MARCH 2015 by LOCAL HOUSTON

MARCH 2015

L O C A L HOUSTON

SPORTS

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BBVA COMPASS STADIUM CITYCENTRE DAVID ADICKES SCULPTURES DISCOVERY GREEN DOWNTOWN GALLERIA GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT GLENWOOD CEMETERY HERMANN PARK HIGHLAND VILLAGE HOBBY AIRPORT HOUSTON ARBORETUM & NATURE CENTER HOUSTON MOTOR PARK HOUSTON ZOO KATY MILLS KEMAH LEE AND JOE JAMAIL SKATEPARK MEMORIAL CITY MEMORIAL PARK MILLER OUTDOOR THEATRE MINUTE MAID PARK MUSEUM DISTRICT

LOCAL CITY MAP

Photography by Eric Christian Smith

01. 02. 03. 04. 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22.

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM, CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM, HOLOCAUST MUSEUM, MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON, MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE, THE HEALTH MUSEUM

NRG STADIUM RICE VILLAGE SAM HOUSTON RACE PARK SPACE CENTER HOUSTON SUGAR LAND THEATER DISTRICT

01. BBVA COMPASS STADIUM HOME OF THE HOUSTON DYNAMOS

ALLEY THEATRE, BAYOU PLACE, HOBBY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, JONES HALL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, WORTHAM CENTER

29. 30. 31. 32.

THE MENIL COLLECTION THE WOODLANDS TOYOTA CENTER UPTOWN PARK

THE HOUSTON DYNAMO WILL BE READY TO PLAY A GREAT GAME AGAINST THE COLUMBUS CREW FOR THE OPENING OF THE 2015 MLS SEASON AT THE BBVA COMPASS STADIUM ON MARCH 7 AT 7:30PM. THIS SEASON WILL MARK THE DEBUT OF OWEN COYLE WHO WAS APPOINTED AS HEAD COACH ON DECEMBER 9. GILES BARNES, WITH HIS MVP, IRONMAN OF THE YEAR AND GOLDEN BOOT HONORS, WILL RETURN THIS SEASON ALONG WITH HONDURAS INTERNATIONAL MIDFIELDER

LUIS

GARRIDO AND FOUR-TIME WORLD CUP VETERAN DAMARCUS BEASLEY. FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO PURCHASE SEASON TICKETS, VISIT WWW.HOUSTONDYNAMO.COM OR CALL 713.276.GOAL.

Photography by Wilf Thorne

23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28.

Illustration by Sebastian Gomez de la Torre

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

BEHIND THE COVER

Artist | Filip Peraic

2015 is a year of many firsts for me, including this sports issue as well as inviting someone well-versed in the genre to be LOCAL’S FIRST GUEST EDITOR. So without further ado, here’s JAYME LAMM with her Letter from the (guest) Editor…

I can’t dance, my wardrobe is incredibly lacking and the thought of a recipe with more than four ingredients gives me anxiety. But ask me which running shoes are best for 13.1 miles, how to slide into second under a tag, which sports bars have sound, hi-def and the best honey bbq wings or what a traditional one-gap 3-4 looks like and I’m your girl. Sports have always been my thing. When you were throwing tantrums at the age of two, I was throwing a perfect spiral. Sort of. Moving to Houston almost nine years ago was a dream. To live in a city that boasts the likes of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, Hakeem the Dream, the Eighth Wonder of the World (which now makes me sad) and so many other historical pieces of sports was like teleporting everything I had grown up watching on “Wide World of Sports” with Frank Gifford and putting it into my new backyard. I became a homer as much as I could without completely disgracing my roots (Go, Eagles!). Being a full-time sports + travel + fitness writer for the last five years has shown me that sports extend far beyond some amazing athletes. They cover the best fans, the most unique stadiums, coaches, trainers, cheerleaders, reporters, clever signs and sponsorships and much more. And of course mascots. I hope you have as much fun reading this issue as I did helping put it together. x’s & o’s

Follow me: Twitter & Instagram: @jaymelamm & facebook.com/theblondesidecom

Jayme Lamm Guest Editor

Carla Valencia de Martinéz Editor-in-Chief

CARLA: Photography by Gabriella Nissen | JAYME: Photography by Arthur Garcia

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You could say we kind of flipped when creative director Gabriella Nissen came across the work of Croatian artist FILIP PERAIC online. Although he’s not in Houston, a local athlete graces his most recent and highly acclaimed project: JAMES HARDEN ILLUSTRATED. Peraic has always had a tendency to drawing, but he shares that it was “during School of Design faculty in Croatia I started to approach it more seriously and spent lots of hours drawing. Soon I got some commissions from really big brands like IBM, Nike, Sony, and I’ve been making a living out of illustration industry since. Illustration doesn’t feel like a job to me; I’m basically just playing around and enjoying myself, doing what I have a passion for.” But we couldn’t help but ask why Hardin? “I was looking for a face interesting enough to draw it again and again, so I gave it some thought and came up with James Harden, because of his unique, visually iconic beard.“ Although Peraic hasn’t met Harden, he does know that “he saw my project. Well, I just heard that he really liked my project, it was shown to him during TNT interview the other day. That’s all I know so far.” Currently the illustrator is working on a few secret illustrations thanks to exposure from the Harden Project and has worked for some of the best-known brands in the world including: IBM, Nike, Sony, Forbes, ESPN, WIRED and Fly Emirates in fields in between design and illustration. www.jameshardenillustrated.com Make sure to check out the store to purchase limited edition creations. ON THE COVER JAMES HARDEN # 4 You probably heard some of the jokes about iOS 7. Well, here is James Harden’s iOS 7 inspired portrait.

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MARCH 2015 FEATURES

04 city map 06 letter from the editor | behind the cover 08 features + who’s who 10 on our radar 14 calendar 16 FOOD dan pastorini’s quality foods 18 dine write: latin bites 20 open 22 perfect pairs 24 club | lounge review 26 good eats 28 ARTS infinity machine 30 must-see exhibits 32 museum district 34 gish at the movies 36 fresh arts 38 recording: jewel brown

40 COMMUNITY sports 56 scene 60 where to live now: garden oaks 62 STYLE + LEISURE v-line 64 things we love 65 fat finds 66 mentertainment 75 friends + neighbors 76 destination 78 tools + gadgets 80 localgram #dolocal2015 82 crossword

WHO’S WHO

PUBLISHER + FOUNDER alejandro martinéz | ext 2 | alex@localhoustomagazine.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF carla valencia de martinéz | ext 3 | carla@localhoustonmagazine.com COPY EDITOR victoria bartlett CREATIVE DIRECTOR gabriella nissen | gabriella@localhoustonmagazine.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER german arellano | german@localhoustonmagazine.com rocco, the office "gato" SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR batli joselevitz | ext 9 | batli@localhoustonmagazine.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR ida sameri | ext 8 | ida@localhoustonmagazine.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS mike cook, jodie eisenhardt, michael garfield, sarah gish, ariel jones, jayme lamm, mai pham, vico puentes, sandra ramani, lance scott walker CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS cody bess, max burkhalter, sofia van der dys, kennon evett, batli joselevitz, collin kelly, sarah miller, gabriella nissen, daniel ortiz, anthony rathbun, julie soefer, roswitha vogler, kristi bender, george-hixson, scott barbour, arthur garcia for select studios, salviace photography, www.lastnightpics.com CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS sebastian gomez de la torre, german arellano, lisa chow, running game clothing WEB DESIGNER MDG | CREATIVE AGENCY | www.mpiredesigngroup.com ADVERTISING + ACCOUNTS dalila jara | ext 5 | dalila@localhoustonmagazine.com | mobile 281.966.5105 stephanie o’keefe | ext 7 | stephanie@localhoustonmagazine.com | mobile 832.726.5398 william king | william@localhoustonmagazine.com | mobile 832.788.3738 jordan campbell | jordan@localhoustonmagazine.com | mobile 832.492.5731 carlos valencia | carlos@localhoustonmagazine.com | mobile 713.855.1584 INTERN cecelia rangel, whitney burton ACCOUNTS luca tommasi | accounting@localhoustonmagazine.com

LOCAL Houston Magazine is published monthly by NODO Magazine, L.L.C., 1824 Spring Street, Studio 002, Houston, TX 77007. Copyright © 2015 by Insync Design, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. LOCAL Houston Magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial, nor do the publishers assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear.

76 VOLUME 17 ISSUE 195

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LOCAL HOUSTON MAGAZINE 1824 SPRING ST. STUDIO 002 | HOUSTON, TX 77007 713.223.5333 | FAX 713.223.4884 | LETTERS@LOCALHOUSTONMAGAZINE.COM WWW.LOCALHOUSTONMAGAZINE.COM FACEBOOK: LOCALHOUSTON TWITTER.COM/002HOUSTON

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ON OUR RADAR

DRYBAR opens a second location in River Oaks March 18. The refreshingly simple concept – No cuts. No color. Just blowouts. – is really that easy. That’s probably why there are now 41 locations nationwide. Drybar provides professional blowouts at a flat price of just $40, regardless of hair length or thickness (wash included). www.thedrybar.com 2610 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77098.

The 5th Annual HAUTE WHEELS Food Truck Festival rolls onto the Houston Community College Southwest West Loop Campus at 5601 West Loop South March 21–22. The festival benefits the HCC foundation and features the largest gathering of food trucks in Houston, the H-E-B Beer and Wine Garden, street entertainment, a vendor village as well as interactive activities and fun for all. Tickets will once again be limited for each day. Sample 35 delicious food trucks all in one convenient location. For details, visit www.hautewheelshouston.com.

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RYDE, a spinning studio is set to open in the River Oaks Shopping Center late this month. Co-founded by Andrew Pappas and Ashley Gooch, who left her job as a bankruptcy and restructuring consultant to become a full-time entrepreneur, the pair have had a lifelong passion for fitness, health and wellness. “Andrew and I spent the past year developing a brand and customer experience that brings the best of the industry to Houston while integrating a level of personalization, polish and luxury.” Designed by award-winning Mayfield and Ragni Studio, RYDE’s 2,300sf storefront, will feature the industry’s best indoor bikes. The Schwinn AC Performance Plus with Carbon Blue showcases a revolutionary belt drive system designed to mimic real road feel and tension, plus infinitely adjustable seat and handlebars as well as a wider step-through to enhance comfort. RYDE’s flagship is located at 2005-D West Gray. www.letsryde.com

NORTH ITALIA opens this month at

We have a slight weakness for MISSONI, and thankfully since Margherita Missoni recently became a mother a kids collection launches this month at Nordstrom. Inspired by her own childhood growing up near Milan, the collection mixes playful colors, textures and prints and features simplistic 60s-inspired silhouettes. The collection offers sizes for baby boys and girls, as well as girls up to 7 years old.

BLVD Place Phase II. North offers a take on traditional Italian cooking, featuring handcrafted pasta and pizza made from scratch daily. This issue will go to print before we get to taste the menu, but highlights include house specialty Bolognese pasta, braised beef short rib with roasted root vegetables served atop creamy white polenta and the Patata Pizza topped with Italian bacon, potatoes and farm egg. This will be their second location, the first is in Austin.

The Local beer master over at 8TH WONDER BREWERY deserve a round of applause as they celebrate their 2nd Anniversary with A Celebr8ion of Beer on Saturday, March 21, 2015. It’s not easy to start your own company and a brewery at that, now place said brewery in the shadow of the Houston skyline in East Downtown and oh yea, in a dome-like warehouse as an homage to their name sakes’ dome – the Astrosome and that’s a feat. Party starts at 3pm with music by The Suffers w/ Earphunk, Stooges Brass Band, Wild Moccasins, DJ Sun, Fox & Cats. Get your tickets online at http://tiny.cc/CELEBR8ION or stop by the brewery at 2202 Dallas St. and pay no fees. There will be a limited amount of VIP tickets.

It’s RODEO TIME! Museum Park Café and Bosta Wine & Coffee (1801 Binz) are partnering with Houston's only jitney, THE HOUSTON WAVE, to bus Houstonians to and from Reliant Stadium every day throughout the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo through March 22. $20 round trip insures you avoid traffic (and can throw back a few more beers safely) For more information and to get tickets, visit https://rodeowave15.eventbrite.com.

