arizona s most populated city, Phoeni , resulting in slightly cooler year-round temperatures. Nicknamed the ld Pueblo, Tucson boasts more than days of sunshine and en oys a rich history deeply rooted in Native American and Me ican cultures. I consider Tucson the American city with the best Me ican food. I have lived in Los Angeles and know Cal-Me I currently make ouston home, where I ve come to en oy the pleasures of Te -Me . I also praise the considerable enchantments of New
Me ican food for its ways with red and green chile sauces. But Tucsons Me ican cuisine, often called Sonoran because of its roots in the Me ican state of Sonora on Arizona s southern border, is superlative. Its wealth of Me ican food, colored by the foodways of indigenous people, made Tucson the first city in the nited States to earn NESC s distinction as a City of Gastronomy. Tucsons landmark Me ican restaurants, no doubt instrumental in the nited Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural rganization citation, remain the ultimate standard bearers for a uni ue style of comida Me icana that can only be found in this region, which is one of the oldest continually inhabited places in North America.
SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK IN TUCSON, ARIZ., IS FAMOUS FOR ITS SAGUARO CACTUS, A SYMBOL OF THE AMERICAN WEST.
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Greg Morago
hanks to food television, Tucson, Ariz., has gained a reputation as a foodie city where visitors can savor Sonoran hot dogs, cowboy steaks and barbecue, spirits from hip new distilleries and bread from trendy craft bakeries. But that is not the Tucson dining scene I hold dear and that locals of a certain age revere. aving spent the early s as a student at the niversity of Arizona, my food memories are forever stamped by the simple pleasures of green corn tamales, panaderias stocked with colorful concha sweet breads, chile Colorado burritos fashioned from Sonoran-style flour tortillas gossamer thin and bigger than a hubcap and combination plates from iconic Me ican restaurants that
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Steve Renzi
By G EG M
El Charro Café
BURRITO FILLED WITH CARNE SECA AT EL CHARRO CAFE
Billed as America s oldest family-operated Me ican restaurant, El Charro was established in by Monica Flin, whose great grandniece, chef-owner Carlotta Flores, continues its tradition as Tucsons premier Me ican restaurant. oused in a rambling stone building in downtowns El Presidio istoric District, El Charro is often referred to as the birthplace of the chimichanga, a deep-fried burrito. Legend has it that Flin accidentally dropped a burrito into hot grease while she was making tacos. While the chimichanga is ustifiably famous, locals know El Charro as one of the few places for carne seca, an air-dried beef that is shredded and cooked back to tenderness. Also called machaca, you can see the strips of lean beef drying in special cages on the restaurant s roof. That carne seca can be found in enchiladas, tacos, chile rellenos, oversize burros, and, yes, in chimichangas. If you go the chimi route, ask for it enchilada style, where it will be drenched in true red enchilada sauce and topped with plenty of melted cheese. There are three locations, but the charming downtown building offers the true El Charro e perience. 311 N. Court, 520-622-1922; elcharrocafe.com
Mi Nidito
BIRRIA BURRO SERVED ENCHILADA STYLE AT MI NIDITO
Serving Tucson since , Mi Nidito sits in South Tucson, a city within a city that is only . s uare miles but home to many of Tucsons most popular Me ican restaurants. Mi Nidito lords overall as the best practitioner of Sonoran-style Me ican. A visit from President Bill Clinton in cemented Mi Niditos place in Tucsons restaurant landscape today, a combination called the President s Plate is on the menu . A photo from the Arizona Daily Star archives shows Clinton en oying his meal with a caption that refers to him as a healthy eater by any sense of the word. Who could blame him Mi Nidito is famous for a number of signature dishes, including a giant cheese crisp toasted flour tortilla melted with cheese , menudo, e emplary cheese enchiladas and ground beef patty crispy tacos served with the house salsa that is a Tucson benchmark. But it is the signature birria spiced, stewed shredded beef that makes locals swoon. Try the meat in a birria plate served with rice beans and a flour tortilla, or in a burrito or chimichanga. Mi Nidito is also one of the few places serving Sonoran-style flat enchiladas, which are fried masa cakes topped with red chile enchilada sauce and cheese. These Enchiladas Sonorenses are true old-school fare. 1813 S. 4th Ave., 520-622-5081; miniditorestaurant.com
