LUXCIOR - October 2022

ITALIA

THE TEXAS SMILE DOCTOR

Patients from all over the country and around the globe come to The Woodlands to receive world-class quality and expertise from one of the most qualified cosmetic dentists in the nation.

Guy M. Lewis,

Dr. Guy M. Lewis is a founding and accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, he has forged a career that has earned him countless awards and certifications, such as serving as the official cosmetic dentist of the Houston Astros has been.

Dr. Lewis has been voted Best Of The Best by the Houston Chronicle in 2020 and 2021. He has also formerly been part of major Beauty Pageants such as Miss Texas, Miss Teen Texas, Miss Hawaiian Tropic, and Miss America Internacional with Lupita Jones and Osmel Sousa.

OFFICIAL COSMETIC DENTIST FOR THE HOUSTON ASTROS

Safety

Covid-19

We are proud to hold an ex traordinary record in safety within our premises.

After investing thousands of dollars in state-of-the-art air-purification technol ogy, among many other measures, we can offer our patients a safe environment for a rewarding experience.

HOUSTON AND THE WOODLANDS’ ONLY LUXURY SHOPPING, DINING, AND SERVICE GUIDE FOR DISCERNING TRAVELERS AND LOCALS ALIKE

The HOUSTON BLACK BOOK OF LUXURY is a bi-annual (Fall-Winter and Spring-Summer) ultra-luxu ry Shopping, Dining, and Service guide, paralleled by an easy-to-use digital platform, showcasing the very best of Houston and The Woodlands under select cat egories.

TRAVELERS REACH: The HBBL will be delivered to Houston and The Woodlands’ most prestigious hotels, VIP lounges at Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports, FBO’s (private airports), high-end auto rentals, and limousine services. With over 25 million travelers in 2021 despite the pandemic and ongoing av erage growth of 1 million per year since 2016, Houston and The Woodlands are prime destinations for tourism, business, shopping, relocating, as well as visitors to the largest Medical Center in the world. Analytics for 2022 show an increase in travelers to at least to 26.5 million.

INTERESTING FACT : Travelers spend 30% more than locals on shopping, dining, and entertainment. Our

digital platform will reach many travelers prior to their arrival in Houston.

LOCAL REACH: Complimentary copies will be mailed to subscribed private individuals (White Dia mond Members) and delivered to participating busi nesses (Blue Diamond Business Members). The distri bution will additionally include complimentary books to select lux retailers, top medical and professional of fices, high-end yacht and automobile dealerships, and first-class apartment buildings.

The inaugural Fall-Winter edition of the HOUSTON BLACK BOOK OF LUXURY will be published this Fall 2022. Select businesses (Blue Diamond Business Members) will have the special privilege to reach an af fluent audience through our print and digital (with em bedded videos) platforms. Premium placement oppor tunities are available (while supplies last). First-come, first-served opportunity.

MARTIN GONDRA CEO | Publisher

Senior Editor - GINO FREDIANI

Junior Editor - ITZAIAN GONDRA

Interior Design Editor - KATHY ANDERSON

Sip'n Savor Contributor - MARIANA ROMBADO

Automobile Editor - MARCEL STEFANO

Travel Specialist - LINDA STRICKLAND

Fashion Editor - CAROLINA ESTRADA

Immigration Law Editor - OLSA CANO Image Advisor - MAGDA GONDRA Writer - ALFREDO PEÑALOSA

Fashion photographer & Creative director

SABA HUSSAIN Photography

JOHN GIRIES FREDDIE SANCHEZ

V.P. of Marketing MANUEL REUTER

Website and IT CARLOS ACUÑA JOSÉ GORDILLO

Social Media

FELIPE “THE GREAT”

Events Coordinator

AIBSEL VIZCAINO Circulation

GARY DURKOVITZ

Inquiries & Advertising 713.793.6373

Advertising@LUXCIOR.com

LUXCIOR.COM

DIVE INTO THE FULL DIGITAL EXPERIENCE

Italian Influence on Design in Houston

A Houston Italian LOVE Story

Faces on

The Heat

Unique Art of GONZALEZ

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY - LUXCIOR Magazine does not endorse, recom mend or take responsibility for the opinion, comments, explicit or implicit content, or the nature of any article or participation published by our collaborators. Said articles express the sole opinion of their author, and are their express responsibility. The total or partial reproduction of any part of the content of LUXCIOR Magazine or LUXCIOR.com, by any printed and/or digital means, is prohibited.

Comments or questions from our readers are always welcome. Please direct them by email to publisher@LUXCIOR.com.

To advertise, please call 713.793.6373, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. at 5:00 p.m., or by email to Advertising@LUXCIOR.com.

© 2013-2022 LUXCIOR Magazine, a trademark of LUXCIOR, LLC.

rights reserved. PRINTED IN MEXICO / IMPRESO EN MEXICO

DIGITAL

Cover: Jacki Levett-Prinsep

A

nother digital and print issue of LUXCIOR, another reason to be grateful to God for his goodness, and to our partners for their patronage. It’s always a great privilege to represent the very best brands within their respective industries.

As I think of the thousands of families in Florida that just lost everything, and the hun dreds of thousands in Ukraine, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and so many other places where brutal violence and oppression are forcing people out of their homes and coun tries, I can’t but reflect on how blessed and fortunate we are to be in Houston today. We often take for granted our freedom, our families, our homes, and our very right to live, work, and prosper. We should always be grateful for the abundance we enjoy, and be ready to extend a friendly hand to anyone in need that crosses our path. Even just a word of encouragement can make a tremendously positive impact on someone’s life.

Continuing our tradition of celebrating Houston’s multi-cultural landscape as the most diverse metropolis in the nation, is this issue we published a small token of apprecia tion to our extraordinary three-century-old Italian community.

After showcasing several local communities from around the world, our upcoming Hol iday issue will highlight the largest segment of our region: Hispanics, a group as old as Texas itself. If you like to be part of this phenomenal issue, please don’t be shy to reach out to me personally or to Gino at editor@luxcior.com. And stay tuned for much more to come in 2023 about the impact of so many other groups that make our city the most amazing place to live.

I am delighted to announce the opening of our new office, home not only to LUXCIOR but also to our new ventures: the HOUSTON BLACK BOOK OF LUXURY -almost ready to be published-, and G-power Marketing, our multi-media, P.R. and marketing firm. Stop by to say Hello! And make sure to subscribe to get LUXCIOR at home.

And leaving the best for last, I’d like to invite you to the 7th Annual Edition of the Fast & Fabulous HOUSTON EXOTIC AUTO FESTIVAL , at MSR Houston, presented by our City’s Best, Lamborghini Houston, on November 20th. All McLaren, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Porsche, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Corvette, and of course Lamborghini and any other supercar, exotic, or luxury brand owners are invited to join us on the track, or just to display your masterpieces for a great time with friends and your chance to take home a fabulous trophy as the “Best of Category” within yor group, and 3 “Best of Show”. We also look forward to seeing you at Gauchos do Sul in River Oaks on the 17th of November for the kick-off party! Visit www.HoustonEx oticAutoFestival.com for all the details.

Cheers,

Martin Gondra, Publisher publisher@luxcior.com

Please

If

WHERE ELEVATED COMFORT MEETS DOWN-TO-EARTH ELEGANCE

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PROBATE

Faces on the street

I wake up in the morning and the first rays of the sun gently shine through the foliage of the trees outside, and between their branch es, I see through my window the beautiful blue colors of the sky; I can’t help but immediately think in my heart: “What a beautiful new day to live in the company of my God.” What a joy to start the day knowing that He loves me and that his presence will be by my side in every thought, in every place I go, in every situation I find myself in, in every difficulty and challenge I have to face; that his protection will keep me when I am exposed while driving through the highways and streets of Houston.

What a massive motivation to know that I will be inspired by God while I do my work. How peaceful to know that the very Creator of the universe is my friend and he will walk with me throughout this day, in every little detail, taking me one step higher today on this ladder of life.

Soon I will have to go out on the road, and through my car window, I will see hundreds of faces. The same similar faces I see day after day. Faces of people who are most likely not to have this immense privilege of relating to God; I have no doubt they have heard of Him, but are too busy running the many crossroads of this crazy life to give him the slightest attention. As the Bible says: “Alone and without God in the world”. What a sad reality!

Faces of men and women, all desperately seeking how to earn a better lifestyle, how to overcome their fears or satisfy their wants or desires that can never be complete because they do not seek them from the only One who can give true satisfaction.

Faces anguished by the many pains of life, by a burden that they cannot bear alone, but that they could very well put in the care of God, who will gladly take it off their backs.

Faces of old people who have reached the twilight of their lives and when they look back, they see nothing but mistakes and pain and understand that it’s already too late to create a bright and better fu ture. If in their lucidity they could reflect on their present, they would discover that it is as empty as all the past years of opportunities that they wasted after vain things.

By Martin Gondra

Faces of teenagers hypnotized on their cell phones, thinking someone else’s thoughts, most of the time the wrong thoughts. Faces of the mothers with their children on their way to school and worried about a million things; faces of the workers with their lunch boxes on their way to another day of heavy, endless routine. Faces of the wealthy, dignified before their own eyes like small demi-gods for their insignificant material ac complishments, yet miserably poor in their hearts. Faces of the vain young women who are puffed up and in love with themselves; fac es of children who don’t even imagine in their innocence the very wrong path many parents are leading them down by putting “smart” phones in their hands at such a young age.