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ON OUR RADAR

BMW OF WEST Houston didn’t just chang their name (formerly Momentum BMW West,) they’ve moved into a brand spanking new state-of-the-art dealership. The location, known for its unparalleled inventory, will also have one of the largest service departments in town. 20822 Katy Freeway. | www.bmwwest.com

Photo by Roswitha Vogler

Add another local chef to the worldwide map of stellar chefs. Chef and owner of ÉTOILE CUISINE ET BAR Philippe Verpiand has been named a Master Chef of France, becoming one of only three chefs in Texas ever to receive the prestigious honor. He will be inducted into the elite association on March 16 in Biarritz, France, along with eight other North American chefs, including Frédéric Perrier of Aura Brasserie in Sugar Land. www.etoilecuisine.com

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Lasco Enterprises’ latest concept, AÑEJO, set to open in mid- to late March in Houston’s Uptown Park (which their still packed Tasting Room calls home) “will bring a more refined taste and presentation to the world of Tex-Mex dining,” reads their press release. Añejo’s philosophy, inspired by the cultural, historical and culinary melting pot of both Texas and Mexico, will offer a culinary and beverage program that pays homage to the authenticity and soul of Tex-Mex, while highlighting the beauty and versatility of the cuisine. The restaurant takes over the Arturo’s Uptown Italiano’s space. Executive Chef Michael Pellegrino responsible for MEX’s Wine Dive menu, will develop the menu for Añejo. www.anejotexmex.com.

Photo by Julie Soefer

March is DOLPHIN AWARENESS MONTH and it’s no coincidence that the highest incidents of dolphin strandings typically occur this month along the Texas Gulf Coast. The Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network (TMMSN) is a not-for-profit organization based in Galveston, TX and the agency solely responsible for responding to dolphin strandings on the Texas Coast. TMMSN is not funded federally or by the state of Texas and relies on outreach, fundraisers and grants to maintain its operating budget. Show your support by participating in the 1k kids race, 5k/10k on East Beach, Galveston, TX, on Saturday, March 28. www.dolphinrescue.org | www.landandsandrun.com

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CALENDAR

NOT SURE WHAT TO DO? TRY ONE-STOP SHOPPING AT

S U N D AY

M O N D AY

SHELL HOUSTON OPEN MARCH 30-APRIL 5

T U E S D AY

W E D N E S D AY

T H U R S D AY

NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Eric Church 6:45pm Toyota Center Fleetwood Mac 8pm House of Blues Andy Grammer/Alex & Sierra 7pm

Wortham Center Da Camera of Houston: A Little Day Music 12pm Toyota Center Houston Rockets vs. Memphis Grizzlies 7pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Hunter Hayes 6:45pm

NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Justin Moore 6:45pm

Wortham Center Moores School of Music Society: Audra McDonald 7pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Tim McGraw 6:45pm Hobby Once 7:30pm

NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Brantley Gilbert 6:45pm

Bayou Music Center The Very Best of Celtic Thunder 7:30pm Wortham Center Houston Ballet: Modern Masters 7:30pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Zac Brown Band 6:45pm

Jones Hall Houston Symphony: Copeland & Dvorak 2:30pm Wortham Center Houston Ballet: Modern Masters 2pm | Indo-American Association: Zakir Hussain’s Celtic Connections 7pm Toyota Center Charlie Wilson 7pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: La Arrolladora Banda El Limon La Maquinaria Nortena 3:45pm Hobby Once 7:30pm House of Blues TV on the Radio 7pm

Toyota Center Between The Sheets Tour Featuring Chris Brown 7:30pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Dierks Bentley 6:45pm

Toyota Center Houston Rockets vs. Orlando Magic 7pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Ariana Grande 6:45pm Hobby Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 7:30pm

NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Florida Georgia Line 6:45pm

Toyota Center Houston Rockets vs. Denver Nuggets 7pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Blake Shelton 6:45pm

Jones Hall Houston Symphony: Verdi’s Requiem 2:30pm Wortham Center Houston Ballet: Modern Masters 2pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Luke Bryan 3:45pm Toyota Center Ricardo Arjona 8pm

House of Blues Young Thug & Travis Scott 7pm

Bayou Music Center Pentatonix – The On My Way Home Tour 8pm

Jones Hall Houston Symphony: Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 8pm

Wortham Center Houston Ballet: Romeo and Juliet 2pm | Texas Medical Center Orchestra: Club 150 5pm Jones Hall Sarah McLachlan 8pm Toyota Center Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers 2:30pm

DAYLIGHT SAVING BEGINS

House of Blues Bayside 6pm Wortham Center Houston Ballet: Romeo and Juliet 2pm Hobby Things Your Man Won’t Do 3pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Fall Out Boy 3:45pm Jones Hall Houston Symphony: Blockbuster Film Scores 7:30pm

ST. PATRICK’S DAY

BAYOU CITY ART FESTIVAL AT MEMORIAL PARK MARCH 27-29

www.artcolonyassociation.org

PALM SUNDAY

Jones Hall Houston Symphony: Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 2:30pm Alley Theatre All My Sons 2:30 & 7:30pm Hobby Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 7:30pm Art Colony Association Bayou City Art Festival at Memorial Park. www.artcolonyassociation.org

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Toyota Center Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Clippers 7pm House of Blues Magic Man 7pm

Jones Hall St. Thomas Episcopal School: Sounds of Scotland 7pm Wortham Center Houston Ballet Foundation: Romeo and Juliet 7:30pm Alley Theatre All My Sons 7:30pm

Bayou Music Center Topp Dogg 7:30pm House of Blues JB and the Moonshine Band 7pm | Cold War Kids 8pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Miranda Lambert 6:45pm

FOR THESE EVENTS AND MORE, CHECK OUT OUR CALENDAR ONLINE AT LOCALHOUSTONMAGAZINE.COM

MARCH

WWW.HOUSTONTHEATERDISTRICT.ORG F R I D AY

S AT U R D AY

Jones Hall Houston Symphony: Blockbuster Film Scores 8pm Wortham Center Houston Ballet: Romeo and Juliet 7:30pm Toyota Center Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Pistons 7pm House of Blues Wild Child 8pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: John Legend 6:45pm Hobby Things Your Man Won’t Do 8pm | Tropico de George Harris 9pm

Wortham Center Houston Ballet: Romeo and Juliet 7:30pm | Da Camera of Houston: Kendrick Scott Oracle 8pm Jones Hall Houston Symphony: Star Wars and More 10 & 11:30am NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Alan Jackson 3:45pm Hobby Things Your Man Won’t Do 3 & 8pm | Ballet Gala 7:30pm House of Blues Ryan Bingham/Lucero 7pm BBVA Compass Stadium Houston Dynamo vs. Columbus Crew 7:30pm

BBVA Compass Stadium Houston Dynamo vs. Orlando City 6pm Jones Hall Society for the Performing Arts: Tango Buenos Aires 8am Wortham Center Mercury Baroque Ensemble: Schubert 5 8pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Pitbull 6:45pm House of Blues Dan + Shay: Where It All Began Tour 7pm Discovery Green French Cultures Festival 7 – 10pm

PERSIAN NEW YEAR 5:45pm

Jones Hall Houston Symphony: Verdi’s Requiem 8pm Wortham Center Houston Ballet: Modern Masters 7:30pm Toyota Center Stevie Wonder 8pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: The Band Perry 6:45pm House of Blues Ruby Revue Burlesque Show 7pm

Jones Hall Houston Symphony: Copeland & Dvorak 8pm Wortham Center Houston Ballet: Modern Masters 7:30pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Billy Currington 3:45pm Bayou Music Center Anjelah Johnson 7 & 10pm

21 Jones Hall Houston Symphony: Verdi’s Requiem 8pm Toyota Center Houston Rockets vs. Phoenix Suns 7pm NRG Stadium RodeoHouston: Brad Paisley 3:45pm House of Blues Ruby Revue Burlesque Show 10pm Wortham Center Houston Ballet: Modern Masters 7:30pm

Jones Hall Society for the Performing Arts: Hillary Kole 7pm & 9:30pm Toyota Center Houston Rockets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves 7pm Alley Theatre All My Sons 8pm Art Colony Association Bayou City Art Festival at Memorial Park. www.artcolonyassociation.org

Jones Hall Houston Symphony: Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 8pm Alley Theatre All My Sons 8pm Hobby Bach & Sons: At Court 7:30pm House of Blues Buddy Guy 7pm BBVA Compass Stadium Houston Dynamo vs. Colorado Rapids 7:30pm Art Colony Association Bayou City Art Festival at Memorial Park. www.artcolonyassociation.org

TO PURCHASE TICKETS, PLEASE CONTACT

ALLEY THEATRE alleytheatre.org BAYOU MUSIC CENTER bayoumusiccenter.com BBVA COMPASS STADIUM houstondynamo.com CYNTHIA WOODS MITCHELL PAVILION woodlandscenter.org DISCOVERY GREEN discoverygreen.com HOBBY thehobbycenter.org HOUSE OF BLUES hob.com

JONES HALL houstonfirsttheaters.com MAIN STREET THEATER mainstreettheater.com MILLER OUTDOOR THEATRE milleroutdoortheatre.com NRG STADIUM reliantpark.com THEATRE SUBURBIA theatresuburbia.org TOYOTA CENTER toyotacentertix.com WORTHAM CENTER houstonfirsttheaters.com

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DAN PASTORINI’S QUALITY FOODS Wondering what a successful afterlife for a sports figure looks like? DAN PASTORINI’S version is his line of seasonings and rubs. The former NFL quarterback was recently in town at Central Market showing tips and tricks using his Texas Style Rub, Texas Style Hickory Rub and Garlic & Herb Seasoning. The gluten-free, no MSG, low sodium seasonings are packaged right here in Houston and available at HEB stores, Phoenicia and Spec’s. www.dpqualityfoods.com

Photography by Sarah Miller

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DAN PASTORINI’S SEASONINGS

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DINE WRITE

IT’S LIKE TAKING A VIRTUAL TRIP TO PERU THROUGH HIS FOOD.

Lomo Saltado

“ROBERTO’S FOOD IS SO GOOD,” SAID MY FRIEND MARIA-ROSA ALVAREZ-CALDERON LARCO. “IT’S THE BEST PERUVIAN FOOD IN HOUSTON, AS GOOD AND AS AUTHENTIC AS ANYTHING YOU’LL FIND IN LIMA.” Peruvian by descent, Maria-Rosa grew up in Lima before moving to Houston for many years. She wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t already know. I’ve been to Peru twice in the last two years, sampling food from the most basic market stand in Cusco to some of the best restaurants in Lima, among them Astrid y Gaston, Central, Maido and Malabar. And every time I step into the doors of Latin Bites, CHEF ROBERTO

CASTRE’S modern Peruvian eatery in Tanglewood, it’s like taking a virtual trip to Peru through his food. Plan to start your gastronomic journey with the signature Trio Tiradito – strips of white fish sashimi topped with three different types of aji (chili)

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sauces laid out in strips of pastel yellow, peach and cream color. Each sauce has a distinctive, tangy, acidic flavor, punctuated with bites of Peruvian choclo (large corn kernels). Follow this with one of his signature ceviches. The Market Cebiche is a must for every first-timer. Seeped in a traditional leche de tigre (tiger’s milk) made with aji rocoto, the crispy textures of fried calamari next to the chunks of fresh white fish and tender octopus are quite wonderful. Also wonderful: the stunning new Passionfruit Cebiche, a gorgeously plated dish with lovely aromatics, crushed corn powder and the fruity sweet yet tart essence of passionfruit. I had to try Chef Roberto’s Pan con Chicharron, essentially a Peruvian

Amazon Chicken

pork sandwich. A type of Peruvian street food, this one is crafted with pork shoulder that has been sous vide to a tender moist softness, and pan-seared for flavor. Served on a freshly baked bread with sweet potato and grilled red onions and mayo, it’s simple but delicious.

SAMPLE MENU - COCKTAILS • Coca Fizz – Coca leave herbal liquor, basil extract, orange juice, agave nectar, green grapes, lemon, spearmint leaves fennel bitters and Prosecco. $12 - CEBICHES • Fisherman – mixed seafood, mixed leche de tigre, cilantro, ginger garlic, green onions, sweet potato puree, cancha choclo and red onions. $16 - FROM THE STREETS OF PERU • Anticuchos – Grilled heart, roasted potatoes, roasted choclo andhuacatay sauce. $10 - ENTRÉES • Pescado a lo Macho – Pan-seared white seasonal fish, mixed seafood, creamy Peruvian peppers, Pisco sauce and roasted potatoes. $20

Another must-not-miss is the Ceviche de Pato, which is a total wow. A specialty from Northern Peru, this hot dish is made of crisp leg of duck confit. The opaque yellow ceviche sauce, which resembles a yellow curry in color, is poured tableside so that it bubbles and sizzles, giving off scintillating aromas – more spectacular and definitely better than the two excellent versions I had in Lima. If you want something more traditional, Chef Roberto’s lomo saltado, a stir-fried beef tenderloin dish, never disappoints. You can find this all over Peru, but the Latin Bites version is in a class of its own. Wok-fried and tossed in a special recipe of 15 different ingredients, and served with white rice and french fries, it’s a “chef’d” up Peruvian classic done with style. Likewise, his pollo a la parilla, or grilled chicken, is always fantastic.