Greg Morago
Steve Renzi
El Minuto Café
ALBONDIGAS SOUP AT EL MINUTO CAFE
This modest, low-slung restaurant in downtowns Barrio ie o neighborhood is a Tucson treasure. Founded in , the restaurant s recipes are all original e emplary versions of rolled and stacked enchiladas, cheese crisps, carne seca burros and tacos, and magnificent soups, such as menudo, caldo de res, and albondigas the latter, sadly, a rarity in Me ican restaurants . ld guard Tucson reveres El Minuto for its unpretentious attitude and adherence to foodways that have not lost an ounce of tradition in more than years. Ne t to the restaurant s parking lot is a shrine called El Tiradito the castaway , the only one of its kind in the nited States dedicated to the soul of a sinner buried in unconsecrated ground. The shrine, a beloved site of the local Me ican culture, is on the National egister of istoric Places. Yet another reason to visit El Minuto. 354 S. Main Ave., 520-882-4145; elminutotucson.com
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A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK, SAN XAVIER MISSION WAS FOUNDED AS A CATHOLIC MISSION BY FATHER EUSEBIO KINO IN 1692.
D November to March is the peak time to visit Tucson. nited and Southwest fly into the city. ere are some points of interest
onoita ineries Located about an hour southeast of Tucson is Arizona s first American iticultural Area A A , a wine-growing region in the towns of Sonoita and Elgin. According to Te as food writer Jessica
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THE BEST TIME TO VISIT SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK IS ALSO ITS BUSIEST, FROM NOVEMBER TO MARCH.
Tuxon Hotel, Steve Renzi
an a ier del ac ission Founded as a Catholic mission in by Father Eusebio Kino, San avier is the oldest intact European structure in Arizona. Filled with colorful mural paintings and statuary, the church is located about miles south of downtown Tucson on the Tohono odham Indian eservation. The Native Americans of the Sonoran Desert continue to worship in the mission, which is called the white dove of the desert. W. San avier oad san aviermission.org
Nicci Radhe, James Randklev
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THE TUCSON GEM & MINERAL SHOW, THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD, ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF VISITORS TO THE CITY. THE 2021 SHOW IS SET FOR FEB. 11-14.
hiking trails graced by thousands of acres of towering cacti. Go at sunset for the best photography opportunities. S. ld Spanish Trail nps.gov sagu inde htm The Tucson em ineral ho The largest and most prestigious gem show in the world packs the city with international visitors each year. The show, set for Feb. - , is e pected to attract , to , visitors, so its best to book hotels in advance. For more information see tgms.org show.
a ino an on ecreation rea The natural beauty of Tucson is on full display at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains the Coronado National Forest that draws more than a million visitors a year. Closed to vehicles, the canyon can be accessed by an open-air tram that takes visitors on a one-hour round trip through some of the most stunning wilderness in Tucson, open year-round for walking and hiking. Tuxon Hotel, Steve Renzi
Nicci Radhe, James Randklev
Dupuy in her new The Wines of Southwest .S.A, the Arizona wine industry grew nearly , percent between and , in no small measure due to the winemakers of the Sonoita A A. For more information including lodging and dining, see sonoitavineyards.com.
aguaro ational Par ands down, the most awe-inspiring vistas in Tucson can be found in the western section of the park, the Tucson Mountain District, home to the mighty saguaro cactus, one of the iconic symbols of the American West. About miles west of downtown, the park features miles of
THE BOUTIQUE TUXON HOTEL HAS 112 ROOMS.
