12 minute read
NEWS
from Mid-Spring 2021
THE DISPATCH
ART
Karen Navarro hangs her first solo exhibition at Montrose’s Foto Relevance, April 30-June 25. In The Constructed Self, the photographer and multimedia artist’s colorful photosculptures speak to how people reorder and rearrange their identities in various situations. fotorelevance.com
CITY LIFE
Discovery Green’s new playground — a $2.3 million project in the park’s northwest corner — was completed in August, but the finished space remained walled-off due to Covid. Now open, it doubles the amount of play space in the park, and features 31 new shadeproviding trees. discoverygreen.com
SHOPPING
As the season turns, several new shopping destinations are now open at the Galleria, including Giorgio Armani’s temporary boutique, the redesigned Valentino flagship and John Varvatos. Coming soon are the only Houston locations of Rag & Bone, Moncler and Louis Vuitton Men’s.
Trend
SELTZER & CHILL
Known as the “unofficial cocktail of West Texas,” Ranch Water, a refreshing and low-calorie blend of tequila, lime and soda water, has long been a staple of glassraisers across Texas eager to find a simple way to imbibe away their sweaty summer malaise. When it comes to hard seltzers, Houstonians now have more choices than ever before, thanks to a bevy of bubbly newcomers and some revamped old faithfuls. Here’s the pour! –daniel renfrow
LONE RIVER RANCH WATER
In March, it was announced that Diageo acquired Lone River Ranch Water, launched by Houstonian Katie Beal Brown last spring. With flavors like Spicy (with jalapeño, of course) and Rio Red Grapefruit, Lone River was among the fastest-selling brands in the segment last year.
TOPO CHICO
Texan favorite Topo Chico released its first line of canned hard seltzers in March. Four fruity flavors — Exotic Pineapple, Strawberry Guava, Tangy Lemon Lime and Tropical Mango — provide imbibers with a bold punch rounded out by the brand’s famous bubbles.
LONE STAR BREWING
Dive-bar staple Lone Star Brewing’s first foray into canned hard seltzers arrived in April. Lone Star Agave Seltzers come in two flavors, Agave Lime and Agave Watermelon, that are inspired by beloved Texas ingredients and local taste profiles.
KARBACH BREWING
Karbach was one of the first local breweries to roll out canned Ranch Water, which it started doing in January. It’s brewed with lime and agave, a blend that’s been in the works for two years, and is available in six-packs and 12-packs.
RANCH20 SPIRITS
Texas-based RancH2O was founded by A&M grad Amelia Lattieri last year. It offers a canned version of the staple cocktail, which it launched in October alongside three other flavors — Classic Marg, Vodka Soda and Gin Fizz.
SAINT ARNOLD
In late March, Saint Arnold debuted its Superfine hard-seltzer lineup. The company uses 100-percent real fruit in the product, now available in variety packs containing a mélange of flavors: Mimosa Morning, Berry Lounge, Sangria Sunset and Lemon Drop.
THE DISPATCH
Style SEASONS GREETINGS
THEATER
Catastrophic Theatre has appointed Laura Moreno as its next managing director, replacing Shayna Schlosberg. Moreno — producer, director, arts administrator, actress, makeup artist, costume and wig designer, and teaching artist — is set to complete her MA in arts leadership and an MFA in directing at UH this spring. Catastrophic also brought back its innovative, socially distant Drama Squad performances, which take place in patrons’ front yards on weekends through May 9. catastrophic theatre.com
Art
Jung at Heart
Spring has sprung at Off the Wall Gallery, where beautiful oil paintings by Mario Jung adorn the walls. Jung, born in South Korea, suffered a near-fatal three-story fall, which resulted in his paralysis and loss of sight and hearing. A miraculous recovery ensued, and he then realized his deep desire to become an artist.
He dedicated his life to his paintings, utilizing a unique impasto style to create three-dimensional, amazingly realistic works that depict flowers — poppies, bluebonnets — blooming under trees of varying colors.