Faces and more faces. Hundreds of them, very different indeed, but they all have something in common: They all bear the unmistakable mark behind their drawn appearance, of being very busy with urgent things, with endless challenges to solve, needs to satisfy, dreams to fulfill, but nothing really meaningful. Faces of those who forget the only one thing that is truly important: God in control of their lives. And what a dif ference that would make!

Such a face would start the day by elevating his or her thoughts to the God of life and true happiness and peace; it would become the face of someone with the certainty that all things, all anxieties, all challenges, and all needs, would be fully taken care of by someone who knows no failure, who knows no defeat. That would be the face of someone who can really expect better things, who can dream of a dream that will come true in the best possible way. The face of someone that can be happy for returning the favor by being kind and helpful to others, being able to love beyond family and friends, finding ways to contribute to the lives of others, to be grateful for the opportunity of a new day to serve. Hopefully, you have the face of one who knows how to look in the right direction.

The Exotic Flavors of Thailand

HOUSTON ITALIAN POWERHOUSE

By Gino Frediani

Houston is widely regarded as a city built by immigrants, and their growing influence just doesn’t seem to end. Since 2013 we rank as the most diverse metropolis in the nation, followed by New York. We are the 4th largest city in the nation, with the 3rd largest Hispanic community, and the 7th best place to live in the US according to U.S. News & World Report, while The Woodlands holds the First Place by numerous sources. Many more reports place Houston in the top 10 places in the world under multiple cat egories. Aren’t we proud to be part of this amazing city?

People most commonly think of Houston’s immigrant population as coming from Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East in the present day, or from Germany in past generations. But if we look a little deeper, we find a thriving Italian commu nity.

Italian heritage in Texas has deep roots dating to the 1700s when individual Ital ian merchants began to arrive. Like Christopher Columbus himself, Italians were often in the employ of the Spanish court during that early period of discovery. Some soldiers of fortune came from northern Italy, but the larger numbers were from Sicily and Naples, provinces that were under the Spanish crown at various times.

When Texas became a settled territory in the late 1700s, individual Italian mer chants began to arrive. In 1836, when Texas won independence from Mexico, Ital ian-born Prospero Bernardi was one of the Texans who fought at the Battle of San Jacinto. The older cities of San Antonio, Nacogdoches, and Victoria have Italian families that date back to this period.

Not until the 1880s, however, did Italian immigrants begin to arrive in Texas in large groups. These were mostly farmers who settled in three areas: the Brazos Valley around Bryan, mainland Galveston County, and Montague County in the Red River Valley.

Another group of Italians worked building a railroad in 1881 that was to extend from Richmond and Rosenberg to Brownsville. So many were employed that the rail line became known as the “Macaroni Line.” Financial problems halted con struction at Victoria in 1882 and most of the workers returned to their native Lombardy, although some settled in Victoria, Houston, and Galveston.

The Galveston hurricane of 1900, created havoc for Italian Texans, damaging their farmland with the surging saltwater tide. However, the families stood fast, continuing their farming or finding employment in nearby Houston. Today, the Galveston County towns of League City and Dickinson retain their Italian heritage.

Many more arrived in the second half of the 20th century when Italian-Americans, many of them professionals and business workers, were attracted or transferred to Texas in the booming job market.

The pillars of Italian cultural identity in Texas have been principally food, faith, and family. Knowledge of the preparation of Italian cuisine and the customs that go along with that – such as folk music and dance – are other important factors in maintaining Italian identity.

However, Italian consciousness does not depend on any one of these attributes but a sum of all of them gained through a shared upbringing that includes them all. It is manifested in pride in Italian achievements, especially in art, and specifically in architecture, painting, and sculpture.

Few buildings in Houston portray Italian architecture as the Harrys County Court house does. The Harrys County Courthouse and the Niels Esperson Buildings in Downtown Houston are great examples of Italian Renaissance architecture. De signed by theater architect John Eberson, the Esperson buildings were built in 1927 and 1941, respectively. They are elaborately detailed with massive col umns, great urns, terraces, and a grand tempietto at the top, similar to one built in the courtyard of San Pietro in Rome in 1502.

And needless to say, the same is true in today’s fashion. All renowned Italian top designers are present at The Gal leria Mall. However, there is a name in Uptown that particularly stands out as an iconic Italian-American figure among men’s high-end clothiers: Ro dolfo Festary. Since 1993 Festary has been the place to go for men’s suits, shirts, and formal wear.

Another prominent name in Houston is Franco Valobra, the fourth generation of the Valobra family from Torino, Italy, which started in the jewelry business in 1005. Today, Valobra Master Jewel ers is one of the most prestigious Ital ian jewelry stores in the state.

Italian automobile engineering stands out as one of the best in the world, partic ularly in the world of hypercars. Lamborghini Houston continues to thrive as the most representative name in Italian exotic automobiles, as well as Ferrari Hous ton, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo in The Woodlands. Pagani is another fabulous Italian supercar created by Italo-Argen tinian Horacio Pagani. Unfortunately, beyond the fact that a few collectors in Houston own various models of the Pagani, the brand has no official rep resentation in our city. Hopefully soon.

Italian exotic automobiles have a great following in our city, which can be seen at their respective festivals, like the Lamborghini and the Ferrari Festivals. The Houston Exotic Auto Festival is the one event -presented by Lamborghini Houston and produced by LUXCIORthat actually invites luxury and exotic automobiles across all brands to be part of a single major event, where ve hicles are actually in their natural hab itat, the race track, at MSR Houston.

Ducati, hand-made in Borgo Panigale, Bologna, Italy, is the #1 brand across all motorcycle makers in the world, also a Houston favorite, to be found at V1 Moto.

By the way, the Ducati Club is a major participant at the Houston Exotic Auto Festival through several phenomenal presentations on the track.

Lamborghini and Ducati share their Italian roots in many ways. This year Lambo rghini Houston and Ducati’s V1 Moto launched an amazing new event at Circuit of the Americas in Austin: “Vita Veloce Experience”, where Lambo drivers and Ducati riders had the opportunity to share the F1 track.

Interestingly enough, even LUXCIOR has a strong Italian influence. Our pub lisher, Martin Gondra, is the grandson of Orlando Frediani, from Sicily. Or lando was an extraordinary Italian oil painter raised in Argentina and exhib ited in multiple art galleries. His only daughter, Ana Maria -our publisher’s mother-, is also a painter, and so is Mr. Gondra himself. The artistic influence from his Italian roots can be appreciat ed through LUXCIOR’s design.

The foods and folk customs are almost always shared by Italian families. As social historians have noted, “To all Mediterranean people, food is the sym bol of life’s chief medium for human beings, the family.”

Italian cuisine is a great part and a favorite in Houston’s gastronomic landscape. Prestigious restaurants like Tony’s -don’t miss the editorial in this issue-, La Gri glia, Coltivare, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Mastrantos, Cavatore, Potente, Sor rento, Prego, Coppa Osteria, and Mia Bella Trattoria, are among the names in Houston to enjoy the best of Italian cuisine. In The Woodlands Amerigo’s Grille, Porta’Vino, Nona’s Italian Grill, Via Emilia, Papa Amadeos, Buca di Beppo, and Zanti Cucina are on the list of the best Italian restaurants to visit.

In 1976 the Italian Cultural & Commu nity Center was formed as an organiza tion to coordinate the activities of more than 20 Italian clubs in the greater Houston area. The ICCC became a non profit organization in 1982, and with the proceeds from its earliest fundrais ing efforts, in 1988 it purchased the historic Milford House in Houston’s Museum District which became known as the Italian Cultural & Community Cen ter.

According to the ICCC’s website, “For members of Houston’s Italian-American Community, many of whom become active Federation members, the acquisition of the Milford House was the realization of a dream. For Houstonians of all back grounds, the Italian Cultural and Community Center is the Federation’s gift of Italian culture to the city of Houston.”

We are delighted to be part of such an extraordinary multicultural landscape, and this time around, LUXCIOR celebrates our wonderful Italian community!

Harris County Courthouse, iconic Italian architecture

Typical Italian family gathering around pasta and wine

of GRANDUCA Monfallito

“THE PALACE OF THE DUQUE”

By Carolina Estrada

FFew properties in Houston depict the beautiful Italian style you can find at Hotel Granduca. Described as the Palace of the Duke, the stunning Hotel Granduca Houston is inspired by the life and history of Adalberto Malatesta, Granduca of Monfallito. Born in 1524 in Rimini, Italy, Adalberto, and his family were forced to flee their homeland due to territorial wars and civil unrest when he was four years old.

The Malatesta family settled in Savoy, where Adalberto’s mother was a relative of the ruling Savoias. By the age of 20, Adalberto married Marina di Savoia, who brought him a dowry, a palace, and 1800 acres in Monfallito. A born leader, Adalberto served in the Savoian army and was instrumental in helping Spain defeat the French in the battle of San Quintino in 1556.

As a result of his success at San Quintino, King Phillip II proudly appointed Adalberto the Grancuda of Monfallito. As Granduca, Adalberto dedicated his life to helping Savoias maintain their

dominance and rule of northern Italy until his death in 1588 at the age of 64.

Today, his legacy continues in Houston as his 16th-century pala zzo is the inspiration for Hotel Granduca.

Since opening in 2006, Hotel Granduca Houston continues to set the standard in our city for ultra-luxury hospitality.

A leader in luxury hotels, Granduca Houston has received a va riety of awards including Conde Nast Travelers Gold list, Conde Nast’s Readers’ Choice “Top 15 Hotels in Texas” and Forbes Four-Star rating.