The Tu on otel pened in summer , this new bouti ue hotel offers rooms set around an interior pool tricked out with daybeds and private cabanas. Grab a bicycle from the hotel s bike shed and set out on The Loop, a -mile bike-friendly trail ust two blocks from the hotel. The Pool Bar offers craft cocktails and Southwest-inspired noshes. S. Freeway oad, thetu onhotel.com rooms,
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By J N GAMB ELL • Photography by KAM AN JEB EILI
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he northern-most sheikhdom in the nited Arab Emirates hopes a new adventure camp showcasing its wide-open spaces, fresh air and socially distanced mountain peaks can aid in reviving its tourist industry amid the coronavirus pandemic. And if that doesn t work, theres the bug eating a hallmark of the British adventurer whose name graces the course. as al-Khaimah has partnered with survival instructor Bear Grylls to offer a new outdoor adventure camp on Jebel Jais, a mountain that boasts the highest point in the oil-rich AE. The former Special Air Service trooper offers a can-do attitude in his
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televised treks into the unknown with a camera crew in tow. is outdoor witticisms pepper the course offered in as al-Khaimah, which can last for several hours or include a full overnight e perience, with courses in knifemanship, knot tying and eating far beyond the norms of room service on a beachside vacation. People want to be put out of their comfort zone now, and that s what we try to do, said Martin Norton, the lead instructor of the Bear Grylls Survival Academy. We try to take everyone to their sort of limit, where they feel like they re uncomfortable, and we can, you know, push them. And people then believe, after the course, they re capable of a lot more than
ONE OF THE GUESTS RAPPELS DOWN A ROCK MOUNTAIN DURING A SURVIVAL TRIAL AT THE JEBEL JAIS.
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MARTIN NORTON, BEAR GRYLLS SURVIVAL ACADEMY INSTRUCTOR, EXPLAINS THE PROGRAM AND DEMONSTRATES TACTICS AT JEBEL JAIS; GUESTS TRY WORMS.
what they think they are. ecent participants on Jebel Jais rappelled down the sheer face of a mountainside, a herd of goats bleating above them. Several grimaced through the dried worms, which tasted like bulgur wheat until an instructor helpfully noted they leave a long-lingering aftertaste. Already, Grylls adventure camps have sprung up in his native nited Kingdom, as well as locations in China. The as al-Khaimah camp marks his first in the Middle East, on a mountain also home to a palace of the emirates hereditary ruler, Sheikh Saud bin Sa r Al asimi. It s K if you need to check a map to find as al-Khaimah or Top of the Tent in Arabic. The emirate often finds itself overshadowed by skyscraper-studded Dubai or oil-rich Abu Dhabi, the powerhouse emirates in this federation of seven sheikhdoms. The emirate, otherwise known for a ceramics factory bearing its initials AK, has worked to increase tourism, offering itself as a
secondary destination in the AE or a uick holiday for the country s millions of e patriate workers. ussia, Kazakhstan and other nations once part of the former Soviet nion represent most of the tourists coming from abroad. as al-Khaimah had reported reaching . million visitors in . But then came the coronavirus pandemic, which saw worldwide aviation halted and robbed the entire AE of its crucial tourism market. The sheikhdom sought out the staycation market, only to find itself the target of British tabloids in May over one hotel s packed pools and cheek-to- owl lines for the bar during the holy Muslim fasting month of amadan. The fresh air, the space while clambering over rocks in a wadi, or valley, and the austere style of the Bear Grylls camp appears, for now, to offer the opposite of that. There are plans to build overnight sleeping cabins out of shipping containers for guests. A model cabin stood open in ctober, with plywood-styled bunk
beds and a small electrical generator chugging away near the rising mountainside. Alison Grinnell, the CE of AK ospitality olding, a state-owned hotel operator, said that travelers want escapes like those offered by the new adventure camp. We re never going to go back percent to how we were, Grinnell said of how the pandemic changed tourism. I think people have got used to more space. as al-Khaimah now offers free coronavirus nasal-swab tests for international travelers as well, said aki Phillips, CE of the as al-Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. It s something that s subsidized by the as al-Khaimah government to ensure that we welcome tourists, they know they re safe and we can take care of that burden on them, Phillips said. e added There is no easier way to social distance than to be on a mountain. This story was produced by the Associated Press.