Alas, we were too full to try the desserts on this visit (the alfajores are divine though), but I did try a couple of their cocktails, including a lusciously creamy pisco sour made with guanabana and the Coca Fizz. Made with Peruvian coca leaf herbal liqueur, this one was served in an attractive crushed copper cup and garnished with grape and mint, a great accompaniment to a truly fine, authentic Peruvian meal.

LATIN BITES

By Mai Pham Photography by Sarah Miller

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Photography by Jodie Eisenhardt

OPEN THE EL CANTINA SUPERIOR (new operator) CUISINE: Tex-Mex EXECUTIVE CHEF: “Crash” Hethcox www.theelcantina.com | 832.203.5180 602 Studewood | Houston, TX 77007 Mon–Thurs: 11am–10pm; Fri–Sat: 11am–11pm; Sun: 11am–10pm Originally opened last summer by Ken Bridge’s Delicious Concepts Group, The El’s cuisine was nothing to write home about. Fast forward to December when the FEED TX Restaurant Group (BRC, Liberty Kitchen, Petite Sweets) came in to manage and re-think the menu. With its fun signage, funky interior, large patio and key spot at the corner of White Oak and Studewood in The Heights, it’s a good save and more importantly, it’s damn good food (and drinks). Lance Fegen and his executive chef team, along with operator Lee Ellis, have created a vast menu – a Tex-Mex wish list with everything from burritos to chicken fried steak and beyond. I’m crazy about the “street jicama” – inspired by Fegen’s surfing road trips to Mexico: marinated jicama, cucumber, pina, lime juice, chiles and smoked salt are served in a little sandwich bag. The “J&B” tacos are instant classics – deep-fried crispy tacos with white American cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo and packet-style taco sauce. An insanely delicious salute to those drive-thru tacos you hate to admit that you love.

El Fish Taco Numerous enchilada options include a stupendous cheese version, topped with chile con carne, and a clever brisket and sausage variety, topped with a spicy jalapeno sauce. Chef Crash hails from Alabama and does serious smoked meats; don’t miss the brisket nachos or the ribs. Drinks are inspired. Think 100% agave, infused tequilas and fresh juices. You’ll be addicted, just like me.

Photography by Kristi Bender

WOODBAR CUISINE: New American, globally inspired, seasonal EXECUTIVE CHEF: Liz Brooks www.shadeandcanopy.com/woodbar 3939 Montrose | Houston, TX 77006 Mon–Sun: 6am–Midnight Looking for a new hangout? Restaurateur Claire Smith’s latest project is next door to her restaurant Canopy. Smith always wanted a bigger/better bar for her Museum District gem, and with Woodbar, her wish comes true. It’s a fine space, indeed, with architectural accents and art reflective of Canopy’s style while allowing for Woodbar to have its own identity. The original cocktail menu is full of yummy libations like the Oxy Daisy with mezcal, Cointreau and lemon juice or the Sophisticated Blonde with Bols Genever Gin, grapefruit, St. Germain and lavender bitters. Even better – it’s more than just a great bar. Open at 6am, Woodbar opens for grab-and-go coffee from Montrose neighbor Fontana Coffee Roasters along with some of Houston’s best pastries including fantastic croissants, muffins, scones and melt-in-your-mouth monkey buns. At 7am, Canopy’s breakfast menu becomes available and at 11am, executive chef Liz Brook’s small bites menu takes hold and runs

until closing at midnight, along with Canopy’s other menus available at their appropriate times. Speaking of the bar bites menu, don’t miss the Lil’ Chicken Fried Steak with scrumptious cheddar-chive biscuits and a “pitcher o’ cream gravy.” The Empanada Trio featuring the kitchen’s sublime pastry dough and changing seasonal fillings is divine, as are the Eggplant & Onion Rings served with harissa-tomato and creamy feta sauces. It’s just the kind of place Houston needs – multi-purpose in multi-delicious ways.

JODIE EISENHARDT is a freelance food writer based in Houston writing for local online and print media, including CultureMap and My Table magazine as well as LOCAL magazine. Jodie’s motto is “never waste a meal.” She travels widely in pursuit of notable cuisine and live music and finds bliss when a trip incorporates the best of both. Follow Jodie @foodiehouston.

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Photography by Jodie Eisenhardt

Crab Beignets

BIG EYED FISH CHEF: Xavier Martinez CUISINE: Southern American Comfort – with a twist www.bigeyedfishhouston.com | 713.714.8367 908 Henderson | Houston, TX 77007 Mon–Thurs: 10am–10pm; Fri: 10am–11pm; Sat: 3–11pm; Brunch – Sat and Sun from 10am–3pm. Twenty-six-year-old Megan Adams is a child prodigy of the restaurant business. She grew up in her grandfather’s restaurant on N. Main. “I did my homework in a restaurant booth,” says Adams. Her father Doyle has opened numerous restaurants, including The Corkscrew (with brother Andrew). Doyle served as general contractor and now as GM of his daughter’s funky, delicious little resto, which is named after the Dave Matthews tune. The structure housed the former Alice’s Café, which opened in 1942. It almost couldn’t be remodeled because of the poor condition, but young Adams could not be dissuaded. “I was born and raised right here – in this neighborhood,” says the spunky restaurateur who spent nearly four years under the wing of Benjy Levit, starting when she was still in high school. The cozy space includes a cute bar accented by Mason jar fixtures and a tree-lined back porch. For those “southern classics with a kick,” Adams turned to Chef Xavier Martinez, an Art Institute grad/Perry’s alum. Everything is made fresh inhouse. Yummy crab beignets sit atop a bed of dressed greens and a tangy/sweet tomato jam that’s so good, they sell jars of it at the bar. Other hits include the fried green tomatoes, bacon-filled deviled eggs, and the shrimp and grits. The meatloaf has a spicy kick and we loved the pan-roasted quail with its fantastic mushroom bread pudding. The bar has a solid beer and wine selection (and retail), and the express lunch offers downtowners a tasty new option.

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PERFECT PAIRS NOW THIS IS A REAL TREAT. Oh, we are not even talking about the pairing yet. Pondicheri Cafe, the West Ave Indian institution, has a bakery, juice factory, coffee shop, spice shop and so much more sitting right on top of the cafe, and it’s stylishly known as the Bake Lab + Shop. The Bake Lab puts out an often changing selection of pastries, cakes, prepared foods like salads and yogurt, soups, sandwiches and a whole host of other surprises. The Shop portion puts out some great drinks, juices, an extensive selection of serve-yourself spices and even some copper tableware. Full of bright natural light, the rest of the area is the huge kitchen and an eclectic seating area where you should spend some of your time. You won’t regret it. Yes…YES. That is literally what we said out loud when taking our first drink of the MADRAS COFFEE after a few bites of the PONDI BAR. This was a literal spice bomb for your mouth!!! So what are these, and why the pair?

Well, the Madras coffee is a whole bunch of coarse ground Greenway coffee which is then toddy brewed (cold brewing) for hours with a few choice spices added to the brew. Black pepper, cardamom and star anise are mixed into the toddy and when the brewing is all said and done, the brew is heated with milk and sugar added. The result is a hot ready-to-drink coffee, far, far, far, far better than a chai latte. The Pondi Bar, or as it is also affectionately known, an Indian Rice Krispie® treat, is a fantastic play on the savory and sweet. Taking the “peanut rice chevda mix,” which is puffy rice cracker, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, peanuts and raisins, and mixing it with marshmallow, butter and chili powder(!!!) results (after a quick bake) in one of the most interesting “bars” we have ever had. So, why this pair? It is difficult to accurately describe in words the flavor explosion when you combine the coffee and the bar, so we’ll just say this: like a visit to the Bake Lab + Shop, you won’t regret it. By Mike Cook | Photography by Kennon Evett

MADRAS COFFEE + PONDI BAR Pondicheri –- Bake Lab + Shop | 2800 Kirby, Ste. B240, Houston, TX 77098 | 713.522.2012 | www.pondichericafe.com Sun–Thu 9–7pm | Fri & Sat 9–11pm 22

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CLUB/LOUNGE REVIEW

PUBLIC SERVICES WINE+WHISKY THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT...DO ATTEMPT TO ADJUST YOUR MINDSET...WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE YOU ARE IN FOR A REAL TREAT... Ok, enough with the CAPS, we’ll get to the message. One of our city’s finest sommeliers has opened a wine & whiskey bar in what may be one of the finest locations in the entire city, the old Cotton Exchange Building downtown. IT SHALL BE KNOWN...ah whatever, it’s called Public Services Wine & Whiskey. Moving into the old Cotton Exchange Bar space, Public Services had the great fortune of only really needing to focus on what made it beautiful in the first place: the fantastic woodwork, elegant details and its grand stature. After a light update which highlighted those qualities, we get an open space with a grand ol’ bar, arches, high ceilings and plenty of seating on some interesting couches and chairs. THE NEON “SHERRY” SIGN...sorry... by the entrance accentuates the fun to be had inside. No outdoor seating but, don’t worry, even with a great crowd, Public Services manages to still feel open and airy.

Seeing how it really is one of the classiest joints in town, it’s staffed and run by some real down-to-earth people. ATTENTION! THE ENTIRE STAFF HAS REAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT...sorry... some wild and different wines and whiskeys, as expected considering owner Justin Vann, the personable, quirky wizard somm is running the show. Where else in town can you enjoy a Taiwanese Kavalan Solist Sherry whiskey and be able to taste the Olosoro sherry wine aged in the same barrels? Ever had an Indian whiskey? Let’s just say the peated (Scottish briquettes of basically earth, similar to coal) Indian whiskey, Amrut, is a real treat. You are also in for some cuttingedge wines too as Vann the man certainly knows his wines. Public Services also offers classic stirred cocktails, keeping it simple, but real, at the same time. Bottled/canned beer are available if for some crazy reason you came here not looking to have a wine or whiskey bomb dropped on your taste palate. THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT...DO ATTEMPT TO ADJUST YOUR MINDSET...WE HAVE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE YOU ARE IN FOR A REAL TREAT. By Mike Cook | Photography by Daniel Ortiz

202 Travis St., Houston TX, 77002 713.516.8897 www.publicservicesbar.com Facebook: Public Services Wine & Whiskey Mon–Sat 4pm–2am

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GOOD EATS –Michael Cook

COLTIVARE PIZZA + GARDEN $$$ Italian, Pizza, Cocktails | 3320 White Oak Dr. | 713.637.4095 www.coltivarehouston.com The slow-cooked beef and polenta pizza is rich in mascarpone and pecorino. Yeah, polenta on pizza. Wonderful, but the real star is the crust that Chef Pera spent years perfecting. The wood-grilled chicken comes with a nice kick. The gulf shrimp, mussels and clams were accompanied by Arborio, lemongrass and chiles. The cocktails are special as well. Pera tells me the overall idea is to take traditional Italian liquors and spirits and infuse them in an American style of cocktail. –Jeff Lane

SIPHON COFFEE $ Eatery, Coffee, Wine | 701 W. Alabama | 281.974.4426 www.siphoncoffeehouston.com If you choose to bypass all the fine espresso drinks for a siphon, be patient – it’s not quick and you don’t want it to be!!! There’s beer and wine on tap. Good beer. As if they needed to add another reason for people to visit. Second, the food is top-notch. The consulting chef-driven (the cool new thing to do) menu will please most all palates, morning or afternoon. –Michael Cook

preparing them. Menu options include flavorful Spanish tapas like the “pappas bravas” with spicy red potatoes and Spanish chorizo, superfresh seafood, pizzas from a wood-burning oven and melt-in-yourmouth house-made pastas like “Mama Sonia’s ravioli” stuffed with chicken and porcini mushrooms in a white wine cream sauce topped –Jodie Eisenhardt with jumbo lump crab.

DAK & BOP $$$ Korean | 1801 Binz St., Ste.120 | 713.528.0280 www.facebook.com/dakandbop This is a place to go with friends, order a bunch of appetizers and fried chicken, get a beer and cocktail (I recommend the Cool Cucumber or the Blackberry Chili Margarita) and grub on tasty, twice fried, crispy yet deliciously moist Korean fried chicken. –Mai Pham

GRACE’S $$$$ Comfort Food and Some Surprises | 3111 Kirby Dr. 713.728.6410 | www.gracesonkirbycom Grace’s burger might be Houston’s best burger (I do not say this lightly!). Wagyu brisket is ground in-house and loosely packed into a patty that receives a fantastic sear as it’s cooked to order and served on a brilliant custom Slow Dough challah bun that’s beautifully soft but somehow holds up to the juice and toppings. It comes with terrific house-cut fries, and I was instantly obsessed. –Jodie Eisenhardt

ARCODORO $$$ Italian | 5000 Westheimer @ Post Oak | 713.621.6888 www.arcodoro.com The restaurant – co-owned by Efifio Faris with wife Lori – has become a fixture in the Galleria area since opening in 1996. Highlights include the seafood options, particularly the whole fish (branzino, gulf red snapper or sea bream) encrusted in rock salt and cooked in the woodburning oven and filleted tableside. The same oven puts out some great –Jodie Eisenhardt pizza.