Located in the heart of Uptown Park near the Galleria, the spec tacular property is reminiscent of a private Italian villa, offering a one-of-a-kind setting to host a day of fashion at the best LUX CIOR European style.

THE LOUNGE

Jacki: Joanna Mastroianni feather yellow dress, Saks Fifth Avenue.

Yellow Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Multi Shaped and Colored Diamond Earrings featuring 20.05 Carats of Diamonds.

18k Yellow Gold Piero Milano Diamond Wide Cuff Bracelet showcasing Intricate Designs and 0.83 Carats of Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds.

18k Yellow Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Multi Shaped and Colored Dia mond Ring featuring 5.54 Carats of Diamonds.

18k White Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Choker Cluster Diamond Necklace featuring 14.89 Carats of Marquise Shaped Cut Diamonds and 11.68 Carats of Round Diamonds.

The Heat is STILL ON at Hotel Granduca

As part of our Italia celebration, Uptown luxurious landmark Hotel Granduca is the backdrop to this fabulous Fall fashion presentation, with beautiful designs from Saks Fifth Avenue and the breathtaking jewelry of Vander Dys Fine Jewelers.

GRAND ENTRANCE

Gorgeous McLaren 600LT, courtesy of Butch Hammad, @ ImperialeTV, driven by Trey on a matching set of Versace beachwear, from Saks Fifth Avenue, elegantly enhanced by a Rolex Datejust 41mm featuring a Champagne Stick Dial and Iconic Jubilee Band, from Vander Dys Fine Jewelers.

Trey on a matching set of Versace beachwear, from Saks Fifth Avenue. Elegantly enhanced by a Rolex Datejust 41mm featuring a Champagne Stick Dial and Iconic Jubilee Band, from Vander Dys Fine Jewelers.

One of Houston’s most iconic sculptures:

DUKE ADALBERTO MALATESTA, GRANDUCA OF MONFALLITO

Jacki displays Burberry Ring Cut-Out Strech Pants, from Saks Fifth Avenue, and breath-taking jewelry from Vander Dys Fine Jewelers.

18k White Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Cabochon Cut Emerald & Drop Earrings showcasing 29.66 Carats of Cabochon Cut Emeralds & 4.02 Carats of Diamonds. 18k White Gold Cartier Panther Three Row Diamond Neck lace featuring 6.20 Carats of Pave Diamonds. 18k White Gold Cartier Panthere Pave Diamond Ring featuring 6.50 Carats of Diamonds And 2 Emeralds Eyes. 18k White Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Emerald & White Diamond Ring showcasing a 7.75 Carat Colombian Emerald and 1.15 Carats of Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds.

McLaren 600LT, courtesy of Butch Hammad, @ImperialeTV.

Jackie showcases a Cinq à Sept’s Crepe Khloe Blazer, Three-quarter Sleeves, Chili Pepper, with matching Crepe Elaine Shorts. Saks Fifth Avenue.

Spectacular 18k White Gold Piero Milano Three Row Multi Shaped White Diamond Necklace fea turing 13.13 Carats of Diamonds.

18k White Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Pearl and Diamond Chandelier Earrings featuring 14.36 Carats of Multi Shaped Diamonds and Two Pearls. Platinum Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Cushion-Shaped Ruby and Diamond Ring featuring One 3.76 Carat Ruby and 0.78 Carats of Diamonds.

Platinum Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Ruby and White Diamond Asscher Bracelet featuring 10.00 Carats of Asscher Cut Diamonds and 15.00 Carats of Rubies.

Trey: Versace Shirt with front logo, Tracksuits Long sleeve, Saks Fifth Avenue.

Rolex 41mm Datejust Steel & 18k Yellow Gold With Slate Roman (Wimbledon Dial) with Fluted Bezel & Jubilee Bracelet, from Vander Dys Fine Jewelers.

18k Yellow Gold and Leather Misani Men’s Bracelet with Diamonds. 18k Yellow Gold and Leather Misani Men’s Bracelet with Blue Lapis. William Henry Fossil Coral Jasper with Blue Sodalite Roundels., from Vander Dys Fine Jewelers.

HALLWAYS

Lindsey: Versace Jeans Couture “Garland Sun” Bodycon in Black, Saks Fifth Avenue.

18k White & Yellow Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Flower Necklace showcasing 3.09 Carats of Oval-Shaped Fancy Light Yellow Diamonds, 38.01 Carats of Oval, Marquise, and Round White Diamonds. 18k White Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ 5 Row Diamond Bracelet featuring 19.47 Carats of Diamonds. 18k Yellow Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Pear-Shaped Kunzite, Diamond, and Pink Sapphire Ring showcasing 1.80 Carat Kunzite, 1.11 Carats of Di amonds, and 3.30 Carats of Pink Sapphires.

Burberry Ring Cut-Out Strech Pants, from Saks Fifth Avenue.

18k White Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Cabo chon Cut Emerald & Drop Earrings showcasing 29.66 Carats of Cabochon Cut Emeralds & 4.02 Carats of Diamonds. 18k White Gold Cartier Panther Three Row Diamond Necklace featuring 6.20 Carats of Pave Diamonds. 18k White Gold Cartier Panther Pave Diamond Ring featuring 6.50 Carats of Diamonds and two Emerald Eyes. 18k White Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Emerald & White Diamond Ring showcasing a 7.75 Carat Colombian Emerald and 1.15 Carats of Round Brilliant Cut Diamonds.

THE LOBBY Stage at mesmerizing Hotel Granduca Houston.

Lindsey: Alexander McQueen, Ice Pink Blazer, over a Cinq à Sept Coronado Tweed Shorts, Pink Quartz Multi, both at Saks Fifth Avenue.

18k White Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Pearl and Diamond Chandelier Earrings featuring 14.36 Carats of Multi Shaped Diamonds and Two Pearls. 18k White Gold Piero Milano Three Row Multi Shaped White Diamond Necklace featuring 13.13 Carats of Diamonds. 18k Yellow Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Pear-Shaped Kunzite, Diamond, and Pink Sap phire Ring showcasing 1.80 Carat Kunzite, 1.11 Carats of Diamonds, and 3.30 Carats of Pink Sap phires. 18k White Gold Vander Dys Fine Jew elers’ 5 Row Diamond Bracelet featuring 19.47 Carats of Diamonds.

Trey: Hugo Boss jacket and shirt, Saks Fifth Avenue.

18k Yellow Gold and Leather Misani Men’s Bracelet with Diamonds. 18k Yellow Gold and Leather Misani Men’s Bracelet with Blue Lapis. William Henry Fossil Coral Jasper with Blue Sodalite Roundels, from Vander Dys Fine Jewelers.

18k White Gold Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Chandelier Ruby and Diamond Earrings Featuring 11.10 Carats of Rubies, and 6.30 Carats of Diamonds.

18k White Gold Cartier Panther Three Row Diamond Necklace Featuring 6.20 Car ats of Pave Diamonds.

Platinum Vander Dys Fine Jewelers’ Ruby and White Diamond Asscher Bracelet (left) Featuring 10.00 Carats of Asscher Cut Diamonds And 15.00 Carats of Rubies.

Platinum Piero Milano Diamond Bezel Set Cuff Bracelet (right) Showcasing 6.20 Carats of Multi Shaped Diamonds.

THE BILLIARD ROOM

Trey: Versace Shirt with front logo, Tracksuits Long sleeve, Saks Fifth Avenue.

Rolex 41mm Datejust Steel & 18k Yellow Gold with Slate Roman (Wimbledon Dial) with Fluted Bezel & Ju bilee Bracelet, from Vander Dys Fine Jewelers.

18k Yellow Gold and Leather Misani Men’s Bracelet with Diamonds. 18k Yellow Gold and Leather Misani Men’s Bracelet with Blue Lapis. William Henry Fossil Coral Jasper with Blue Sodalite Roundels, from Vander Dys Fine Jewelers.

CREDITS

Fashion Photographer and Creative Director:

Saba Hussain @sabadesignstudio.photography

Designs: Saks Fifth Avenue.

Jewels: Vander Dys Fine Jewelers @vanderdysfinejewelers

Wardrobe Stylist: Laura Cole.

Models: Lindsey Madison @lindsey_madison_

Jacki Levett-Prinsep @thatgirljacki Trey Peyton @trey.peyton

HMUA: Joely Flores @makeupbyjoelyflores

Location: Hotel Granduca, Houston @hotelgranducahouston

McLaren: By Butch Hammad @imperialetv

Video by Angel Mavarez @angelMmavarez

Producer: Martin Gondra, publisher

LUXCIOR magazine @luxciormagazine

A Houston Italian LOVE Story

Donna and Tony Vallone’s tony’s

A refined HOUSTON TRADITION

By Gino Frediani

Many things in Houston have made us proud over the years. In the culinary world, there is a name that not only made history but has become an icon and a milestone in Texas’ finest dining: Tony’s.

And of course, there is the Italian genius behind the name: Tony Vallone. And as always, next to a great man, there is a great love: Donna Vallone, keeping one of our city’s greatest traditions alive and more exciting than ever.

When Tony Vallone opened his restaurant’s first location in 1965, Houstonians knew very little about real Italian food. He was then cooking the Neapolitan dishes he had known growing up, although ingredients for that cuisine were limited in the Bayou City at the time. But it didn’t take long before his name started gaining local, national, and international recognition.