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DINING
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The pandemic served up disaster on a silver platter to the Houston dining scene. But it also made restaurateurs more clever and the most devoted local foodies even hungrier for the occasional luscious indulgence. If ever we needed over-the-top extravagance — or to support the restaurants that serve it — it’s now.
The indulgent spectacle that chef Chris Shepherd first introduced at his One Fifth Steak can be found at Georgia James. The steakhouse’s baller boards, loaded with beef, whole fish, King crab legs and caviar (they change daily) still elicit oohs and aahs. So grab your friends — it takes a minimum of four guests — and enjoy the ride. Price varies, usually about $100 per person. 1100 Westheimer, 832-241-5088; georgiajamessteak.com
Bartender-owner Alba Huerta knows how to shake up the luxe at her boutique cocktail boîte Julep. Her Bottled in Bond presentation, which serves four, is a decanter filled with a Southern riff on the Manhattan, presented with small dishes of bourbon-infused cherries, chocolate and Marcona almonds. It’s $75, $100 if you want to keep the decanter. 1919 Washington, 713-869-4383; julephouston.com
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The simple joys of roasted chicken are taken to new heights at Brennan’s of Houston, where executive chef Joey Chavez stuffs his whole bird with a mix of truf fle mousse, foie gras and cornbread. Deeply bronzed, it is presented in grand fashion tableside. It’s on the chef’s five-course tasting menu, $80 per person, $155 per person with wine accompaniments. 3300 Smith, 713-522-9711; brennanshouston.com
Houston has no shortage of great places for platters of oysters and high-roller bottles of bubbles. But Spritz Patio — the clever pop-up al fresco fun spot run by Rosie Cannonball folks on the patio of sister honky-tonk Goodnight Charlie’s — serves both with sass. The Donna Meagle, named for the “Parks and Recreation” character, is a dozen oysters served with a bottle of Krug. It’s $200 — go ahead, “treat yo self!” 2531 Kuester, 832-380-2471; rosiecannonball.com
Kirsten Gilliam, Julie Soefer, a'Bouzy, Kimberly Park, Goodnight Hospitality
The new cheese and charcuterie menu at a’Bouzy, the River Oaks champagne gulch, includes craveable savories such as Humboldt Fog goat cheese, Point Reyes blue cheese, truffled pecorino, Italian spec, mortadella, salamis and bresaola with add ons. About 30 options in total, priced individually or have them all on the “Ball’s Out Bouzy Board” for $100. 2300 Westheimer, 713-7226899; abouzy.com
Julie Soefer
It’s easy to live like a royal at Turner’s, restaurateur Benjamin Berg’s clubby canteen set in the ground floor of The Annie Café & Bar, where caviar, oysters and cocktails reign. Tableside formalities extend even to an haute hot dog. Chef Robert Del Grande’s menu oozes excess, including dishes such as Dover sole, but it’s the old-school Lobster Thermidor, $78, that really steals the show. 1900 Post Oak, 713-804-1212; turnershouston.com
Julie Soefer
” m
Kirsten Gilliam, Julie Soefer, a'Bouzy, Kimberly Park, Goodnight Hospitality
l
The old-school showstopper Baked Alaska gets a memorable, modern reinterpretation at Aaron Bludorn’s upscale Bludorn. Pastry chef Alejandra Salas has constructed her showy bombe with house-made pistachio and raspberry ice creams meticulously slathered in meringue that is set afire tableside. Priced at $21, it is a fabulous bignight-out treat. 807 Taft, 713-999-0146; bludornrestaurant.com
SOCIETY