ARTURO BOADA CUISINE $$$ Spanish Italian | 6510 Del Monte | 713.568.9196 www.boadacuisine.com Chef/Owner Arturo Boada’s neighborhood outpost on Del Monte is turning out delectable cuisine from a spotless kitchen, reflecting the chef’s devotion to the freshest ingredients and high standards of 26

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BCN TASTE AND TRADITION $$$$ European, Spanish | 4210 Roseland St. | 832.834.3411 www.bcnhouston.com The vibe is traditional meets modern. Many of the ingredients and even some equipment have been sourced directly from Spain, including the mouth-watering Iberico Ham which is served with slices of bread rubbed with raw tomato for a rustic and satisfying dish. Other appetizer highlights include a lovely watermelon and burrata salad with baby greens, basil leaves and vinegar reduction. –Jodi Eisenhardt

BLACKSMITH COFFEE $ American, Coffee | 1018 Westheimer Rd. | 832.360.7470 www.facebook.com/blacksmithhouston You can’t get a bad cup using Greenway beans. The house-made Valrhona chocolate used in the mocha latte pays respect to the exceptional beans, as do the various pour-overs, the flat white and essentially every drink on the menu. Of course there are pastries…but biscuits or croissants with marmalade or sausage/bacon, egg and cheese win breakfast. Vietnamese steak and eggs win as well!! Sandwiches on overdrive (think bacon/gouda, curried chicken salad) feed the people lunch.

GRATIFI KITCHEN + BAR $$ American | 302 Fairview | 832.203.5950 www.gratifikitchenandbar.com Gratifi is in a charming house, with seating inside and out, serving elegant entrées, creative burgers, amazing breakfast fare, all very interesting food with a variety of flavors that you can’t really corral into a category. Kevin Strickland and his team make everything themselves – salad dressings, sauces, BBQ sauce, etc., from their own recipes. Cocktails, too. Original concoctions are constantly in the works, and the –Jeff Lane favorites find their way onto the drink menu. HEARSAY ON THE GREEN $$$ Modern, Cocktails, American | 1515 Dallas St. 832.377.3362 | www.hearsayhouston.com You’ll find Hearsay favorites – Saint Arnold’s battered asparagus, the Hearsay burger, crab cakes and more – on the new menu, too, as well as some traditional down-home southern comfort food. “It’s the food I like to eat,” says Chef Chanas, who pointed me to the chicken fried chicken, two pounded pieces of moist chicken covered in a crispy buttermilk batter, then topped in a country sausage gravy and served over dirty rice. Um, yum! I love, love, loved the Grilled Kobe Dog, the very

definition of gourmet comfort food. –MaiPham INVERSION COFFEE HOUSE $ Coffee, Smoothies, Tea, Bakery | 1953 Montrose Blvd. 713.523.4866 | www.inversioncoffeehouse.com We got a latte special drinks here. Using locally roasted Katz Coffee beans, Inversion has all the basics including pour-overs, blended drinks and smoothies, but they get artistic with the lattes. For the winter, the Gingerbread latte, Honey Badger, Cherry Cobbler and a few other options help enhance the spirit of the season. There is also a consistent list of ‘special’ drinks and we recommend the strong and interestingly named White Librarian (iced toddy brew with chocolate and half & half). Standard fare (think muffins, pastries, bagels and fruit) plays well with one of the most consistent offerings of food trucks in town. Many days up to three local food trucks hang like art on the wall out in the parking lot.

PAPER CO. COFFEE $ Bakery, Coffee, Sandwiches | 1100 Elder St. | 713.522.3533 www.papercohouston.com Paper Co. uses Mueva Coffee beans (“coffee farmers in Nicaragua, coffee roasters in Houston”), and they result in spiritual drinks from an unlikely place. The direct trade beans and simple menu will get you high on life and high on caffeine. Plenty of Chemex on the shelves so it would be wise to give the pour-over a try, if you don’t believe in espresso. A nice but small selection of pastries accompany the heavenly – Michael Cook coffee.

MR. PEEPLES $$$$ Steakhouse | 1911 Bagby | 713.652.0711 www.mrpeeples.com Steaks and seafood are the specialties, but the menu is packed with delicious descriptions and creative titles. There are banquet and meeting facilities on the second floor with state-of-the-art audio and visual systems for business conferences, receptions, private parties et al. So there are plenty of reasons to return. –Jeff Lane

–Michael Cook

LILLO & ELLA $$$ Pan-Asian Street Food | 2307 Ella Blvd. | 281.888.5335 www.lilloandella.com The large dinner menu has a nice assortment of bar bites like the sweet with a kick chipotle and honey edamame and shared bites like the addictive five-spice spare ribs with summer melon slaw or the super-delish Thai muu noodles – ground pork and chili tossed with thin noodles, long beans, bean sprouts and herbs. Good bets for mains include yogurt and curry shrimp skewers and soft-shell crab served with cucumber salad and Korean chili. –Jodie Eisenhardt

MERCANTILE COFFEE $ Coffee, Eatery | 3321 Stanford | 713.360.7947 www.mercantilehouston.com A straightforward menu offers a simple espresso down to a mocha, hitting all the high points in between. Get a macchiato (espresso, espresso and milk and a shot of sparkling water) to really enjoy the potential of Amaya Roasting Co. beans. Drip coffee is also available for you non-espresso folks. Fantastic food offerings are a real draw here as well. A wide variety of “craft” bottled beverages, snacks, pastries, spices, chocolates, cured meats and cheeses and a lot more make Mercantile the convenience store for the foodie. Rice Village needed this! –Jodie Eisenhardt

PAX AMERICANA $$$ Modern American | 4319 Montrose Blvd. | 713.239.0228 www.paxamericanahtx.com For the cuisine itself, think edgy and comforting at the same time – like the “nine-spice” brisket served with potatoes, soured cream, black garlic, 1015 onions. It’s typical Sunday comfort food, yet you’ve never had any brisket like it. This is a special place with a team that is collaborating on a high level and clearly in the zone. It’s fun. It’s delicious. Go. – Jodie Eisenhardt

SICHUAN NOODLES $$ Noodle House | 9889 Bellaire Blvd., Ste. C205 | 832.831.3038 If you love spice and noodles, there’s a new Chinese noodle house, Sichuan Noodles, that you have to visit. Tucked away in the back of the Dun Huang Plaza on Bellaire Blvd., the place is pristine and super-cute. (The floors are a shiny black granite tile with inlaid gold leaf motif.) It’s a hole-in-the-wall in the literal sense – just a long rectangular strip mall dining room with about 10 tables. –Mai Pham

MUSEUM PARK CAFE $$ New American | 1801 Binz | 713.520.0109 www.museumparkcafe.com For dinner, housemade pastas are a must, like the exquisite gnocchi with roasted mushrooms and a hit of acidic heat from pickled chiles balanced by wild arugula. Protein options do not disappoint, either – consider the Black Hills Ranch pork roast, served with creamy polenta, roasted winter veggies and toasted walnuts. Pastry chef wiz Chris Leung is the icing on the cake (so to speak) with his innovative, scrumptious desserts. I’m currently obsessed with –Jodie Eisenhardt mascarpone semifreddo. Mmm.

$ KEY = BASED ON URBAN SPOON HOUSTON

URBAN EATS $$$ American Eatery | 3414 Washington Ave. | 832.834.4417 www.feasturbaneats.com At lunch, the bistro is so busy that they’ve had to add complimentary valet parking, and it’s easy to see why. The cozy space – adorned with wall art by local artists (which rotates out every three months) – offers well-prepared gourmet comfort foods. Our favorites were the fried green tomato sliders served on plump, just-toasted pretzel buns; the Brussels toss salad (a good way to get your greens folks!); the threepig truffled mac ’n cheese;- and the five cheese potato gratin. The portions are ample, so you can order for yourself or a few plates to share. Another cool thing? Friday and Saturday nights after 9pm, they offer live music with no cover – check their online calendar for the schedule. –Mai Pham

$ = cheap eats $$ = moderately priced $$$ = higher priced $$$$ = fine dining

FOR OUR COMPLETE RESTAURANT LISTING, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE. march 15 | L O C A L 27

INFINITY MACHINE Find a spot on the floor at the BYZANTINE FRESCO CHAPEL and watch the mobile spin, catch glimpses of your reflection or shadows of frames on the walls or light reflected from the mirror to the walls to the floor. Last month we told you of the soon-to-beopen installation by Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller – and now it is here, blowing everyone away. It’s a roller coaster of emotions caused by the allencompassing sensory installation. Commissioned by the Menil Collection, Infinity Machine is the couple’s first mobile, which is suspended from the high ceiling and rotates a variety of objects including a fan, antique model airplane and glass globes. Cardiff shares the initial “sketch” they created: “We hung about 25 mirrors up in our studio, but our studio didn’t have a truss to turn it. We just had to sort of turn lights to see how it would move and look. So we did kind of a small sketch. That’s where we got our hanging system ideas.” There are also illuminated elements and a sound collage incorporating new recordings on interactions of solar winds with the earth’s ionosphere collected by NASA. The machine pauses every thirty minutes for a few seconds and a voice counts it down. “It’s very eerie. It brings in this human voice, in this idea of the universe,” shares Cardiff.

By Carla Valencia de Martinez Photography by George-Hixson

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INFINITY MACHINE

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THIS MONTH’S

MUST-SEE EXHIBITS.

1. Russian artist Olga Tobreluts’ solo exhibit at DEBORAH COLTON GALLERY explores evolution in human visual perception in the 21st century. The multimedia exhibit, New Abilities, offers new forms of visual expression that discuss the simulation of reality and “realness” in our advanced technological age. On view through April 18. | www.deborahcoltongallery.com

2. In collaboration with Assistant Professor Jesús Vassallo and students of the Rice School of Architecture course “Learning from Houston,” Atelier Bow Wow | Shotgun sits on a house-like structure at the center of

RICE

GALLERY. On view through March 15. | www.ricegallery.org 3. OFF THE WALL GALLERY presents The Art of John Lennon, showcasing artworks created by the legendary musician and artist himself. John Lennon’s artwork celebrates human love and communication – two themes at the heart of his contribution to the art of the 20th century. His iconic “SelfPortrait” image has become the cornerstone of the collection. All artwork is on exhibition and available for acquisition March 26 through March 29. | www.offthewallgallery.com

4. Cover Your Nut features new work never exhibited before by Helen Altman including found-object sculptures created from hand puppets and stuffed animals. Also on view is a six-foot grid of 42 life-size skulls, made from flowers, grasses, seeds, herbs and spices on view through March 21 at

MOODY GALLERY. www.moodygallery.com

5. Each year more than 200 prominent artists from around the world participate in the prestigious International Exhibition presented by the WATERCOLOR ART SOCIETY OF HOUSTON (WAS-H). The exhibit will be on display from March 10 until April 9. Don’t miss the opening reception on March 13! For additional information about the International Exhibition and WAS-H, please visit

www.watercolorhouston.org.

2 FOR A COMPLETE LISTING OF ART HOUSES, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.localhoustonmagazine.com.

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MUSEUM DISTRICT

HIGHLIGHTS

1. There’s a reason the MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS HOUSTON’s Mixed Media Series is still going strong. If you’re a newbie or maybe you thought you were over it, you might want to put Friday, March 13, in your calendar. Combine exclusive access to the exhibit New World to Come: Experiments in Japanese Art and Photography, 1968–1979 with Nickodemus, DJ SUN with Dominick Oscar on drums, DJ Little Martin and Special Performances by Dance and you get one pretty cool afterhours party. www.mfah.org/mixedmedia

2. HOUSTON CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY opens three new exhibits this month. Bill Armstrong: Buddha & Mandala depicts luminous images of the artist’s interpretations of mandalas. Ryan Bush: Visions showcases visual captures of inspiration and dreams in three-dimensional photographs through various interpretations of visions in religion, meditation, nature and in the imagination to be viewed with or without 3D glasses. And Learning Curve 8 highlights HCP’s educational and outreach program showcasing a variety of photography styles and mediums selected by Kelly Anderson-Staley, Assistant Professor, Photography and Digital Media, University of Houston. 3.