Tony Vallone was the first Texan inducted into the National Restaurant Associ ation Hall of Fame in 1982 and the first American-born board member of the famed Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani of Italy. He was a past member of the Nation’s Restaurant News “Hall of Fame” and was elected to the Culinary “Who’s Who of Texas.” In addition, Tony was the author of the critically acclaimed “Tony’s: The Cookbook”.

For nearly 57 years Donna and Tony Vallone have been delighting discerning Hous tonians and visitors from all across the globe. Their restaurants have indulged eight US presidents, numerous foreign presidents, and notable dignitaries from around the world.

Tony’s is renowned for outstanding flavors made with the highest quality ingredi ents, and uniquely elaborated recipes, presenting fine Italian dining inspired by Naples, influenced by Milan, and cherished in Houston as a true Texas pride.

Married to Tony Vallone for more than 36 years, Donna was always been by his side in life and in business. Together, they were co-owners of Tony’s in Greenway Plaza. When Tony passed away in September 2020, Donna took the reins of Tony’s and continues to work vigorously, keeping her beloved husband’s legacy and vision alive through the culinary arts and dedication to service that he held as a standard at his flagship restaurant of more than 55 years.

Donna was born in Olympia, Washington, but raised in Houston since she was three months old. After receiving a Bachelor of Music from the University of Hous ton, she began her 14-year professional career as a music teacher for HISD. Her final three years were spent teaching children with special needs at T.H. Rogers School.

In addition to culinary contributions, Don na donates her time and talents to nu merous local and national causes. She proudly sits as a board member of vari ous organizations, including those in the medical field and fine arts in our Hous ton community. She sits on the boards of TEACH - To Educate All Children -, Holo caust Museum Houston, the Houston West Chamber of Commerce, University of Hous

Carrot Risotto: carrot scented acquerello risotto, prosciutto di San Daniele, Umbrian black truffles.

ton Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, Theatre

Under the Stars, and Friends of Nurs ing at CHI St. Luke’s Health. Addition ally, she is a member of the Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital Advisory Committee and the Memorial Hermann Community Relations Committee. Aside from Tony’s, Donna has a passion for life, love, and family. Her greatest

We had the opportunity to indulge our selves with a recent visit to Tony’s, where we enjoyed meeting Kate Mc Lean, the Executive Chef, and partner. She was gracious enough to walk us through the entire experience of tasting a selection of her newest dishes and delicious des serts.

Kate is a multi-genre writer and journal ist. She has spent time working on the

Hamachi Crudo: Gaeta olive ash, clementine, petite fennel.

Best known for her Executive Chef tenure at Tony’s, she had previously worked for Tony Vallone for nearly eight years and prior to that cooked in France, Hawaii, Seattle, and Colorado.

During our visit, we enjoyed some of Tony’s signature recipes - shown in the photos of this spread for your visual delight -, captur ing the refined flavors from the millenarian Italian cuisine, and with the added touch of Kate’s talent and creativity, we were tak en above and beyond our most demanding expectations.

The carrot-scented Risotto was a sensation, not to mention the distinctive flavors and textures of the cheeses making the “Car amelli”, but for a native Italian like me, the stamp of perfection of the Spaghetti all Chitarra took the win.

Understanding that Tony’s has one of the widest and most exclusive selections of fine

wines from the finest wineries in the world, I opted to break the usual dining rules, and go for something different: the Palombel la - a specialty of the House -, a sweet and delicious Grapefruit-based aperi tivo mixed and personally served by Bar Manager Kennady Cosby. You must try it on your next visit.

The elegance, decor, and ambi ance at Tony’s remain as elevated as it has always been, providing the perfect setting for a memo rable dining experience. But the component that marks the final touch of class is - as I always say -, the courtesy and professionalism of the staff; and when it comes to ser vice, Tony’s has been for over half a century, and still remains, at the top. In fact, the entire staff is privy to Tony Val lone’s favorite motto: “You’re only as good as your last meal.”

Caramelli: Duo of bucheron and pecorino cheeses, saffron, black sesame chicken crisp.

Torta Sophia: Baked to order, Meyer lemon center, Brenham bay leaf, fresh-cut flowers.

Palombella: Lalo, Aperitivo Rosato, Fever Tree Grapefruit.

Manarola fishing village, seascape in Five Lands, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria.

HIDDEN GEMS

By Linda Strickland

ew places rank as high on travelers’ bucket lists as Ita ly. Whatever your taste in travel, you’ll satisfy it in this country where history, art, food, music, architecture, cul ture, sacred sites, charming villages, and stunning scenery are all around, and in an atmosphere that only the most confirmed curmudgeon could fail to enjoy.

From the soaring Dolomite mountains in the north to the beaches of Puglia and the ancient temples of Sicily, Italy is filled with out standing places to see. These range from magnificent natural and scenic wonders to some of the greatest masterpieces of art and architecture the world has known. No matter where you choose, you can’t go wrong.

Both for its history as the capital of much of ancient Europe and for its present-day role as one of Europe’s most vibrant cities, for most tourists traveling to Italy, Rome heads the list of places to visit. Relics of its ancient glories —the Forum, the Pantheon, the Appian Way, the Pal atine Hill—view, and the vast riches of the Vatican are among the top attractions. But between the important sights like the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s Pieta, take time to enjoy the city itself. Relax in the Borghese gardens; eat gelato on the Spanish Steps; explore the narrow streets of Trastevere; sip morning cappuccino in cafés; window-shop on the Via Veneto, and toss a coin in Trevi Fountain, so you can return again and again. It will take several trips to see it all. However, our focus today won’t be on Rome, but rather on Italy’s hidden secrets.

When you think of Italia you obviously think of the city of Rome, one of the most visited cities in the world with Paris and London. Italia is also Milan, its Duomo, its fashion boutiques whilst Verona and Venice are perfect destinations for lovers.

sirmione, lomBardia

Sirmione is a dream, Sirmione is a real pleasure for the eyes, Sirmione is the icing on the cake of Lombardy. Sirmione is also one of the most beautiful cities bordering Lake Garda.

The castle is open to the public every day of the week except Mondays. This 12th century medieval castle is one of the city’s landmarks. Located only 1 hour drive from Milan-Bergamo airport (2 hours by train), Sirmione is one of the most beautiful secret destinations in Italy. Stroll through the castle’s dungeons and the tower and enjoy magnificent views of the beautiful city of Sirmione.

Burano, Venetia

Unless you have lived in a cave since birth you obviously know the city of Venice. The city shares the title of capi tal of lovers with Verona, Paris, Rome, and Bruges.

Venice is not the only island in the region of Venetia as there are over 100 islands. Some are wild and uninhabit ed and others are just as beautiful as Venice. During your stay in Venice, explore Burano Island and photograph in front of the colorful fishermen’s houses.

Where to stay? “Casa Burano” decorated by a local art ist. “Waaaouw” effect guaranteed!

Vernazza, cinque terre - liguria

If you want to get off the beaten track and discover the most beautiful secret des tinations of Italia come explore the islands of Procida or Burano. Leave the big cities and dive into history by visiting the medieval village of Castelmezzano built in the mountains. Get ready to be dazzled by the beauty of these unusual places, these secret destinations.

Bogliasco, liguria

Bogliasco is one of the most beautiful destinations in Li guria. Located just 40 minutes’ drive from Genoa Airport (50 minutes by train), Bogliasco is a postcard destination with sun, blue sea and colorful houses. Spring and au tumn are the best seasons to enjoy the charm of this small town.

Book your apartment in the historical center of Bogliasco and enjoy a holiday at the best price in one of the best kept secrets of Italy.

Located one and a half hour from Genoa airport and La Spezia airport, Vernazza is one of the jewels of tourism in Italy. Vernazza is one of the municipalities that make up the Cinque Terre, one of the favorite destinations in Italy. What makes

Sirmione on Lake Garda. Province of Brescia, Lombardy (Lombardia)

Magic architecture of Alberobello - Puglia

the village so successful? Probably the fishermen’s colorful houses, the vineyards that surround Vernazza and its crystal clear blue waters.

Do you want to stay in the historic heart of Vernazza? Book your room at the “MaDa Charm Apartment Jacuzzi” and enjoy a terrace overlooking the sea.

Bagnoregio, lazio

Bagnoregio, this beautiful village perched on a hill, is one of the best hid den gems in Italy. Discover this small town of 3500 inhabitants, its medie val village, its craftsmen and taste the best of the local gastronomy

alBeroBello, Puglia

Have you heard of Trullis before with its little houses in white stones recognizable by their pointed roofs? To discover these incredible houses you have to go to the Apulia region in the south of Italy. Located an hour’s drive from Bari Airport (two hours by train), Alberobello is one of the hidden gems in Italy. You’ll feel you are in Fantasy Land.

There are many more incredibly beautiful places to visit in Italy, aside from Rome and the usual destinations.

Enjoy them!

Burano village, Venice

Kathy Anderson, Interior Design Editor

Italian Influence on Design in Houston

The combined rustic and modern elements in this classic wine room inspire conversation and comfort. The nature inspired stone and repurposed wood are a beautiful contrast to the modern lighting and wine racks in this renovated home office turned wine room.

Culture-Rich and Built to Last

Italy’s rich culture and history can be seen and felt in its influence on design throughout the world. Italian beauty, quality and durability in materials continue to set the standard for all things design. As a melting pot of cultures and traditions, Houston is similar to other major cit ies across the globe in that Italy’s long-standing legacy of exquisite food, wine, and architecture spill into the design world of our diverse city.