e e u o te t e te to nn tt ho e tou By AMBE ELLI TT Photography by DANIEL TI n Thursdays, they wear pink. That was the sartorial vibe felt throughout the Memorial ermann Foundations annual azzle Dazzle Luncheon. This year the event, dubbed We ve Got You Covered, embraced a virtual format to promote breast cancer awareness. Not only did co-chairs Tony rad ield and Lynn yatt raise more than , for early-detection and outreach programs at the Bobetta C. Lindig Breast Care Center, organizers managed to sneak in a number of surprises, too. The week prior, some vehicles swung by Tenenbaum Jewelers, owned by Bradfield, to collect goodie bags. The socially distanced, drive-thru pre-party featured London and plenty of swag. Each canvas tote contained a commemorative azzle Dazzle champagne flute, mini bottle of bubbly, Tony s or Landry s Inc. restaurant gift card, trio of face masks by designer Johnny Was, plush blanket and a WeveGotYouCovered hand sign. The better to get into the virtual spirit. Specialty robes were available for purchase. A fitting touch as eventgoers were encouraged to wear all-pink-everything for the at-home e perience. When the luncheon went live at noon, the video produced by Ward & Ames kicked off with a message from Memorial ermann Foundation CE and e ecutive vice president nne Neeson. Afterward, Tenenbaum Jewelers Christina tith introduced the fundraiser s two auction items Buccellatti earrings and an unsigned estate ring.
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Bradfield appeared onscreen ne t to share the reason behind his decision to co-chair azzle Dazzle two years in a row. I felt called to co-chair this year s luncheon again as a way of honoring my mother, who passed away from breast cancer at the age of on my th birthday, he said. Bradfield and Wyatt later took turns lauding honoree Dr. Y onne Cormier, who has worked within the Memorial ermann ealth System for more than years. Surprise guest and former ogue editor-at-large ndre Leon Talley made a cameo to congratulate Cormier, his longtime friend. . Grammy Award-winning vocalist te e Tyrell and local singer Nicole Hurst performed throughout the program. urst, who has toured with Kelly Clarkson, Jay and Justin Timberlake, got a breast cancer diagnosis at age and sang Seasons of Love. Tyrell reflected on losing his wife of years to breast cancer before singing That s What Friends Are For. Festivities concluded with an e clusive tour of Wyatt s home in iver aks. I had the honor of interviewing the celebrated ouston philanthropist on camera, in the style of ogue s uestions video series. She answered rapid-fire uestions on various topics, including her celebrity friendships, beauty secrets, hosting tips and, of course, the importance of early breast cancer detection.
AHEAD OF MEMORIAL HERMANN’S VIRTUAL RAZZLE DAZZLE LUNCHEON, TENENBAUM JEWELERS HOSTED A DRIVE-THRU GOODIE-BAG GRAB. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE LUNCHEON, EVENT CO-CHAIR LYNN WYATT OFFERED AN EXCLUSIVE TOUR OF HER RIVER OAKS HOME .
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SOCIETY
The e oot
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e o t
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By AMBE ELLI TT • Photography by YI-C IN LEE
I ve always been a cowboy-boot girl, says Lizzy Chestnut Bentley. As a child, she often wore a pink pair to school. She never wanted to take them off. Now, as the -year-old founder of City Boots, she doesn t have to. The direct-to-consumer company Bentley established in specializes in top-shelf boots for the modern cowgirl, city slicker and everyone in between. And yes, they come in pink. City Boots are unapologetically feminine. It s part of their appeal. So many boots for women are clunky, too big in the calf or really loud, Bentley says. urs are a little more classic, with fun design
elements. Including color with a capital C. Yellow, purple and Tiffany blue cowboy boots aren t e actly traditional, and that s ust fine with Bentley. She was inspired to launch City Boots after a search for customizable boots at a reasonable price point yielded unsatisfactory results. When I went to SM , there were a ton of out-of-state girls from California and Chicago who had no idea where to buy cowboy boots, she recalls. Then, when I was years old and working in oil and gas, I couldn t find a professional cowboy boot that was easy to style. Those two things came together, and that s where the idea for City Boots was born.