At the HOUSTON CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY CRAFT DINING AND DISCOURSE: A Discussion in Three Courses takes center stage in the Main gallery. The exhibit looks critically at the intrinsic relationship between craft and dining, featuring 26 emerging and mid-career artists working in wood, glass, ceramics, fiber, metal and mixed media. The show is cleverly organized into three dining room vignettes Role Play; Hunter-Gatherer; and Opulence and Excess. This exhibit is perfect for our foodie city, merging two timely trends in our city: food + art.

4. THE HOUSTON BICYCLE MUSEUM opened last month with a celebration of Houston’s love affair with the bicycle. The museum’s curator, Joy Boone, has over 50 years of experience with bicycles and loves to share her vast knowledge with visitors. A group of passionate volunteers has dedicated many hours of their time in order bring this museum to life which has been a dream of Joy Boone’s . The museum will highlight the unique history of cycling through the ages from the Bigwheel to the modern mountain bike, their evolution and role in society, as well as influential men and women in racing.

Museum of Fine Arts Houston 1001 Bissonnet , Houston, TX 77005 www.mfah.org

Houston Center for Photography 1441 West Alabama, Houston, TX 77006 www.hcponline.org

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft 4848 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002 www.crafthouston.org

The Houston Bicycle Museum 1313 Binz, Houston, TX 77004 www.houstonbicyclemuseum.org

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1. THE MENIL COLLECTION 2. HOUSTON CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY 3. THE ROTHKO CHAPEL 4. HOUSTON CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY CRAFT 5. LAWNDALE ART CENTER 6. BUFFALO SOLDIERS NATIONAL MUSEUM 7. HOLOCAUST MUSEUM HOUSTON 8. CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF HOUSTON 9. THE HEALTH MUSEUM 10. HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE 11. HOUSTON ZOO 12. RICE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY 13. THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON 14. CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM HOUSTON 15. THE JUNG CENTER OF HOUSTON 16. CZECH CENTER MUSEUM 17. JOHN C. FREEMAN WEATHER MUSEUM 18. ASIA SOCIETY TEXAS CENTER

Illustration by German Arellano

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GISH AT THE MOVIES

CELEBRATING WOMEN IN FILM

By Sarah Gish

Diane Ladd

Donna Cole

Alicia Goodrow

Eden Brolin

Deborah Kainer

March 8 is “International Women’s Day,” an annual celebration that started in the early 1900s, so I thought it would be appropriate to focus on a trio of Houston women who are making a difference in the way females are portrayed onscreen. In a nice coincidence, we have a chance to catch pioneering dame de la screen Lillian Gish (a distant relative of mine!) at 14 Pews (www.14pews.org) on Friday, March 13, and Saturday, March 14, in “The Wind” (1928). Very unusual for the time, Gish carried that film as the lead – amazingly, stats aren’t much better for women today. According to www.therepresentationproject.org, less than 25% of films made each year feature a female protagonist. It was this fact that motivated Donna Cole, Deborah Kainer and Alicia Goodrow to launch the Pantheon of Women (www.pantheonofwomen.com) in 2013. All three women are accomplished, strong leaders and mentors with a personal and professional interest in women’s empowerment so it was their goal to create a company that produces and presents film and television that change the way women are perceived by men and the way women perceive themselves. They’ve already begun to make waves: Their first film, I Dream Too Much, will premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin this month (screening date tba at press time). Founder Alicia

Goodrow told me, “That lovely film was written and directed by Houston native Katie Cokinos and tells the story of three generations of women unlocking their dreams and finding new paths. Diane Ladd, Eden Brolin and Danielle Brooks play their roles with richness and integrity. There are very few ‘coming of age’ stories about women – and fewer still where relationships with family and friends pave the way for growth.” I asked Goodrow about the importance of women in film and she told me, “Women are keepers of the important stories in every culture so when women are given the opportunity to shape a narrative from behind the camera or on the screen, the story changes. Relationships become supportive instead of combative and opportunities for women to shine as unique individuals emerge.” POW’s next project is a historical film written by my buddy and fab, Austin-based writer Sarah Bird about a woman who served with the Buffalo Soldiers. I look forward to many more female-driven films from this Pantheon of Women!

Lillian Gish

WANT TO SEE MORE ART FILMS? CHECK OUT THESE VENUES

• 14 Pews • Alamo Drafthouse • Asia Society • Aurora Picture Show • Blaffer Art Museum • Café Brasil • Contemporary Arts Museum • Discovery Green • DiverseWorks • Holocaust Museum • Jewish Community Center • Landmark River Oaks Theatre • Miller Outdoor Theatre • Museum of Fine Arts, Houston • Orange Show • Rice Cinema • Sundance Cinemas

Sarah Gish is an artist, mama, igniter and connector who has been writing for Local magazine since 1998. She was one of the co-founders of Q-Fest, Houston’s only LGBT festival, and was the publicist and city manager for Landmark Theatres in the 1990s, overseeing the River Oaks, Greenway and Saks movie theatres. She owns Gish Creative (www.gishcreative.com), a personal, family and business enrichment company that she founded in 2000. It’s her joy to bring the love of movies to Houstonians and to let people know about all the amazing arts and culture in Houston.

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FRESH ARTS SCENE This March in Houston: a little bit of this, a little bit of that and everything fabulous in between. – Ariel Jones

BLESS YOU! THE ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE ORANGE SHOW Orange Show Center for Visionary Art Saturday, March 7 | 4–9pm Celebrating the artist in everyone, join the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art in the annual blessing of Houston’s most colorful art space. Participate in a mask-making workshop with acclaimed printmaker Dennis McNett from 4–6pm, followed by an evening of drums, dancing, art and avant-garde musical performances in both Smither Park and the Orange Show Monument from Shane Lauder, Morgan Sorne, Lacy Rose, Amanda Gregory and Patrick O’Brien Doyle. The event takes place at 2402 Munger St., Houston, TX 77023. For more information, visit www.orangeshow.org.

KAZUO ISHUGURO READING Inprint Margarett Brown Reading Series Monday, March 23 | begins at 7:30pm In 2005 Time magazine included Kazou’s Never Let Me Go on its list of 100 greatest English language novels since the magazine’s inception in 1923, and in 2008 The Times named Ishiguro in its list of the 50 greatest British writers since 1948. He will read from his highly anticipated new novel, The Buried Giant, coming out this March. The reading will take place at Cullen Theater, Wortham Center, 501 Texas Avenue. For more information, visit www.inprinthouston.org.

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SUPERNOVA Fresh Arts Opening Reception: Friday, March 27 | 6–8pm Supernova is a group exhibition of multimedia works by current and recent graduates of the MFA/MS in Visualization Degree Program at Texas A&M. The Visualization Department is a unique program that meets at the crossroads of art, science and technology. The public is invited to a free opening reception with the artists beginning at 6pm, Friday, March 27, at Fresh Arts, 2101 Winter Street, Studio B11, Houston, TX, 77007. Free parking is available. For more information, visit www.fresharts.org.

BACH & SONS: AT COURT Ars Lyrica Saturday, March 28 | begins at 7:30pm Ars Lyrica’s season-long tribute to the Bach family continues with an evening of concertos by Johann Sebastian, Carl Philipp Emanuel and Johann Christian Bach. Baroque violinist extraordinaire Ingrid Matthews returns for this all-instrumental evening featuring Ars Lyrica’s core string players and harpsichordist/artistic director Matthew Dirst. Tickets range from $36–$57. At Zilkha Hall at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (800 Bagby Street #300, Houston, TX 77002). For more information, visit www.arslyrica.org.

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RECORDING

JEWEL BROWN

Most would consider JEWEL BROWN’S peak to be the time she spent singing with LOUIS ARMSTRONG in the ’60s. That’s fair. But while the films Louis Armstrong and All Stars and Solo do stand as the most visible of her endeavors, they fall short of highlighting a deep pedigree earned in the nightclubs and juke joints of Third Ward in the years prior. Brown started at a young age. Her first professional appearance was at Galveston’s Manhattan Club, along an area of the Seawall once reserved for blacks known as Brown Beach (where Menard Park now stands). That club would become but one destination for the hardworking singer, who would go on to work for JACK RUBY in Dallas and then tour the world with Armstrong before retiring from life on the road in the early ’70s to take care of her ailing mother. Over the last couple of decades, Brown started making appearances again, and in recent years has come around to a bona fide second act in her career. This month, Brown has a new album coming out with Japanese horn ensemble Bloodest Saxophone and she’ll be on tour once again, turning 78 this year and showing no signs of stopping. I spoke to Jewel about the Third Ward scene that molded her as a singer. There was so much music in Houston in the ’50s that people always wanted to come through and play, right? You darn tootin’. There were quite a bit of them. As a matter of fact, the first night I went out, when I was nine years old, I got a chance to do a thing with Nat King Cole at Club Matinee in the Anchor Room. I was nine years old! And then I started doin’ the talent shows, and that’s one thing as far as gettin’ a little… you know, start gettin’ a little notoriety and stuff. In Houston back in the day, the Dowling Theatre was what The Apollo Theater is today. That’s what we had. We had the Park Theater and the Dowling Theatre — those were the two theaters in the Third Ward. But it was the Dowling Theatre that had the shows between the

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movies. The movie would be on, and as soon as the movie would go off, the show would start again. They did shows like three or four times a day, like they did at The Apollo Theater. And man, we had shows at the Emancipation Park – on the backside there? They would play movies on the big screen – you know, they had a big screen there, a film screen. And then they would have the shows on that back stage back there. I don’t know if it still exists, but that’s what they did. And that was our recreation on the weekend! Everything went on at the Emancipation Park. Across the street from there was the El Dorado. So it was a lot goin’ on just right there in that one block! It was most fantastic.

was Louis Armstrong’s singer. So what happened was they was on a And you had the same sort of thing going on in Fifth Ward, too. Were a lot of people search for a singer, and they didn’t exactly know what to do because they going back and forth between there? Did it feel like a circuit between those two knew that Louis and Velma had a very friendly bond. And they didn’t neighborhoods? know if putting another singer in would hurt Louis’s feelings or something. Well, at that time, there wasn’t as many cars as there are today. But a lot of the people They didn’t know how to handle it. But when Mr. Glaser came down and who could afford it were coming out of Fifth Ward into the Third Ward, and of course heard me, I understand he heard one show – I was doin’ two shows a in the Fifth Ward, we had the Peacock, and we had the Club Matinee’s Anchor Room. night – and I heard that he heard one show and then he went straight on And right to the side of there, they had what was called The Whispering Pine. Joe Brown. Joe Brown just died here about three or four “AT FIVE YEARS OLD I WAS SINGING IN MY CHURCH IN years ago – the man who owned The Whispering Pine. And then we had like The Double Bar Ranch, THE JUNIOR CHOIR. AT FIVE YEARS OLD, YES.” where a lot of things came there. We had quite a bit, back to New York that same night. He just came down to hear me so he’d you know, that was going on. Even down Dowling Street, we had clubs. The G&A know what Mr. Tony Papa was talkin’ about. So I had been… my first husCafé, and entertainers and all used to come off in those places. But I learned most of band was Eddie Curtis, who’s my son’s father, and [Glaser] called him in what I started out doing at the Club Matinee. Before then, I was in mostly the juke to come and talk to him, because you know, that was a strong investigajoints. tion on whoever they were gonna put with Louis, you know what I mean? You had to be a person that was kinda on the up and up! He didn’t use There were a lot of those! anybody who was on drugs or alcoholics or anything of that sort. You Oh yeah. The most famous one at the time was called Shady’s Playhouse. And then it couldn’t work with Louis if you had a problem. At any rate, he asked my got so big for him that he got a place on the Gulf Freeway and called it Jeff’s ex-husband about me, and he said, “Do you think she could handle it?” Playhouse. That was his name, Jeff. Why he named the other place he had Shady’s And he told him – what he means to this day I don’t know what he meant Playhouse I don’t know. But that’s where I met Henry Haye’s band with Elmo Nixon, by it – but he told him, he says, “Look – her? She’s all nerve and no who had the hit record at that time. “Alabama Blues.” And all that kind of stuff. That’s nerve.” Whatever that was. the era I came from. And what about before that? Did you grow up singing in church? I mean, you’re talking about nine years old, were you singing before that? At five years old I was singing in my church in the junior choir. At five years old, yes. At Rose Hill Baptist Church. They’ve changed now – it’s called Greater Rose Hill Baptist Church, but back in the day it was just Rose Hill Baptist Church. On the corner of Sawyer and Holman.