Jung hopes his richly textured and meditative paintings — like this one created in 2019, titled “Blue Over Me” — deliver a sense of peace to viewers; he also takes commissions for specific sizes of canvas and composition of flowers. In the Galleria, offthewall.com –ewb
BONJOUR! Inspired by the women of the French New Wave era, rising-star local designer Christy Lynn’s newest line features feminine pieces ready to transition from spring into summer. Flowing dresses and structured blouses boast beautiful fabrics of silk, chiffon, linen and lace — and belts and bows aplenty. Christy Lynn is available at Tootsies, and by appointment at her new studio at La Colombe d’Or. christylynn.com
Christy Lynn’s Aurelie blouse
SPORTS
Take us out to the ballgame! The Hampton Inn and Homewood Suites Downtown have announced a special that runs all season long, including complimentary valet, beer vouchers for St. Arnold’s and swag from both the Astros and the brewery. Less than a mile from the stadium! hilton.com
Jewelry Fab at Five!
Cheers to five years of Lesley Ann Jewels, the high-end-yet-hip jewelry store near the Galleria. A celebratory mega-trunk-show in April featured stunning pieces from Sylva & Cie, Etho Maria and others; the boutique has also become known for its on-site repair, custom design work and chic digs. lesleyannjewels.com
THE DISPATCH
MUSIC
The Houston Botanic Garden launches a new Sunday Concert Series on May 2. For six weeks, experience live music and the aural sensations of nature from 3-5pm. The diverse lineup kicks off with Latin funk-jazz group Zenteno Spirit on May 2, and is followed by Trudy Lynn and Steve Krase on Mother’s Day. Houston Botanic Garden — created on the site of a former municipal golf course — is a new “zoo for plants,” housing more than 350 different species native to Southeast Texas and from around the world on its grounds that straddle Sims Bayou. hbg.org
BEAUTY
Upper Kirby’s Milk + Honey spa now offers medical aesthetics services in partnership with dermatologist S. Tyler Hollmig. Expect minimally invasive services such as photofacials, microneedling, injectables and fillers, along with monthly specials. milkand honeyspa.com
Movement & meaning!
HOUSTON MOMS Elizabeth Thompson and Hilary Amburgey spent the past year developing Jollie, a brand of high-quality yoga mats in beautiful, soothing patterns, and customizable straps for adults and children — all made from ecofriendly materials and processes. A portion of proceeds from every sale will be donated to yoga therapy programs for pediatric cancer patients, including ones at Texas Children’s — and for every mat purchased, one is donated. bejollie.com –ewb
Art
Time to Explore
Opening May 1, an exhibit at Archway Gallery features the paintings of friends Shirl Riccetti and Donna Perkins. Included in Exploring Paint are avid traveler Riccetti’s pen-and-watercolor works that evoke wanderlust. archwaygallery.com –ewb
Riccetti’s ‘Beginning of the Season’
THE DISPATCH
CULTURE
On May 8, HGO returns to in-person performances for the first time in over a year. The singalong and fundraiser My Favorite Things: Songs from The Sound of Music stars Trinidadian soprano Jeanine De Bique as Maria, and takes place at UH’s TDECU stadium. And the Houston Ballet announced its return to in-person shows the same weekend, with two performances at Miller Outdoor Theater.
SPIRITS
TX Whiskey has released its first Bottled-In-Bond Texas Bourbon, a single-barrel expression of TX Straight Bourbon. The unique “bottled-in-bond” designation means that the alcohol is a product of one distillation season, by one distiller, at one distillery, and is aged for four years before being bottled at 100 proof. frdistilling.com
SHOPPING
The Buffalo Soldiers National Museum is the site of the BLCK Market on the second Saturday of each month (1-5pm, May 8), featuring booths by more than 50 Black-owned businesses. Find clothing, food, skincare products, vintage items and more! blckmarket houston.com
Style
A Cut Above
Covid prompted many a pivot among businesses small and large. Lloyd and Lewis, founded by Mickey Winston, is no exception. After years representing national lines,
Winston launched his custom tailoring biz just weeks before the shutdown — but he persevered, and as social events begin filling up calendars and folks head back into the office, Lloyd and Lewis is in demand. Winston, who counts restaurateur Ben Berg and former Longhorn star Jeffrey
McCulloch among his clients, works with high-end fabrics like
Dormeuil and Scabal, and pays special attention to the smallest of details, such as stitching and buttons. He’s planning a poolside fashion show in June, where models will mingle while showing off 10 bespoke men’s and women’s suits. “If we can make it through 2020, we can make it through anything.” lloydandlewis.com –ewb
Events Revving Up!