er company started out as a hobby on Facebook. Bentley says that shes always had the entrepreneurial itch, and designing footwear provided a creative outlet. When the oil market turned in , it was time for me to leave and e plore other industries, she says. Thankfully, her business was already underway. n a whim, she and her mom flew to Me ico over a long weekend to find a manufacturer. Most brand-name cowboy boots are made in Leon by family-owned businesses that are really uality conscious. ur product is crafted the old artisan way. And it s likely the reason why City Boots are so comfortable. Bentley says they can be worn on the same day they re purchased in other
CITY BOOTS DISPLAYS ITS COLORFUL COLLECTION AT THE HOUSTON SHOWROOM.
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words, her customers skip the painful breaking-in period. Who is City Boots target audience Someone whos not afraid to take a risk, Bentley says. She might wear her boots to a parent-teacher meeting, the grocery store, a rodeo gala or with a blazer and eans to work on casual Friday. I wear mine under black-tie dresses, she adds with a wink. er most-re uested style is currently the Amarillo, a leather and suede mashup named after her hometown. With a -inch shaft which is inch taller than classic City Boots and two-tone beige and bone colorway, it s Bentley s rendition of the recent
white boot trend. The Chadbourne, , is another popular, albeit uni ue, choice. It s hunter green with lighter stitching accents, Bentley says. Shes no stranger to taking risks and trusting her gut. When she first launched the company, her biggest challenge was figuring out how many boots to place for the first order. I didn t have a lot of money because I was so young, she says. I ordered pairs, and that was a huge deal for me. Worst case, I would sell them to friends at wholesale, but fortunately they flew off the shelves within si months. During those early days, Bentley built the website herself and would drive traffic from social media. Instagram has long been her
business s biggest marketing asset she says that platform resonates deepest with millennial consumers. City Boots founder also makes the Junior League and country club rounds. Female shoppers like to meet the woman behind the boots. We ve ust launched our kids line, which is so fun, Bentley says, remembering how much she treasured her own pink pair. That s the best feeling, when I run into a customer who can t wait to tell me how much they love their boots. Prices start at $300. Call 713-201-6823 to book a try-on appointment at the Houston showroom. cityboots.com
LIZZY CHESNUT BENTLEY FOUNDED CITY BOOTS BECAUSE OF HER LOVE FOR COLORFUL, FEMININE BOOTS.
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REFLECTION
B KY IE
In an old, old Bullwinkle cartoon, Boris Badenov the original ussian troll recites a poem called ow to be appy Though Miserable , and if any invitation to self-help sums up better, I don t know what it is. emember March and April The toilet paper scavenger hunts were kind of e citing. Mastering the art of sourdough seemed like a cool new skill. Wearing T-shirts during work hours felt so transgressive and delicious. It s not April anymore, and the fresh-bread smell wore off ages ago. We are not at the end of this slog. We re lucky if we re at the middle. Sure, we ve worked out how to grocery shop, how to walk in the woods, when to break out the Purell, how to FaceTime and oom. But as Boris Badenov foretold, we re still miserable and ust so tuckered out from hunkering down. Maybe it s time for a reset. Bear in mind that if you are working from home and monitoring school-age children, I ve got nothing for you but pity and dread. I d be on my way to Mars, with or without a rocket ship.