All nerve and no nerve! That was his explanation to him, that she’s “all nerve and no nerve.” Maybe that means that she can just handle anything. Whatever it takes. I guess so! That’s the only thing I can think of. So anyway Mr. Glaser called me in Dallas, and said that, “Jewel, if I put anybody with Louis Armstrong, it’s gonna be you.” I say, “Well, thank you, Mr. Glaser.” I say, “That would be just fine, but you need to give me a call, because I’m here in Dallas and I’ll need to go to Houston to exchange some things and redo some things and let my parents know where I’m on my way,” you know? He called me about 12 o’clock that day and told me that his plane would be leaving at 3 o’clock. So I got to pack up all my stuff up in Dallas and I got to drive to Houston and get to the airport. And I did it. I got to

And were there singers who influenced you back then? I always kind of feel like I hear some Big Mama Thornton in what you do, but I guess this is even before Big Mama Thornton, right? Big Mama Thornton, and old Lightnin’ Hopkins would be singin’ on the corner at Fannin Street. You know, I mean Houston has a lot of history, and there was Arnett Cobb, and Illinois Jacquet. Houston in two hours! I hit the pedal and I drove 115 miles an hour all the way in except when a cop stopped me, and I told him, “Mister, you can’t hold me up. I got to go. I got somethin’ You worked with Arnett Cobb, too, years later, right? I gotta do. I got to get to my mama.” He didn’t give me a ticket or anything. He just say, “Just Oh, yes, I did! I went to Europe with him twice. Yes. At that time, be careful.” When I got out of his sight, I put the pedal right back to the metal and got home. his son-in-law Steve Williams was handling things for him. And made it to the airport. And when I got there, all the guys knew me because they all used to come to Club Ebony. And when I got there, I said, “Listen, I got to get to New York. Don’t And I know that at one point … well, obviously you ended up y’all let that plane get away from me. Help me get down there quick.” My ticket was already working with Louis Armstrong, but I know that Duke Ellington there, and they took me the shortcut way outside of the terminal. And got me on the plane. And was courting you, too, at one point, right? He was trying to get when I was on the plane, I fell straight to sleep with my purse and my bag still in my lap. I just you to sing with his band. sat down and fell off. I don’t even know whether not I tightened the seatbelt up, but I couldn’t You know, what actually happened was I working for Jack Ruby have done that because I still had my purse and a bag in my hand. I fell asleep and slept all in Dallas, and I left him due to a problem that evidently he had, the way to New York. I didn’t even wake up; they didn’t feed me or nothing. I slept all the way and I refused to deal with it anymore and I left and I started workto New York. And when I got off the plane, my foot hit the last step on the plane and I hit the ing for a gentleman named T.J. Jefferies. He had the club Chalet. first step on the bus. My foot never hit the ground. And went straight on in … the bus pulled off and straight on in to Boston, Massachusetts.We were goin’ to Storyville for George Wein, who That was still in Dallas right there? had the Newport Jazz Festival. That was my first night of work with Louis. That was still in Dallas. At that place, it was a restaurant as well, and I believe Mr. Tony Papa, who was Dallas branch officer for Associated Booking Corporation, had told him about me. Told Mr. Glaser, that is. Joe Glaser about me. And that interest in me came because Velma Middleton had passed in Africa, and she

By Lance Scott Walker | Photography by Anthony Rathbun To read more of this interview, log on to www.localhoustonmagazine.com

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SPORTS JESSICA COLLADO FIRST SOLOIST OF THE HOUSTON BALLET

JERSEY OR TUTU? Ballet is a sport as much as it is an art. Just ask first soloist of the Houston Ballet, JESSICA COLLADO. “I don’t think people realize how athletic our job is and physically grueling. Ballet is the perfect combination of the two, taking a sport and turning it into an art. The physicality and endurance – we make it look effortless at the same time.” Just like football players perform on the field before 1000s of people, ballerinas perform on a stage in front of 1000s of people too. “It’s hard that you train and practice so much; you get this pressure to deliver the perfect performance and you get the nerve from the audience,” says Collado. “When I’m on stage I try to have fun; my body knows what it’s going to do once I’m on there.” Collado starts off her day with a substantial breakfast to fuel her nine-hour days of training five to six days of the week. “It’s a pretty intense schedule. I’ll come in to do cross training – we start with a body class and short combinations that continue getting harder. I work on the elliptical and stationary bikes for my lungs to get into shape.” Ballet is not for the faint of heart, Collado says: “As a profession you have to really be in love with it,it’s very demanding and can be mentally and physically frustrating at times. It requires a special person.” Collado is in her 11th season, and her next performance will be in Romeo and Juliet for which she has been training since June. “Ballet is a very short career. Be in the moment and don’t take it for granted. When you’re fully vulnerable, that’s when the most beautiful things can happen.” By Batli Joselevitz Photography by Kennon Evett

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BALLET IS A VERY SHORT CAREER. BE IN THE MOMENT AND DON’T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.

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HOUSTON’S FURRIEST MASCOTS CLUTCH (Rockets), TORO (Texans), DIESEL (Dynamo) + ORBIT (Astros)

THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS AN OFFSEASON FOR MASCOTS. And we quickly learned there is no such thing as a normal day in the life of Houston’s favorite and furriest mascots. It’s been eight years since we last sat down with Clutch, Orbit , Toro and Diesel, so we decided to meet them at the gym for a quick sweat sesh… NOVEMBER 2007

HOW FAST CAN YOU RUN A MILE? Clutch: 7:30. Toro: Fast enough. Diesel: How fast can you make a spicy maple tea bread, provolone, brie, basil pesto sandwich? Orbit: I don’t like running.

HOW MUCH CAN YOU BENCH? Clutch: Only 185. Toro: How much does a defensive tackle weigh? Diesel: Orbit after he eats a lunar ton. Orbit: A lunar ton – it’s funny because it’s space.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THE TEAM? Clutch: 20 years. Toro: 14 years. Diesel: 7 years and 10 months. Orbit: I was around from 1990–1999, but took a 13-year sabbatical back in space. I’m back for good, and entering my third year back.

WHAT DO YOU EAT WHEN YOU’RE CARB-LOADING? Clutch: Delicious steak. Sorry, Toro! Toro: BBQ chicken and stadium food. Definitely not beef! Diesel: Spicy maple tea bread, with brie cheese, a slice of provolone topped with two pounds of basil pesto…and steak. Orbit: I’d crush some hotdogs. And moon pies.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO STAY IN SHAPE? Clutch: Run and box. Toro: Swing and rappel from the top rope of NRG Stadium. Diesel: Stay away from steamrollers. Orbit: Round IS a shape.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE WORKOUT BUDDY ON YOUR TEAM? Clutch: D-Mo – that guy is a beast. And I mean a real beast like me! Toro: JJ Watt – since JJ and I have somewhat the same physique, we work out together. Diesel: Brad Davis, because he is the only one left on the team that hasn’t asked me what I say. Orbit: Altuve – we just give each other piggyback rides to train.

FAVORITE PLACE TO RUN IN HOUSTON? Clutch: Memorial Park. Toro: With our fans at the Running of the Bulls event. Diesel: 29.751332 latitude, -95.352623 longitude. Orbit: The stairs at Minute Maid Park.

By Jayme Lamm Photography by Sofia van der Dys

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“THE NFL DOESN’T JUST GIVE YOU A TEMPLATE – YOU HAVE TO CREATE IT,”

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SALLIE SARGENT BOASTS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL JOBS IN SPORTS

IT’S 2015 – A WOMAN WORKING IN SPORTS ISN’T SO RARE ANYMORE. TO BE A WOMAN ASSIGNED ONE OF THE BIGGEST JOBS IN ALL OF SPORTS, NOW THAT IS RARE.

MEET SALLIE SARGENT, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE SUPER BOWL HOST COMMITTEE FOR SUPER BOWL LI to be held at NRG Stadium in FEBRUARY 2017. Sargent comes to the table with more than 28 years of sports marketing and special event management experience. Her job is all encompassing; she is responsible for managing all logistical components leading up to the game including sponsorship, hospitality, volunteers, security and fan events. Her job involves keeping everyone happy, including locals, visitors and don’t forget city officials. Oh, and the NFL! When it comes to Sargent’s actual job description and lengthy to-do list, she laughs. “The NFL doesn’t just give you a template – you have to create it,” she says. Which is where her almost three decades of knowledge will come into play. Although she’s worked on five different Super Bowls, this will be Sargent’s first time seeing it from the bid process (2012) all the way through to execution (2017). No pressure. “My job is to touch every aspect of anything and everything associated with the Super Bowl with two exceptions: I don’t have anything to do with the [actual] game and I don’t have anything to do with the halftime entertainment,” Sargent explains. Everything else is in her capable hands or in the hands of the team she selects to help make it all happen. “The challenge that is most paramount in my mind is the traffic – traffic management and transportation – making sure we do a really good job of having kind of a marriage of public and private transportation options. I think that is the key for us to be successful,” she says. Originally from Scottsdale, Arizona, Sargent now calls Houston home. With only two years to learn all the ins and outs of her new home, you better believe she’s digging her heels in. Literally. “I’ve discovered this city is almost a hidden jewel. The people here are so proud of their city and community. My goal is to make sure the rest of the country and the rest of the world knows what we know about Houston, which is it’s a great place to live, to work, to come and visit, to shop and to eat,” Sargent says, noting the James Beard Awards in Houston. The Super Bowl is a huge stage for any city and their residents to showcase all the amazing things that make it what it is, and Sargent says her end result is to “make Houston shine during 2017.” When it comes to everything that goes into planning out a game as big as the Super Bowl, Sargent simply says, “It takes a village.” By Jayme Lamm Photography by Sofia van der Dys

Sargent’s extensive résumé includes previous Super Bowls, college bowl games, the NBA All-Star Game, MLB’s Charity Gala, the 2004 Democratic National Convention, the 2008 Republican Convention and a myriad of other large-scale entertainment events.

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THE PRETTIEST PART OF FOOTBALL HOUSTON TEXANS CHEERLEADERS

When it comes to the Houston Texans Cheerleaders (HTC) there are a few mainstays. For example, the legendary and highly coveted red boots. Big hair and brighter smiles are another. All of that (and more) are thanks in part to Coach ALTO GARY. Coach Alto has been running HTC since its inception dating back 14 years. HTC tryouts are quickly approaching and this is the year to get on board. “Not only are we training for next season, we’re going to start training for the Super Bowl – now is the time,” Coach Alto says. Competition is tough. Out of all the contestants, Coach can take 35 girls, max. Everyone brings something different to the field. Here’s what Coach Alto said stands out about these five ladies aside from the fact “they all lead by example”:

DELANEY TONI

Delaney: She’s not afraid to laugh at herself. She also brings a sense of maturity to the squad. Toni: I love the curly hair and she’s just so nice. She goes beyond the call of duty, all the time. Lesha: She has a lot of layers. She’s stern – that’s not a bad thing. Girls take her seriously. Rachel: I call her my Jenny McCarthy – she’s funny, she’s loud and she always steps up when we need something. Madison: She comes from the pageant world; she’s definitely a natural leader and very poised.

HTC TRYOUTS: March 28th Sign up at www.HoustonTexans.com

COACH ALTO’S TRYOUT TIPS: - What you wear. Wear something that looks good on you, Coach says. - If you want to rock tennis shoes, rock on. - Stand out. Whether it’s your smile or the fact you’re having an absolute blast. - Positive attitude. This goes further than being a good dancer, she says. - Don’t get frustrated. Have fun and keep going.

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By Jayme Lamm Photography by Arthur Garcia for Select Studios

DELANEY Dream car: Range Rover Pizza toppings: Pepperoni. Or just cheese. Longest road trip: DC Favorite restaurant: “I’m pretty simple – I like Outback.”

TONI Dream car: BMW 6Series Pizza toppings: Pepperoni and jalapenos Longest road trip: Tennessee Favorite Houston restaurant: Boheme. “I’m obsessed. I like the pizzas and the atmosphere.”

LESHA Pizza toppings: Hamburger, sausage and extra cheese Longest road trip: Tennessee – it was already 16 hours, and we made a wrong turn so that added 3 hours! Most random thing in your Google Search: I Google every celebrity – what they wear and what makeup products they use.

RACHEL Favorite karaoke song: Carrie Underwood’s Before He Cheats Pizza toppings: Pepperoni Weirdest in thing in your recent Google history: Myself Dream car: Big trucks or a Tahoe

MADISON

LESHA RACHEL

MADISON

Pizza toppings: Chicken and artichokes Longest road trip: I went to Tennessee for a Texans away game. It was a long road trip, but a fun one! Most random thing in your Google Search: When I was in high school, I ran track. There was a 4x1 where I fell and skinned up the back of my legs – I’m sure that’s somewhere on Google.