Houston’s iconic Art Car Parade had to kill its engines last year — but May 14-16, Houstonians can check out a new parking-lot version of the event at the Orange Show HQ off I-45. Here, socially distanced revelers can take a digital self-guided tour of the maze of masterpieces. artcarexperience.com
Mike Mahlstedt
With 15 years of experience, Mike Mahlstedt consistently ranks as one of the top 3 real estate agents in Houston. He has more than 600 closed transactions and tops $700 million dollars in career sales - with some $200 million of that coming in the last two years alone. He sells properties throughout the Houston area, focusing on the traditional Memorial area and other closein neighborhoods.
In his personal life, Mike is dad to two boys — Payne, 3, and Reaves, 2. He’s also a triathlete; in one Ironman, he guided a blind athlete through the 140.6-mile competition, raising more than $100,000 for various charities. Philanthropy is a focus of his work, as well, as he donates to each client’s charity of choice after every closing.
MIKEM@COMPASS.COM 713-435-9126
Marnie Greenwood
Giving back to Houston is important for Marnie Greenwood, one of the city’s top realtors for 10 years.
She’s the founder of the Marnie Rocks Beading Cancer nonprofit, which provides kids in outpatient cancer treatment beading supplies as a creative outlet and entertainment option. “Giving these children the tools to make jewelry creates a positive impact during their stay at the hospital, not only with the children and their families, but also with the volunteers. Until Covid, we made jewelry at hospitals with kids, and we cannot wait to get back to doing that!”
As for her own kids — Griffin, Remi, Casey and Chloe range from 14 to 22 — the UT grad chose to raise and educate them in Memorial. “So I feel personally connected to the area.”
Besides the great schools, and the independent municipalities in the villages with their own fire and police departments, she says you can’t underestimate the appeal of the Memorial area’s incredible restaurants. “I love that Torchy’s Tacos and Mia’s Table have made their way to the area,” she says. “Cheesecakes by Elizabeth are the perfect cure for any sweet tooth. They even deliver!”
MARNIE.GREENWOOD@COMPASS.COM
713-416-8402
Shelly Porter
“When it came to raising my own family, I chose Memorial,” says Compass Real Estate Agent Shelly Porter, whose husband, and now her son, have attended Memorial High School. “I have many family and friends who also live in Memorial, so I am well rooted in the area. This is why, when I started my real estate career, I wanted to specialize in the Memorial area. It’s home to me.”
And there’s never been a better time to live there! The area is booming with great new restaurants, shopping and even a farmers market in the Villages, says Porter, also pointing out the growth along the Katy Freeway. “Also, the Memorial Green shopping area is relatively new,” she says, “and offers a fabulous lock-and-leave lifestyle that Memorial really never had.”
SHELLY.PORTER@COMPASS.COM 713-446-2473
Michelle Hinton
For Michelle Hinton, who’s worked in the Houston real estate game for more than a decade, the city’s booming Memorial area is part of her daily life.
“My husband Rick, who is also part of my real estate team, and I live in a nearby community,” she says. “I work, dine and shop in the area on a daily basis. I do outside workouts in Wilchester Park. Jonathan’s The Rub in Memorial Green and Federal American Grill in Hedwig Village are two of my weekly go-to restaurants. Dog friendly patios for brunch are a huge attraction to me. Terry Hershey Park is an amazing park with many different trails — it’s beautiful.
Citing Nottingham Forest, Memorial Villages and Frostwood as some of the hottest sections, Hinton says great schools, and the general excitement over the Memorial area’s expansion — especially along I-10 — are helping driving the area’s popularity. “The Memorial area offers residents a huge sense of community,” she says. “I believe the Memorial area is becoming the center of Houston. Everything is moving west!”
MICHELLE@HINTONHOMETEAM.COM
832-795-2246