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Nevertheless, your life can be a bit better right where you are. I promise I won t tell you to eat better, e ercise, lose weight, volunteer or uit your bad habits. You re all grown up, and you can choose your own adventure. I also won t swamp you with mottos such as ave an attitude of gratitude, or anything else you can buy inscribed on a wooden pla ue at Buc-ee s. So here are some purely sub ective tips. They work for me. dit our social media. I ve pared my Twitter account down to cute animals, paleontology, local news, friends, astrology and comedians. As a result, I actually en oy Twitter. So it s K to unfollow your cranky cousins on Facebook, cancel your too-happy-by-half e -classmates on Instagram and never, ever figure out whatever the hell TikTok is. ulti ate a health o session or t o . Trust me on this one. The distinction between a diversion and an obsession is crucial. A diversion say, Netfli takes your mind off your current circumstance, but when you resurface, nothing has changed. A healthy obsession
C NN
and stalking an e is not healthy fundamentally restocks your brain, gives you new uice. Take a cue from the movie Julie & Julia and cook your way through a famous collection of recipes. Become a Prince completist. Collect rocks to construct a scale-model Stonehenge in your backyard. Take up serious birding it s easy to find an online ornithology course. In the words of the enaissance philosopher Michel de Montaigne, bsession is the wellspring of genius and madness. Pick genius. uild the ridiculous into our routine. If no one is watching, no one knows you eat a macaron at precisely a.m. every day. r that each of your toenails is painted a different color. r that you have an e tensive collection of silly socks. All right, if you follow me on Facebook you know this. r that you sing Malvina eynolds songs to your cat. Frankly, nothing precludes you from doing silly things for the rest of your life. This last tip is one I heard on talk radio, yet is nevertheless my favorite. Figure out ho ou ere as a child and do that. Were you the
kid who spent her childhood climbing trees Surely ouston has some live oaks that can hold you. Did you construct, write and produce elaborate sock-puppet plays Bet you have a kid in your life who would love to see one of your productions on FaceTime. When I thought about my own childhood, I remembered that I always had some kind of science or art pro ect going, probably turning my mother s kitchen upside down in the process. Well, it s my kitchen now, and crazy windowsill e periments or making dyes out of onion skins still give me pleasure. Never again in this life will you have the time to rediscover your old young self seize the chance. So there you go. The only sure thing is that time passes, and someday, God willing, it will be , and then . Boris Badenov recited his prophetic poem fully years ago. You may well ask what Badenov s advice was. Predictably, it was terrible. Do something to someone today, he said. If there s one thing we know in , it s that you shouldn t take life advice from ussian trolls.
Matthew S. Gunby
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SHE DIDN’T EXPECT SHE DIDN’T EXPECT COMPLICATIONS, COMPLICATIONS, BUT BUT WE WE WERE WERE READY READY FOR FOR THEM. THEM.
WE’RE NATIONAL LEADERS IN IN-UTERO
WE’RE IN IN-UTERO FETALNATIONAL DIAGNOSISLEADERS AND INTERVENTION. FETAL DIAGNOSIS AND INTERVENTION.
Matthew S. Gunby
We know when you’re expecting, unexpected things can
Wehappen. know when you’re unexpected thingsgoing can That’s why fromexpecting, the second you find out you’re happen. That’s why from the second you find out you’re going to be a mother to the moment you’re holding your baby, we’re right there you. At The Fetalholding Center atyour Children’s to be a mother to with the moment you’re baby, Memorial Hermann in partnership with we’re right there with Hospital, you. At The Fetal Center at McGovern Children’s MedicalHermann School atHospital, UTHealth,inwe provide specialized care Memorial partnership with McGovern personalized and yourwe baby, well before your baby’s Medical School toatyou UTHealth, provide specialized care ™ first breath. And with Safe Wait and other enhanced personalized to you and your baby, well before your baby’s measures at all Safe of our Wait facilities, you other can getenhanced the care ™ firstsafety breath. And with and you need with peace of mind. safety measures at all of our facilities, you can get the care youAdvancing need with peace of mind. health. Personalizing care. Advancing health. Personalizing care.
memorialhermann.org/fetal
memorialhermann.org/fetal