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FELICIANO LÓPEZ HOUSTON RANKS AT THE TOP OF ONE TENNIS PRO’S TRAVEL SCHEDULE Though not from Houston, professional tennis player FELICIANO LÓPEZ considers Houston one of his favorite spots to hit the court. And he’s got a lot of basis for comparison. Currently ranked 14th in the world, López has an intense travel schedule and pretty much always has since he started playing professionally almost 17 years ago. “It’s beautiful – I feel very lucky to play there in Houston,” the top-ranked pro says on his upcoming tournament next month in River Oaks. Talking with López, he’s about as polite as they come, but you wouldn’t know it on the court with his 200km/h serve, where he takes pity on no one. Although he considers tennis a “beautiful sport,” it is his job and he’s raked in almost $10 million throughout the course of his

career. The hardest part of playing professional tennis for López isn’t the 3–5 hours of hard work he puts in on the court at least six days a week, it’s the grueling travel schedule that comes along with it. “I have a lot of favorite places I’ve played in. I like America in general – I like Miami, New York and Houston. I like my hometown of Madrid too,” he adds with a smile. “You have to sacrifice a lot. It [tennis] takes a lot of determination, dedication and hard work,” Lopez says of his sport. His toughest competitors? You probably guessed a few of them. “NADAL, FEDERER and DJOKOVIC – those three for sure,” López says. AS FOR YOUNG ASPIRING PLAYERS, LÓPEZ OFFERS THIS SAGE ADVICE: IF YOU ENJOY IT, PLAY IT.

By Jayme Lamm Photography by Scott Barbour

Check out Feliciano López at the 2015 Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship April 6–12 at River Oaks Country Club.

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SUPERFANS DAVID GONZALEZ AND DUSTY VANDENBERG YOU ASK ANY ATHLETE THE BEST PART OF THEIR PROFESSION AND THEY’LL LIKELY SAY THE FANS. But like athletes, not all fans are created equal. Some are more hardcore than others. Some wear brighter t-shirts, host bigger tailgates, have bigger “man caves,” have had season tickets for generations, travel to away games or just plain yell louder. Houston fans are intense and we love it. Speaking of intense, meet two of Houston’s biggest superfans.

DAVID GONZALEZ (“Houston Maul”) | Age: 40 Favorite Houston team: I can’t just pick one. Each one is a different experience. Best thing about Houston sports: The experience – the tailgating for Texans and Dynamo and everything pregame Favorite all-time Houston athlete: The #34 Best stadium: BBVA Compass Stadium Favorite sports memory: I have so many. Probably when Charles Barkley threw a basketball at Shaq’s head and tackled him.

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DUSTY VANDENBERG | Age: 22 Favorite Houston team: The Coogs Best thing about Houston sports: The mascots! Favorite all-time Houston athlete: Craig Biggio Best stadium: Astrodome (the next 20 minutes were spent rattling off some of the best moments in the Astrodome and some of Dusty’s favorite experiences) Favorite sports memory: Probably in the car listening to the 18-inning game in 2005 with Milo Hamilton’s call of Chris Burke’s walk-off homerun

By Jayme Lamm Photography by Anthony Rathbun

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KEEP ARIAN WEIRD ARIAN FOSTER’S TOP 5 “MOMENTS”

– by Jayme Lamm

Texans running back Arian Foster has had a lot of amazing moments on the field not limited to his Namaste touchdowns, and he’s had a lot of…well, just plain moments off the field (all of which made national news). Here are some of our favorites from #23 as he continues to keep the game entertaining.

Illustration by German Arellano

CHEERIO, MATE. Back in December – and for no other reason than Arian just being Arian, he gave his entire press conference in a British accent. “String together wins, that is the goal,” he said in his newly developing accent only breaking “character” once. “I’M JUST TRYING TO BE THE BEST TEAMMATE I CAN BE.” Foster was asked 11 questions during an interview after 2014 training camp and this was the answer he gave ELEVEN TIMES. NOT A FAN OF SELFIES. A fan interrupted Foster’s meal by literally sitting his baby on the table and asking him to take a picture with the baby. Foster declined the photo op, then took to Twitter saying, “Can you please remove your infant away from my salad fork, bruh?” Foster took to Twitter again to explain another encounter he had with a crazed fan: “Lady asked me for a pic, I asked her “wouldn’t you rather have a genuine moment with me? Where you from?” She said “no, I just wan’ a pic”.” ARIAN FOSTER ON TINDER? No, but his tweets are. Paul Gallant of SportsRadio 610 has paid attention to Foster’s unique tweets long enough to know they are conversation starters, so Gallant signed up for Tinder and began chatting up females using only tweets from Foster. Gallant says instead of using “sup girl” or “hey bae” as pickup lines, why not use the creativity Foster so lovingly puts out in the Twitterverse? Gallant started conversations using completely random and out-of-context tweets like, “I don’t think I’ve ever not peed in a hot tub” or “Your cat doesn’t love you” or “a carrot burger would be awful.” HOUSTON HAS A FAKE ARIAN FOSTER. An unsuspecting fan takes a picture with the wrong Arian Foster. Last year a fan (@j_baz) tweeted that she “ran into Arian Foster at Pub Fiction” and included a picture of herself and a man who looked an awful lot like the Texans running back. Foster quickly pointed out her mistake by tweeting, “Lol, I appreciate the love but that’s not me.” The story and tweet got so much traction it became news on SportsCenter. But that wasn’t the end – Foster appreciated how the fan took it in stride and a few weeks later met up with her for a “real” picture. *Follow his adventures on Twitter @ArianFoster.

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YOU’VE GOT 99 REASONS TO LOVE JJ WATT – HERE’S ONE MORE

IF YOU AREN’T AWARE OF WHAT J.J. WATT DOES ON THE FIELD, I’M CURIOUS WHERE YOU GOT THAT ROCK YOU’VE BEEN HIDING UNDER. THE WORK THAT #99 PUTS IN OFF THE FIELD – I’M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT SHOWING UP TO THE WORKOUT ROOM AT 4AM WITH THE CLEANING CREW, FILMING FORD AND HEB COMMERCIALS OR GRACING THE COVER OF ESPN THE MAG WITH THE BEAUTIFUL KATY PERRY – IT’S THE OTHER STUFF THAT IS JUST AS IMPRESSIVE. It sounds hard to believe, but believe it. That same heart, determination and work ethic you see from Watt on the field is the same intensity and love he puts into his foundation, the Justin J. Watt Foundation, a 501c(3) that reaches out to middle schools in Wisconsin and Houston with insufficient funding for after-school athletic programs, or no afterschool athletics whatsoever. No one knows more about the importance of afterschool athletics for building character and athletic ability than Watt himself. “The Justin J. Watt Foundation encourages children to dream big and work hard,” says J.J. Watt. “We hope to provide the motivation and means to turn those big dreams and hard work into something incredible.” Tickets for his 2nd Annual J.J. Watt Charity Classic at Constellation Field in Sugar Land May 1 sold out within minutes and once again crashed the ticketing website thanks to eager fans. The nighttime event will feature defensive and

offensive players from the Houston Texans on opposing teams under “Friday Night Lights,” a home run derby, silent auction and fireworks following the game. If you didn’t get the coveted tickets, there are still ways to help the Foundation and local kids by visiting their website and sharing the info with schools in need of funding. “The Justin J. Watt Foundation has been a strong supporter of after-school sports for middle school kids in the Greater Houston area for the past three years. We have donated more than $800,000 in funding for things such as team uniforms, sports equipment and safety gear which can be used for years to come. We know that when kids look forward to playing on a team after school, they The Sugar Land Skeeters are part of tend to perform better in the classroom and the Atlantic League of Professional have better attendance. Participating in Baseball Clubs (ALPB) and play 140 sports after school also provides kids with regular season games – 70 home at opportunities to take personal responsibility, Constellation Field and 70 away. become leaders, develop healthy lifestyles Constellation Field is a state-of-theand be accountable to others,” says Connie art stadium just 20 minutes from Watt, Vice President of the Foundation. downtown Houston. The ALPB is conThe Foundation anticipates reaching the $1 million mark by the end of 2015! To learn more, visit www.jjwfoundation.org.

by Jayme Lamm Photogrpahy by Salviace Photography

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sidered the highest level of Minor League Baseball and is a preferred route for experienced players to be scouted by Major League Baseball. The Skeeters have been around since 2012 and have finished the last two seasons with winning records. www.SugarLandSkeeters.com

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EVENT LOCAL Houston Magazine Launch Party WHERE 115 HYDE PARK BLVD. LOCAL Houston Magazine celebrated the launch of the rebrand with food, drinks, music by DJ Little Martin and conversation with Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movers and shakers. Delicious delights throughout the evening featured catering by A Fare Extraordinaire, bites from Peska, Museum Park CafĂŠ, Trentino Gelato, The Republic BBQ, Latin Bites, Cloud 10 Creamery and beverages from Saint Arnold, Don Julio Tequila, Stella Artois, Bud Light, Crown Royal, Johnny Walker, Evamor, Katz Coffee and MALK. Additional sponsors included Page Parkes, a pop-up shop by De Petra, Bayou City Smiles, Mexico Tourism Board and Porsche of West Houston. A special thank you to everyone and all sponsors who made this evening one for the books! Photography by Last Night Pics

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EVENT MARDI GRAS BLOWOUT WHERE GRAY’S PUBLIC HOUSE Over 100 young professionals decked out in Mardi Gras theme gathered to celebrate the grand opening of Midtown’s newest gastropub. A percentage of the evening’s proceeds benefited Urban Green. Photography by Rabbit Photography and Video Production

EVENT VISION OF LOVE VISION BOARD PARTY & PANEL WHERE WEST AVE RIVER OAKS Visionaries and brand powerhouses gathered for an empowering evening benefiting the American Heart Association and the Go Red for Women Campaign. Panelists included Mike Garofola, star of ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” Jamie Rose, millionaire matchmaker, and Crystal Wall, wife of Paul Wall and American Heart Associate Ambassador. Photography by Last Night Pics

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WHERE TO LIVE NOW

GARDEN OAKS

Surrounded by towering pines and grand magnolias, GARDEN OAKS is one of Houston’s best kept secrets. Established in 1937 just eight or so miles from downtown Houston, this charming neighborhood includes ranch-style houses and bungalows. Regarded as “the new River Oaks,” this community is home to Cottonwood, Flying Saucer Pie Company and The Bell Tower. But don’t just take our word for it, stroll down Garden Oak’s winding streets through Graham Park’s Rose Garden on a beautiful day and do local.

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By Batli Joselevitz Illustration by German Arellano

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STYLE + LEISURE V LINE LOUIS VUITTON’S new

V Line collection is one of the most thoughtfully designed lines for men. The discreet line doesn’t scream LV, covered in its instantly recognizable logo. The line successfully merges an athletic feel with understated elegance. The three silhouettes – a duffle, backpack and fold-over tote – transition from gym or cycle class to a weekend getaway seamlessly. Oh, and they are perfectly appropriate to tote into work unlike that Nike duffle you’ve been carrying since your frat days.

Image Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

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V - START MM

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THINGS WE LOVE

THE PERFECT BAR is just perfect. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not into buying anything premade (I even make chicken stock at home). These bars are pure, non-gmo, have high-quality protein, complex carbs, hidden super foods, gluten-free and GOOD fats. I swear these were made for me. Plus the family story on their site is just awesome. www.perfectbar.com. Pick them up at Whole Foods. [Just one note, they are filling and probably a different consistency than you are used to in the not-so-pure bars youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve probably been eating. Give them a shot!]

I am a pretty organized person, but sometimes reality is just too crazy to maintain the delusional daydream of complete organization I clearly see in my mind. The KEYPORT SLIDE 2.0 keychain fits perfectly into this dream and my pocket. The slide holds 6 keys or inserts and is roughly the size of a pack of gum. Mine has my home and office keys (just snap a pic of your keys and upload them to the site and they make the keys to fit your slide), a flashlight, pen and flashdrive. www.mykeyport.com

By Carla Valencia de Martinez

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FAT FINDS SINCE I JUST HAD A BABY AND MY CLOTHES DON’T FIT RIGHT, I THOUGHT I’D SHARE Styled by Marzifat | Photography by Gabriella Nissen

The sun is finally out again so why not have some fun with your face. Upgrade your boring old aviators with these FENDI cat-eye sunglasses. I know what you’re thinking … Fendi? Yes. Fendi. They are back in the game. Available at Neiman Marcus.