When thinking of Italian style, you might im mediately picture a classic brick archway, a wine cellar, or large colorful doors. This may or may not be something you’d like in your mod ern home. However, the ‘Tuscan’ style is wide spread and encompasses many elements of design. Whether observed in paint colors, archi tectural elements, space planning, or building materials, the Italian influence is undeniable and timeless. As we continue to look for last ing, quality materials, Italian influenced design will never be ‘outdated’ even though the style is centered on old and traditional elements of nature. It will continue to endure through the centuries in elegance and function.

An Italian inspired wine room on the outskirts of Houston transports you immediately to the rolling hills and vineyards of Tuscany. The more traditional cellar-type wine room has beautiful exposed repurposed wooden beams, stone walls, and brick archways.

The large floor to ceiling windows expose an extensive wine collection, which serves not only as storage but an exquisite focal point just off the main entry leading to the stairway.

Holding On to Timeless Tradition

In America it is easy to get caught up in a “throw away” cul ture, meaning most things we use every day are not meant to last. We are so accustomed to throwing something away when it has served its purpose or when the next new shiny thing on the market has come along. Italians couldn’t be any more opposite.

The tradition of building with a purpose of creating lasting ar chitecture is apparent and clearly successful. Italians celebrate their history and the architecture that has always been a part of it. They are constantly surrounded by their heritage through the buildings they work, dine, and live in. This standard is inspiring in the work we do as designers as we aspire to create lasting, timeless spaces in your home. In remodeling or new construc tion, a study of the way you live and designing custom spaces around that with materials that will be the most durable and functional for your lifestyle makes all the difference. We love incorporating the Italian influence on remaking and repurposing already existing, under-utilized spaces in your home to become useful and interesting.

Under-utilized spaces like a small closet or an under-the-stairway nook can be renovated to house varied and visually interesting wine dis plays which become a piece of art for your home. Beautiful and unique lighting creates a show-stopping effect that will accentuate your collection.

Glass enclosed, temperature-controlled wine cases in your dining room add sophistication and incorporates a wine display into the room where you will be using it the most.

Wine Room Requests on the Rise

Most, if not all, of our clients request some sort of beverage area in the remodel or design of their home. Italy’s stand-out tradition of fine wine and storage solu tions has shaped the convention of living and dining in the western world. As we seek for exceptional living in all of our designs, wine rooms and their function have made a resurgence and are a common desire among clients in their living spaces. Some prefer a full room that serves as a place to sit and visit surround ed by their wine collections. However, the most recent trend is to work a wine storage area into the main living area or dining room where the space is comfort able and already being used for relaxing and dining. Wine storage has become a focal point in a room as it can serve as a beautiful element of art that is also highly functional. Unique ways of displaying wine can add visual interest to any room, while still serving the primary purpose of storage and ease of access, with temperature controlled enclosed cases and space saving racks.

A wine room is not feasible in every home design, but every home has a space that can be utilized as a beverage area and integrated into their most used living spaces. We have remodeled office spaces, closets, under a stairway, or a nook in the kitchen to become high class wine areas that add the wow factor to a room. No need to hide your collection away in a cellar, when it can become a unique part of your décor and integrate nicely into your already highly used spaces, creating timeless, Italian-inspired designs that promote exceptional living.

Kathy Anderson is the Founder and President of Eklektik Interiors. You may reach her at 832.804.6300.

Luxury Living ELEVATED

By Alfredo Peñalosa

Houston’s Ultimate Architectural Icon raises the Standard to a High New Level

The luxury, comfort, and extraordinary views of a spectacular home, plus the amenities of a five-star resort, await the fortunate owners of the brand new Residences at The Allen.

The alluring design, comfort, and technology, are up to par with Houston’s most spectacular views.

OOnce again, Houston was able to top itself. The Residences at The Allen raised another bar in architectural design, elegance, and absolute com fort.

The 99 residences -16 penthouses- sit atop the first luxe Thompson hotel in Hous ton, with amazing 360-degree breathtaking views of the best of our city.

“As a visionary work of art and architecture, The Allen signals a new era in urban living, working, and playing in Houston,” points out Roberto Contreras, CEO of DC Partners, the project developer.

Located just a few minutes away from downtown and uptown’s luxury shopping and dining, the Residences at The Allen offers the best of Houston where the so phistication of the theater district meets the elegance and prestige of River Oaks overlooking the serenity of the award-winning Buffalo Bayou Park, providing plenty of space for relaxation and renewal.

A 24-hour concierge and valet are available to handle everything from deliveries and restaurant reservations to travel arrangements and dog walking. The Allen

residents also have complete access to the multiple ammenities of the hotel, in cluding an award-winning spa and fitness center, three dining venues helmed by noted chefs, room service and a one-acre pool deck with panoramic views of the city.

There are also special amenities for residents—including a private lobby with dedicated concierge, private resident-only elevator, resident lounges, a conference room and an indoor lap pool. For the ultimate convenience in arriving and depart ing, the building has its own helistop on the roof.

The ultra-modern building offers a wide variety of floor plans ranging from 1- to 3.5-bedroom properties with multiple exposures to sunrises, sunsets and the city skyline. All the homes offer fine finishes of marble porcelain and quartz, Pedini cabinetry, luxe appliance brands such as Thermador and Gaggenau, and floor-toceiling windows to take advantage of the unforgettable panoramas. State-of-theart technology for lighting, temperature and music controls, security systems and EV charging, power these truly “smart” homes. Private balconies—with innovative plumbed pet-relief stations and real grass—plunge pools and sky gardens are just a few of the unparalleled touches at the Residences at The Allen.

Since founded in 2011, DC Partners is known for its portfolio of high-end and award-winning projects. “Our goal is to change the way Houstonians think about high-rise living and deliver a lifestyle that is representative of luxury hotel living without sacri ficing all the privacy of your own home,” adds Contreras.

One of the many unique features of the Residences at The Al len is a state-of-the-art virtual immersion technology that allows buyers to walk through each of the units. While this technology allows potential buyers from around the world to experience the building as if they were there, it also provides homeowners the opportunity to select different finishes virtually and see them in their home at any given time of day.

“We wanted to be able to show clients the space, even if they were in Dubai or London,” says Sales Director Samuel Katz. “Be ing able to give them an immersive experience without a face-toface tour is so important—especially now.”

Houston’s identity as the nation’s most diverse metropolis for nine consecutive years is well known. The Residences at The Allen add one more forward-looking perspective to the urban mix, in a visually striking building that is destined to be an iconic landmark to look up to. A few fortunate ones can still make it theirs.

Because

as unique as

Are

unconditional commitment to personally give you

Grand attention

Understanding Houston is the most diverse city in the nation, attracting buyers from all around the world, your property will be showcased not just to our local market, but on over 800 web sites internationally.

The Unique Art of GONZALEZ

B

orn in the US Virgin Islands, Andy Gonzalez inherited a multicultural influence from India, Scotland, Spain and Portugal, which impacted his conception of the arts.

Since early childhood, he loved to draw and paint and later focused all his efforts on design work in architecture and fine arts with drawing, painting, and sculpture. He was introduced to several different art colleges and programs in universities. His journey took him to Parsons Paris, School of Design in Paris, France, through which he was later one of the 200 admitted from 50,000 applicants to the school’s program. That became a dream come true in his ar tistic career.

In 1992, while attending Parsons Paris his life drawing instructor was one day looking through his sketchbook to review homework assignments -Andy shared-: “He saw drawings of Jesus and asked if I was a Christian. At that time it had been several years since I had attended a church so I answered and said, ‘no, not anymore, it’s been a while since I’ve gone to church.’ He laughed and said: ‘Well, it looks like your heart is still there even though you don’t go.’ Those words stuck with me for a long time, and I began to actually study the old Italian Master Painters. I was led to study the detail. I wanted to create a ‘New’ Renaissance Period.”

Michelangelo, DaVinci, Raphael, and all the other Italian Master Painters and

by Alfredo Peñalosa

sculptors have influenced his art in differ ent ways. He believes that Picasso, Bra que, Botero, and Miro have influenced him as well.

During this life-changing period of his life, Andy conceived “AGGA”, a thirty-year project, comprised of over 200 paintings.

AGGA stands for “Andy Gonzalez God’s Artist”; a very bold statement, declaration, and title to have. “I learned life is frag ile and delicate and God wanted me to be able to capture the hearts of mankind with this new way of interpreting the holy scrip tures of The Bible” - Andy indicated.

Upon his return to the United States in the mid-’90s, he continued studying Renais sance, Classical, and Modern Art.

In 2008 he began experimenting with a new style of work by combining Abstract with Cubism. He has over 240 sketches, drawings, and designs for oil paintings in his AGGA Collection.

The paintings in the AGGA Collection are all prophetic biblical stories composed in an abstract cubistic style painted on canvas, wood, and linen. The over 200 sketches for paintings are laid out over twenty-one different series and scheduled for production over thirty years; all with divine inspiration and messages within each piece, otherwise known as Modern Biblical Art.

Each series has a name such as “In The Beginning”, “The Knowledge of Good and Evil”, and “The Circles of Life”, to name a few. There is an Inspirational piece that is written for each painting.

The inspiration behind the AGGA Collection is to create biblical stories in a way that features a variety of colors and shapes that allow the Scriptures to come alive in a fresh and new way as never portrayed before: “I believe God gave me this collection when I was ready in life and it is an honor and privilege to carry out this ministry for the Lord. The title of the collection is part of my company name, “AGGA Gallery”. Andy is not shy to admit that his faith has taken him places that he typically would not go: “My faith has allowed my eyes and ears to open up and see God’s goodness and His faithfulness as I try to remain faithful day after day after day. My faith has given me the power to keep moving forward physically, spiritually, and mentally, even after many of life’s challenges.”

Andy became highly proficient in the use of oil paint as the medium in all of the paintings in his AGGA Collection. Oil is painted on wood panels and canvas. His AGGA Collection is a breath of fresh air for the world to see.

In addition to his AGGA Collection, Andy launched a new collection titled FACES, works of mixed media pieces on canvas, linen, wood panels, di-bond brushed alumi num panels, bas-relief sculptures, and liquid chrome sprayed canvas. FACES depict close-up images of all types of human emotions, and of every living thing on earth in an abstract style. This collection draws a lot of attention to its modern and edgy crisp clean lines and shapes.

FACES was inspired by his son Noah, and new works are produced regularly in con junction with AGGA.

We would like to close this article with the words from extraordinary artist Andy: “Everyone is different, God’s plans for each of us vary. Search for what makes sense

that will allow the creativity to never be stifled with life. To never have regrets about the unsung words or the creation of a masterpiece that was never produced. I promise you, if you knock, the door will be opened, seek and you will find all that God has destined you for and you will forever never ever look back and see the buried treasure in your fields, but you will see the manifestation of God’s goodness upon your life as an artist that will please the eye of the beholder for generations to come.”

Andy has avid admirers of his paints from all ethnic and reli gious backgrounds and has reached wide recognition in local, national, and international circles. Being fortunate enough to have Andy right here in Houston, we’d encourage you to visit his gallery at

Silver Street Studios

2000 Edwards St Studio 202 Houston, TX 77007 713.291.7533 | www.ArtistAndy.com

UNRIVALED BEAUTY, ELEGANCE, AND VERSATILITY NATURAL STONE COVERINGS

KinglySlate, a magnificently beautiful natural stone veneer that is revolutionizing the way natu ral stone is used. Revolutionary because it is thin, lightweight and flexible. Yes, natural stone that will bend to cover a column, concave or convex walls. It will conform to round or square columns.

It can be used for interior or exterior applications. This material is perfect to be used on accent walls or even Inside showers.

KinglySlate provides a natural stone veneer without the cost, weight and waste factor of full thickness stone veneer. Our veneer is 1/16" to 3/32" thick. It

KinglySlate is made of 100% natural stone, yet extremely lighter than traditional stone veneers. KinglySlate is the most elegant finish to any commercial, residential, governmental or retail project.

Four Seasons Is in the Water With a Floating Hotel

By Linda Strickland

Four Seasons is set to redefine luxury charter with its new 679-foot yacht with a profile design similar to that of a superyacht, but with more decks and a funnel resembling the smoke stack of a 1930s ocean liner. However, the difference is that on this new vessel, the funnel houses four decks of suites equaling 9,600 square feet.

The concept has been in the works for two years and came to life as a result of the Four Seasons Private Jet program, which brings its members to different parts of the world on a converted, 48-seat Airbus A321neo-LR.

The new yacht has 96 suites, starting at 580 square feet. These can be converted to 56 large suites through a series of modular walls. An en tire deck can be converted into a private resi dence for a family or a group.

The new yacht will be different from chartering or owning a private superyacht, which typical ly sleeps only 12 people, with a crew catering to the group for the week. Itineraries on su peryachts are also flexible.

The Four Seasons group also plans for its yacht to be the opposite of a standard cruise ship, where activities are scheduled in advance. The experience is designed to be flexible to accom modate each client’s wishes, with an emphasis on luxurious service.

The vessel will have 11 restaurants, a swimming pool on the long stern, and a marina in which the sides of the center fold out like wings over the water to become a large beach club. Its relatively smaller size, com pared to the conventional cruise ships, will grant it access to areas where cruise ships are forbidden.

When you’re on a superyacht, you’re a bit at the mercy of the crew who have mul tiple jobs, so the experience can range widely. What you get here is the excellence of Four Seasons on a yacht.

Costs per person should be similar to charter ing a 200- to 250-foot yacht, though a pricing schedule has yet to be finalized. Four Seasons will open booking late next year for the boat’s 2025 summer launch. The vessel is expected to cost about $1.16 billion, or an average of $4.35 million per suite.

Four Seasons plans to run the yacht in tradition al charter destinations: The Med in summer and the Caribbean in winter.

Despite the Four Seasons name, Marc-Hen ry is a partner. Nadim Ashi and Philip Levine, Marc-Henry’s co-owners, were the originators of the yacht concept. “There will be nothing like it on the water,” Levine said at the press con ference.

The Four Seasons vessel is joining competitor Ritz-Carlton’s Yacht Collection. The hotelier an nounced plans five years ago to move into the yachting sector, though the vessel launch has been delayed by two years. Ritz-Carlton said Evrima, the first vessel of its long-delayed Yacht Collection, completed sea trials in June.

Four Seasons is also currently going through a rebrand called “Luxury is Our Love Language,” based on stories gathered from guests. “It’s all about creating a meaningful sense of belonging through the elegance of empathy,” said Speichert, adding that its new yacht collection should be a concrete example of the rebranding effort.

SeaPods WHERE THE FUTURE IS HISTORY

By Alfredo Peñalosa

Ocean Builders, a company specializing in innovative marine technology, has officially launched the first floating eco-restor ative pod homes in the world.

Ocean-innovation company Ocean Builders is poised to devel op three models of floating architecture in Panama that will offer luxurious residential homes in nature and on the sea, complete with smart-home technology. Yachts and boats will be bygone eras and treehouses in forests will have to reach new heights. The company’s floating pods extend to confer the residents a total view of the landscape, almost living among the clouds if planted in the forest and gifting ease of access to see the mountains’ top ridges if on the sea.

The company, led by Rüdiger Koch and Grant Romundt, thinks their ocean-innovation technology will allow civilization to move onto the sea and in nature with quality of life. The duo tapped Dutch architect Koen Olthuis to design their three pod models: SeaPod, GreenPod, and EcoPod.

Perched ten feet above sea level on the Caribbean coast of Panama, the futuristic units are designed to accommodate two people. They are on sale now, with prices ranging from $295,000 to $1.5 million.

According to the company, the SeaPod home model is current ly being built in Linton Bay Marina in Panama. Its foundation draws from steel and concrete while the exterior is carpeted with fiberglass, gel coat, and foam. Like an iceberg, it floats through 1,688 cubic feet of air-filled steel tubes which make the home buoyant, pushing the entire SeaPod up three meters above the water. It is complete with rooms and amenities found in land homes, but the team decided to adopt a total-white, minimalist approach to the interior and exterior. The SeaPod also has a skylight so that residents can enjoy direct sunlight and a view of the sky from the inside.

MODERN TREEHOUSES AND CURVY HOMES FOR GREENPOD AND ECOPOD

The GreenPod is more out in nature rather than on the ocean. The height seems to reach the top-level of tall trees in the for est with its 37 feet long construction. The modern treehouses have three floors; a spacious living room that can be altered as a second bedroom, a gym, or an office; a shower climber wall to access the roof; and some smart-home technology to cater to the modern lifestyle of the residents. The company thinks that its GreenPods require a minimal footprint. ‘Our land-based pod

is able to sit amongst nature without disturbing the surrounding area. With the high vantage point, you are able to look out over the treetops to obtain a view others can only dream of.’

Another family member of the company is the EcoPod. Its concept started in 2019, and the company has been reviving its model and applying new iterations to recreate its old model. ‘We wanted something with much bigger windows. We wanted a large outdoor space that was pro tected from the sun. We wanted a super simple design that could be manufactured quickly, eco nomically, and easily from anywhere in the world. We wanted something that could be shipped in a cargo container and assembled anywhere. We wanted to have a more attractive design with curves on the outside,’ writes Ocean Builders. The EcoPod has a flat-round shape compared to the pod shape of the other models.

SEASHELL-INSPIRED DESIGN AND LOGO

The company also picked the seashell as its emblem since they believe it is a natural home built by creatures on Earth and speaks of its goal to make homes that are in line with the ocean and nature. ‘Our long-term goal is to make sustainable homes made from as many natural and eco-conscious materials as possible,’ the company writes. It also adds that shells are structurally strong which for the team means protection from the outside world. ‘Every shell is a beautiful masterpiece and we wanted to make each Pod a beautiful masterpiece so you have a home that inspires you,’ the company believes.

Where is your getaway home going to be?

UNITING FOR UKRAINE

A step forward program in our Nation’s Immigration Law

With the war in Ukraine in its eigth month, over 12 million individuals have been forced to flee their homes already. Seven million of them are refugees, most ly women and children. The world has welcomed Ukrainian refugees with open hearts and through numerous humanitarian and friendly immigration programs. With families separated, the United States is doing its part in uniting Ukrainians with their family members.

Uniting for Ukraine is the newest program by the United States government and a step forward in welcoming Ukrainians in our country. This program is a pathway for Ukrainian citizens, and their immediate family members (spouse or common law partner, and children under the age of 21) outside the country, who can be paroled to the United States and permitted to stay for a 2-year temporary period. Ukrainians who apply for this program must have a supporter in the United States who is responsible for them and who agrees to provide financial support for their entire period of stay. The U.S. based supporters will undergo security and back ground checks and must demonstrate sufficient financial resources to provide for the individuals they wish to support.