DANNIJO They began with jewelry and had you at #putabibonit. Then they started a handbag line and wanted you to #putabagonit. Now the dynamic sister duo is debuting their shoe line and telling you to #steponit. Available on dannijo.com and saks.com.

THE CHANEL BOY BAG I’m sure by now you’ve seen your favorite bloggers toting around their Chanel boy bags. Well now you can get your hands on the newest style in some fun colors for spring – like this orange one (my favorite!). Available at Neiman Marcus.

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MENTERTAINMENT

CRAFTED PATHS THE DISCIPLINE APPLIED TO MASTER A CRAFT CAN LEAD TO THE SUCCESS IN OTHER FIELDS AND CAN MAKE FOR SURPRISING NEW DIRECTIONS.

Saint Rita Parlor Founder Neil Bardon named his business after his grandmother whom he says was and still is a “saint.” Based in LA, all pieces are handcrafted and limited edition. The frames feature an antique brass Saint Rita Parlor coin embedded in the right temple. The packaging includes an embossed custom leather case lined with suede interior and paisley eyewear cloth handkerchief. Available at Manready Mercantile, 321 West 19th Street, Houston. www.manready.com

The tools of any trade are just or possibly as important as the final product created. Stash Co believes in building things one at a time with great care and thoughtfulness, especially since their creations are part of the cycle of creation. The Stash Co line of aprons is available in many materials from leather to raw denim along with a full line of handbags and travel gear. For more information, visit www.stash-co.com.

By Vico Puentes

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Designer Max Poglia began his adventure when he moved from Milan to New York City. With the principle of ethics plus aesthetics in mind, he started to explore age-old craftsmanship and ancient materials. When on vacation in the south of Brazil, he was motivated to craft a sort of picnic-themed traveler’s pack to incorporate in his NYC lifestyle. Recognizing the high demand for his products, he founded Poglia&Co., a lifestyle brand based in Brooklyn that specializes in handcrafting knives, leather goods and loomwoven blankets. Available at Manready Mercantile, 321 West 19th Street, Houston. www.manready.com

Casablanca was founded by polo players who understand the need of quality and excellence both on and off the field. Behind the Casablanca brand is a serious pledge to provide the finest of all polo products, equipment and apparel. For a full selection of products, visit Casablanca, 1131 Uptown Park Blvd, Houston. or online at www.casablancapolo.com.

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FRIENDS+NEIGHBORS

“THE MAIN FOCUS IS THE THEATRE BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT WE’RE ALL ABOUT. IT’S GOT THIS SPECIAL ‘ALLEY’ CHARACTER.

–DEAN R. GLADDEN, managing director for the Alley Theatre at the hard hat tour media preview of Alley Theatre’s renovation progress.

“WE’RE NOT REALLY A BAND BECAUSE WE NEVER PLAY AROUND, MAYBE SOMEDAY. WE PLAY FOR OUR FRIENDS ALL THE TIME. EVERY TIME WE’RE OUT AND MEET MUSICIANS WE INVITE THEM TO BE IN OUR BAND UNOFFICIALLY – ‘YOU’RE A PART OF TIPSY KITTEN.’ FOR RIGHT NOW, LET’S JUST JAM. WE’RE LIKE A JAM BAND.”

–SYDNEY COOKSEY, self-taught guitar player at Menil Park

Photography by Batli Joselevitz

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DESTINATION

ROMANIA

AERIAL VIEW OF SIBIU OLD TOWN IN TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA

’M STANDING IN A SUNNY TOWN SQUARE, SURROUNDED BY CROOKED, COLORFUL BUILDINGS, CROWDED CAFES AND STREET VENDORS HAWKING CINNAMON-DUSTED BAKED GOODS AND HOMEMADE GELATO. QUAINT BOUTIQUES LINE THE SIDE STREETS, WHILE RESTAURANTS ENTICE CUSTOMERS WITH PROMISES OF HAPPY HOURS AND LIVE MUSIC. THE SCENE IS REMINISCENT OF WHAT YOU MIGHT FIND IN EUROPEAN DESTINATIONS LIKE ITALY, FRANCE OR GERMANY ... BUT I’M ACTUALLY IN TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA.

NO CREEPY CASTLES OR BLACK CAPED LURKERS HERE. Instead, Romania is full of unexpected charm and classic European flavor, at prices below what you might find in some of those other, more visited locations. On a recent guided tour with expert operator, Cox & Kings (www.coxandkingsusa.com; see sidebar for more info), I got a feel for the nightlife of Bucharest, the historic treasures of Transylvania and the photo-ready landscapes in between. Here are some highlights:

BUCHAREST Set in the southeast, Romania’s capital is also its largest city, with a population of about 2 million, and somewhat sprawling, with the historic old town surrounded by expanding suburbs. Thanks to an expert local Cox & Kings guide, though, navigating it is a snap. Start in the Lipscani District, the old city center-turned-pedestrian hub, where you can check out palaces and churches, as well as quirky shops, restaurants and bars (come back at night to join the pub crawling crowds). Another can’t miss: the Palace of the Parliament, the second largest administrative building in the

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by Sandra Ramani Photos courtesy of Romania Tourism

world (after the Pentagon) and once a symbol of the ruling communist party. There, you’ll wander through gilded ballrooms and ornate halls, and learn about Romania’s recent history – though even if you walk for two hours, you’ll still only visit a fraction of this massive structure.

SIBIU

A drive north through the Oit Valley, past fields of hops, corn and grazing sheep, brings you to the medieval town of Sibiu, one of the oldest in Transylvania. Translated to “beyond the forest,” Transylvania is a lush central region bordered by the Carpathian mountains, and in many spots here – including towns like Sibiu – you can still see evidence of Saxon, Hungarian and even ancient Roman occupation. On a walking tour of Sibiu’s old town, visit the Lutheran cathedral, with the highest tower in the region; the art museum in the former Baron’s winter palace (which includes works by Titian and Van Dyke); and the lively Piazza Mare town square.

PELES CASTLE, SINAIA, ROMANIA

SIGHISOARA Founded by Saxons in the 12th century, and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, this well-preserved town is where you’ll finally hear about Transylvania’s most famous export: Dracula. Sighisoara was the birthplace of Vlad Dracula (aka Vlad the Impaler), who inspired the book and legend; and here you can visit a house claiming to be the site of his birth, and pick up countless blood- and fangadorned souvenirs (and even Dracula-branded wine – red, of course). Aside from the kitsch, the town also has a perfectly intact 16th-century citadel and clock tower (worth climbing for the views), cute shops and quirky hotels like the BinderBubi, a Tyrolean-style spot with a noted restaurant and unique “hay bath” spa.

CLOCK TOWER IN HISTORIC CENTER OF SIGHISOARA, TRANSYLVANIA, ROMANIA

COX & KINGS Founded in 1758 to assist British travelers journeying to (then British colony) India, Cox & Kings is considered the world’s oldest travel brand – and they have the connections to prove it. Today, they operate in dozens of countries around the globe, including on-the-rise spots like Romania. Guests can browse an extensive array of suggested itineraries on the Cox & Kings site, then work with destination experts to plan their own trips focusing on their particular interests. In Romania, for example, art lovers may head up to Moldovita and Sucevita to visit monasteries lined with vivid frescoes, while history buffs may take in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and families may opt for a river cruise. Check out the C&K site for more ideas. www.coxandkingsusa.com

BUCHAREST, ROMANIA PALACE OF THE PARLIAMENT

GREAT SQUARE IN SIBIU, ROMANIA

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TOOLS+GADGETS TCL PULSE ALARM Waking up is hard to do for many of us. Traditional alarm clocks and hotel wake-up calls aren’t always enough to rouse heavy sleepers or people with hearing loss in time for work or class. If you fit into one of these categories, you should try the TCL Pulse from Amplifyze. This is a wireless solution that fits in the palm of the hand and under pillows. The Bluetooth-enabled alarm/timer offers a choice of vibration, sound or both and can be programmed for multiple users. Download the app from iTunes® (Android coming soon) to set vibration strength and sound level. If the audible alert doesn’t wake you, the vibration of the device should gently awaken you from your slumber. The device also functions as a timer or reminder system. It uses 3 AAA batteries and comes with a travel pouch. $39.95

SPINE EYEWEAR Eyeglasses these days seem to be adding tiny screens and cameras to make them more high-tech. Can’t someone design a pair of glasses that actually stay on your head? Thank you, REM Eyewear, as they created an innovative hinge and cable system to not only fit any sized head but also stay put when worn. On most glasses the “arms” are hinged but only move in one direction, but with the new Spine glasses the hinge is made up of multiple segments held together by a single cable within, allowing the arms to move in, out and even up and down. They grip, they flex and they shut automatically. The grip ensures the frames do not slip down your face, which has already been proven during a recent round of golf. The company has designed a modern men’s collection designed for everyday wear. The classic, minimal shapes feature a signature tip and nosepads. The optical and nonprescription sunglasses sell for around $250.

TABLO DVR If you are ready to discontinue your cable or satellite TV service then you need a backup plan to watch TV. Houston offers dozens of free, over-the-air (OTA) channels accessed via an HDTV antenna but how do you record your favorite shows? Tablo DVR is one answer, and its sleek, high-tech box is simple to use. Tablo is the first broadcast TV system designed to combine the functionality of a DVR with the convenience and mobility of a tablet app. It lets users browse, record and stream OTA programming on a variety of devices including tablets, smartphones and computers. And, yes, you can even watch those shows on a good ol’ television set with the aid of an HDMI adapter like Apple® TV, Roku® and soon Chromecast. The small device connects to an HDTV antenna and a USB hard drive. Accompanying free apps (iOS, Android, web and Roku) provide the interface. Tablo comes in two variants – two and four tuner – to suit households of all needs and sizes. Stay tuned for a new version coming soon with a built-in antenna. $220/$300

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Michael Garfield is known as “The High-Tech Texan®.” His radio program airs on KPRC and iHeartRadio every Saturday 11am–1pm. See the full review of these products at www.hightechtexan.com and follow him at @hightechtexan.

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LOCALGRAM Check out this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s round of top pics from fellow Houstonians via Instagram. Make sure to share your Houston adventures with us using #DoLocal2015 for a chance to win an awesome giveaway!!

@aimillan Houston snipers.

@raymatthew Current mood at James Turrell Skyspace at Rice University.

@mitotiffy Brooke Fraser, here we go!

@mr_chippendale Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never get tired of a good taco.

@sydlovesit Really excited I got my hands on one of these babies.

@pepc0 Discovery Green

@dropout.bear 10 minutes on Pease & Caroline Street.

@iseenit_rubens Exploring Houston.

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@nadineberns Kicking it old school.

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CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Ending for cyto- or proto6. Divisions of a min. 10. Four Corners state 14. Indian side dish of yogurt, chopped cucumbers and spices 15. Medical discovery 16. Slangy denial 17. Had title to 18. For most gridirons it’s 17,600 square yards 19. Coxswain’s men 20. One of the most entertaining and exciting football finals in many years 23. Pizza parlor order 24. Desert-like 25. Where to store your meerschaums 30. Scamp 34. Frequent problem with teamwork 35. So all can hear 37. Major ISP who bought Tumblr in May 2013 38. To boot 40. Like medieval church music 42. Colt’s mother 43. Stamp rolls 45. Kind of pole 47. Word often given an incorrect apostrophe

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48. Common food at a ballpark 50. Open grasslands, usually with scattered bushes or trees 52. Wildebeests 54. Poet’s preposition 55. Gridiron giants from Space City 61. Carbonated beverage 62. Threesome 63. World Cup powerhouse 65. Arabic for commander 66. Sea eagle 67. Brownish tint of old photos 68. Watch 69. Types of whiskey 70. Vagabond DOWN 1. Money maker, in sports 2. Statutes 3. Japanese aborigine 4. Treeless plain 5. Sweet, amber-colored European wine 6. Strike breaker 7. Common Market money 8. Rowing teams in sculling 9. Wax, perhaps 10. Classic figure in a top hat

by Scott Ward

11. Aaron Spelling’s daughter 12. Highest point 13. Chop down 21. Domain 22. Medical picture 25. Georgia’s state fruit 26. Beverage cooler company based in Texas 27. Hypothesize 28. Old geezer 29. Accolades 31. It’s only as strong as its weakest link 32. Main artery 33. Windblown soil 36. Raw facts 39. Those who understand the rules from former days

41. Flood barrier 44. Word in some business names 46. Communist or socialist sympathizer 49. Place where a novice bowler’s ball goes 51. Less cluttered 53. Game in which each player has four pawns 55. Diamond plate 56. Ruler at Asgard 57. Baseball team 58. Little piggies 59. California wine valley 60. Like some pickings 61. Tennis-match part 64. Mouth, slangily

JANUARY ANSWERS