Immigration Attorney, Olsa Cano

Immigration Attorney Olsa

To be considered for Parole under the United for Ukraine Program, the beneficia ries/applicants must meet the criteria below:

• Resided in Ukraine immediately before the Russian invasion (through February 11, 2022) and were displaced due to the war

• Be a citizen of Ukraine and possess a valid Ukrainian passport (or are a child included on a parent’s passport)

• Have a supporter who files form I-134 with the USCIS who is vetted

• Clear security checks

• Children under the age of 18 must travel with their parents.

As mentioned earlier the applicants must have a sponsor in the USA who files Form I-134 on their behalf;

The individuals who meet the supporter requirement include:

• U.S. citizens and nationals;

• Lawful permanent residents, lawful temporary residents, and conditional permanent residents;

• Nonimmigrants in lawful status (those who maintain the nonimmigrant status and have not violated any of the terms or conditions of their nonimmigrant status);

• Asylees, refugees, and parolees;

• TPS holders; and

• Beneficiaries of deferred action (including DACA) or Deferred Enforced Departure.

The first step in the United for Ukraine application process is for the U.S.-based supporter to file Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support with the USCIS. The U.S. government will vet the supporter to make sure that all the requirements are met.

Children traveling without a parent, or a legal guardian are not eligible for parole under United for Ukraine program. Upon arrival at a port of entry, children arriving without parents or legal guardians are placed in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services as required by law, under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008. This is done to protect children from trafficking and from other forms of exploitation.

Children travelling without parents or legal guardians who are travelling alone to meet a parent or a legal guardian in the USA, can apply for parole under the standard Form I-131 parole process. The Form I-131 must be accompanied by evidence of duration of stay and a letter from either parent or legal guardian of the relationship status with the child. A fee waiver can be requested during this parole application process on Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver.

Ukrainians who are already in the United States are not eligible for this program, but they can explore other options such as asylum or Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The individuals eligible for TPS must have continuously resided in the United States since April 11, 2022, and they must be physically present in the country as of April 19, 2022. Ukraine’s 18-month TPS designation continues until October 19, 2023.

While programs such as United for Ukraine and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are temporary in nature, they are a great start in our government’s immigration efforts to help Ukrainians inside and outside our country. We all join in our prayers that the war in Ukraine comes to an end soon, and in our hope that the families are unified, and their country starts to rebuild and heal.

With ouR​animal​companions

Sessions

is our vision that a Pawsitive Relation

be based on education, respect

understanding of our beloved animal companions.

Marta L. De Fex Founder - Instructor

Our Pets are a vital part of our family and society. Educa tion is essential to gain knowledge and empowerment that leads to a successful and happy relationship with our animal companions. Pet Parent Educa tion must start from knowing how to choose the right pet for your family, obedience and train ing skills, safety interactions & good manners between pets and children, health, prevention, wellness. Last but not least, it’s of vital impor tance to learn how to assess and response when emergencies occur by learning Pet CPR & First Aid.

Guerlain’s

As Guerlain’s L’Heure Bleue fragrance celebrates its 110th orbit, the brand is partnering with the Yves Klein Foundation and releasing 37 limited edition 1.5-liter bottles of the emblematic eau de parfum—but this time as a high-concentration extrait de parfum.

The partnership connects two singularities. First, there’s that arresting Yves Klein blue—formally known as International Klein Blue, or IKB. The artist described his signature color as possessing no dimensions whatsoever. Equally unique is L’Heure Bleue, a powdery blend of resinous amber, bergamot and faint florals that debuted the same year that the Titanic sailed the ocean blue. The bottle, topped with an inverted-heart heart stopper, was designed by Raymond Guerlain as a nod to Art Nouveau.

Describing his masterpiece perfume, Jacques Guerlain poetically said: “The sun has set, but night has not yet fallen. It’s the suspended hour.” He famously found inspiration for L’Heure Bleue on an evening walk along Paris’ river Seine in sum mer 1912. As he put it, this was “the hour when one finally finds oneself in re newed harmony with the world and the light.”

Klein, Nouveau Realismé artist, was born in Nice in 1928, creating his ultra marine blue in 1957, 29 years later. He cast the majority of his monochromatic works in this velvety, patented color in 1960: IKB was officially his. Klein’s body of

work is on display in the world’s most prestigious museums. And now, more than three dozen people will bring his vision into their homes, with these exceptionally large and true-to-the-original bottles. They have been sanctioned by the Yves Klein Foundation to be painted in that multi-dimensional (and yet dimensionless at the same time) International Klein Blue.

As an extrait de parfum, a little spray of this formulation goes a long way, due to the higher concentration of perfume oils present. That means that this work of art, in its size and richness, will serve two purposes for years on end. And even after you run out of the fragrance it houses, you’ve still got the official IKB-painted, Guerlain-designed sculpture to showcase at home. Each bottle is also adorned with a silk thread and wax seal, affixed by specialists at the Guerlain ateliers.

Traditionally, L’Heure Bleue skews feminine. It opens with crisp bergamot and sweet anise, has a bouquet of floral notes at heart (along with spicy clove), and simmers for hours with its powdery-iris, vanilla-gourmand, richly resinous base. But we’d say this is one beauty that can be universally appreciated.

As of October 1, each limited-edition bottle became available for $17,000 on Guerlain.com in the US, or in Guerlain boutiques internationally. Three bottles from the 37-bottle limiteed edition are available for the American market, and another 34 will be distributed worldwide.

G G

FALL-WINTER

By ACPS™

Guide to Plastic Surgery

By ACPS™

etting ready for cooler weather? Looking forward to those holiday parties? With summer barely coming to an end, it may be hard to think about that now, but it is a great time to consider doing something special for YOU. Surgeons at the Aesthetic Center for Plastic Surgery™ are always in demand, but are often less busy in the summer months. It is an opportune time to get that procedure you have been considering when it fits into YOUR schedule.

Still have a summer getaway planned? We’ve got you covered.

Surgical options that typically have quick recovery times in clude: breast augmentation, small to moderate levels of lipo suction, mini-tummy tuck, and BBL. Any procedure with an in cision will require you to avoid water activities until it is healed, usually at least two weeks. Summer is not the time for lasers and peels as your new, fresh skin that emerges will be very sensitive to the sun. Howev er, there are many non-surgical options like CoolSculpting®, Evolve®, and Ultherapy that provide satisfying results with lit tle to no down time.

Coolsculpting® is an alternative to surgical fat reduction. Com mon areas include the stomach and love handles.

The InModeEvovle® has three modalities including tone, trim and tightening. Common areas of treatment include the stom ach, arms and legs.

®Ultherapy is another great option for skin tightening. This device is commonly performed on the jaw line and neck.

On the go? Fillers and toxins are a quick way to refine facial features such as filling in hollow areas, plumping lips, filling in deep wrinkles or reducing fine lines.

ACPS™ is Houston’s largest plastic surgery practice dedicat ed to the art of aesthetic surgery. Our experienced team will work with you to develop treatment plan that fits into your busy schedule. After all, the best you is what we do!

For more information visit us at www.MyBeautifulBody.com or call (713) 999-4768.

Have Never Been Trendier Pre-owned Luxury Watches

By Alfredo Peñalosa

For most of the last century, selling a watch, particularly a fine Swiss watch, was an embarrassing act of desperation. Then came the internet, ushering in an era of transparency that permanently changed the dynamics of buying and selling both watches and jewelry.

Before, the secondary market was mainly driven by retailers who would trade in your watch to sell you a new one.

The availability of pricing information online made possible the preowned watch market’s spectacular ascent. Expected to total around $30 billion in 2025, it is on track to comprise half of the global watch market within five to 10 years, according to Karine Szegedi, managing partner of consumer industry and fashion and luxury at Deloitte.

But charting the category’s growth is virtually impossible. “The fact that there are no estimates on the size of the pre-owned watch mar

ket from the early 2000s shows how niche of a market it was back then,” Ms. Szegedi says.

Watch sellers now enjoy easy liquidity in a marketplace with count less opportunities to trade or cash in on their timepieces.

Today, with the long-term impact of Covid on the chain supply and the extraordinary shortage in the production of watches worldwide, the pre-owned market has literally exploded. A similar situation can be seen across multiple luxury industries. However, the advantage in the world of timepieces, is that these treasures are typically kept in like-new condition.

But the politics of selling a watch can be difficult to navigate. That fact was made clear at the Dubai Horology Forum, a two-day watch conference, open to the public, that took place in New York City’s Meatpacking District on September 24 and 25.

During a panel discussion about the new meaning of luxury, panelist Mark Cho, co-founder of The Armoury, a menswear retailer with stores in New York and Hong Kong, noted that he is preparing to sell the majority of his watch collection through Phillips. (The auction, entitled “The Beauty in Everything” sale, is scheduled to take place online beginning November 25.)

“I’m selling a bunch of my watches because I’m trying to buy a piece of prop erty for The Armoury,” Cho said. “I love my watches, but I love my business even more.”

He later expounded upon that idea on Instagram: “At the end of the day, one person can’t keep everything and probably shouldn’t anyway,” Cho wrote. “I offer up these pieces: the majority of my watch col lecting over the last 16 years, for the sake of my clothing store: The Armoury, one of the great loves of my life. I wish to trade these many, small amazing things, that I have selfishly kept to myself, in pursuit of a single new expansion of The Armoury New York to be enjoyed by my colleagues and my customers.”

Cho’s comment prompted his fellow panelist, Gabe Reilly, co-founder of Collective Horology, a watch collector’s club based in California, to note that “there is a stigma around selling watches.”

Reilly said he once acquired what he considered to be a grail watch, but about a year later, due to personal circum stances, had to sell it. “The brand asked me to provide an explanation,” he said. “I did and never heard back.”

“No one should give you a hard time for moving on from a part of your collection,” Reilly said. “I hope we can destig matize watch selling. Oh, and by the way, this is the lu bricant that keeps watch-collecting going. Because so often people are trading up.”

Indeed, the volume of person-to-person trading—via Insta gram, forums, collector meetups, and other venues—is impos sible to quantify, but there is no doubt that it has steadily risen over the past 20 years, in step with the growth of the pre-owned watch market. Yet the growth has also introduced more confusion, as prospective sellers try to make sense of the numerous plat forms, from auction houses to Zoom meetups, that have sprung up over the past decade.

“I’m pretty sure I sold my first watch to Analog Shift eight to 10 years ago,” says Kathleen McGivney, co-founder of the RedBar global collector group. “It was both easier and harder because now if I want to sell some thing, especially lower-priced stuff, I can literally just post an Instagram story. Back then, I had no followers.”

If I may suggest two stores that hold the most extensive selections of luxury preowned timepieces, I’d strongly recommend our friends Vander Dys Fine Jewelers in The Woodlands and Daniel & Co. in Bellaire.

Performante

By Marcel Stefano

Automobili Lamborghini announces the Urus Performante, raising the bar on Super SUV sportiness and performance with design emphases that reflect the new Urus’ prowess on street, track and loose surfaces. The Urus Performante establishes itself on first sight with a new level of powerful styling that asserts the super sports engineering within.

Ahead of its premiere the Urus Performante set a new record in the production SUV category on the Pikes Peak Interna tional Hill Climb Road, crossing the finish line at 14,115 ft in 10:32.064 and beating the previous 2018 record of 10:49.902.

“The Urus Performante takes the supreme performance and distinctive looks of Lamborghini’s ground-breaking Super SUV to the next level, retaining its luxurious versatility and delivering the most engaging driving experience: not only on road but in every environment, distinguished through an al luring design that denotes new benchmarks for driving dy namism in what is already a remarkable car,” says Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini Chairman and CEO. “The Urus set a new standard at its launch, taking Lamborghini’s de sign DNA and technological talent and delivering the world’s first Super SUV for a new era: the Urus Performante sets the bar even higher for the SUV segment.”

The Urus Performante resounds with bold, aeronautical dynamism, from first glance, at every angle: it’s not just from the front that the Perfor mante commands the road. A pure, sharper, more prominent bonnet and bumper design immediately high lights the Performante’s super sports genetics yet retains the Urus’ innate elegance. The Urus Performante’s

use of composite materi als makes it the car with the highest number of carbon fiber parts in its segment.

“The Urus Performante’s very bold and characterful design perfectly in tegrates the improved aerodynamics incorporating the front bumper’s air curtain, with significant visual dif ferentiation including the new light weight carbon fiber engine bonnet and extensive use of carbon fiber throughout reminding of its ‘Perfor mante’ heritage. This benchmarking Urus is designed as a unique driv er-oriented Super SUV,” highlights Mitja Borkert, Head of Design.

“The Urus Performante takes to the road as a lightweight, honed athlete. Its muscular stance, distinctive de sign, V8 twin turbo powerplant and lightweight sports exhaust establish it through sight, sound and experi ence as the most exciting contender on every road, track and loose sur face. This is a super sports car driv er’s SUV,” indicates Rouven Mohr, Chief Technical Officer.

The re-engineered drive modes allow the Urus Performante pilot to select the perfect set-up for every environ ment: In STRADA, the Urus provides a comfortable and luxurious ride with smooth damping. In SPORT mode the driver enjoys enhanced throttle response, with the rear-wheel steer ing more agile at low speeds and sta ble at high speed, with oversteer funto-drive characteristics and a faster gear-shift: the sportier chassis set-up including new stiffer steel springs and specific dampers’ tuning, maxi mizes feedback to engage the pilot in serious driving fun.

In CORSA, the Urus Performante’s race car persona is let loose with su preme handling: high-speed stability, flat cornering supported by the active anti-roll bars and maximum damp ing, while the sports exhaust reminds those inside and out that this is a Lamborghini built on super sports heritage.

Alongside the standard drive modes, the Urus Performante introduces a new RALLY selection, elevating the Super SUV’s fun-to-drive sportiness to a thrilling new level on dirt tracks. Its oversteer character is amplified with anti-roll and damping systems optimized for steel springs on rough and more extreme surfaces, raising the bar for a new level of Super SUV performance.

EXERCISE

Real Life-Saving Brain Health

Have you ever wondered about one magic activity that could reduce the brain fog that comes with age, prevent depression, and stress, lowers blood pressure and lowers the odds of having heart problems, or simply makes you feel and look beautiful? Well, there is definitely one such activity that covers it all: Exercise.

Exercise is the physical activity that is planned and structured to improve or maintain physical health. Generally, in exercise, you work up to sweat, with increased breathing rate and heart rate.

Adults aged 18-64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-in tensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity through out the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigor ous-intensity activity. CDC and NHS recommend the same amount of exercise for people 65 and above if they are generally fit and have no limiting health conditions. If we have health limitations, we can at least try to be as physically active as our health conditions allow.

Muscle strengthening is an important aspect of maintaining a healthy body and should not be ignored. CDC states that stronger muscles help reduce the risk of falling and improve the ability to perform the daily tasks of life.

SO, WHAT REALLY HAPPENS TO OUR BODY WHEN WE EXERCISE?

Recent research has suggested that the exercise we do to improve our body also helps our brain. When we do high-intensity exercise our heart rate increases, supplying more blood flow to the brain. The increased heart rate also increases our breathing, making us

breathe harder and faster. As a result, more oxygen is supplied to our bloodstream, more oxygen reaches our brain. This leads to neuro genesis, which is the production of neurons. Research has indicated that physical exercise increases neurogenesis in the hippocampus, a brain area important for learning and memory. Additionally, exercise also influences the neurotrophins, it’s the family of proteins that aid in neuron survival, development, and function. This leads to greater brain plasticity and as a result better memory and learning. Regular physical activity lowers the risk of developing cognitive impairment, such as dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. This improvement from the exercise is for people with normal and also impaired cog nitive health, including people with ADHD, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.

Additionally, exercise also modulates the secretion of major neu rotransmitters dopamine and serotonin which are linked with treating depression. Exercise improves mood and sleep and reduces stress and anxiety. Trouble in these aspects of our life frequently causes or contributes to cognitive impairment.

Incredibly enough, despite all this knowledge we often find ourselves not doing any exercise at all. I am sharing the following tips that may help you develop the habit of exercising:

Choose a workout that you enjoy. You don’t have to go to the gym and sweat it out, it could be any place or form you enjoy. You can dance, bike ride, or swim. Doing something you enjoy will change your outlook toward exercise. It will no longer be an activity on your to-do list that needs to be checked or pushed forward. It will rather become a highlight of your day that you will look forward to, in order to relax your mind and soul.

Keep diversity. No matter how much you enjoy your workout, if you keep doing the same thing over and over again you will lose interest. Keep trying different activities that you enjoy. Change the scenery instead of always going to the gym, go outdoors.

Set out a time for exercise. Most of the time we keep pushing the need to Ex ercise over something that we prioritize more. So setting a particular time and treating them as appointments will help.

Take baby steps. Usually, when people start Exercising they go overboard in their first few days. It puts lots of stress on the body and makes you feel burned out. And hence it seems like an unpleasant activity which you don’t want to continue anymore. It’s much better to start with 15-20 minutes, taking it nice and slow and gradually increasing. Making the body adjust to it so that it feels good and grows organically as your lifestyle.

Set out a plan for your workout. Don’t just go and do what everybody is doing. Focus on your own body and listen to it. You can focus on one muscle group at a time and if possible you could take the help of a trainer who will guide you on your fitness journey. Having a workout buddy for moderate-intensity exercise could be helpful and fun. This will make you accountable to each other and will help you stick to the routine.

Set up a Goal. Setting a goal keeps us motivated and encourages us to carry on. Setting clear goals and small ones will make you work towards them. For exam ple, saying that you want to tone your body is a very abstract target to achieve.

On the other hand, getting strong enough to lift a particular weight, or fit enough to run a marathon, are more specific and clear goals. It is also helpful to set a time by which you want to achieve them. This kind of goal setting will help you be accountable to yourself.

Go shopping!! Yes, you heard me right. Getting clothes just for your workout will set your mindset to do your part. Also wearing something that makes you feel nice will set a positive attitude towards the activity that you are going to perform. The right set of clothes and shoes can also help in preventing injuries.

Focus on the frequency of workouts and not on giving A+ performance. Those dull days when you think that you can not really do much are the days that you should definitely go and work out. Studies have shown that Exercise acts as a mood enhancer. So go for a small walk and reap the benefits of Exercise.

Enjoy your workouts. Move more, sit less, stay fit. Exercise will not only improve your brain and body but will make you one step closer to the person you want to be in life. It’s gonna upgrade the overall quality of life.

HORMONAL INBALANCE IN WOMEN (AND MEN) CAN BE RESOLVED

We offer a custom tailored, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy ideal for women, useful for achieving a variety of goals and treating conditions caused by an imbalance of or change in hormones, such as menopause.

Our one-visit procedure uses bio-identical hormones, meaning they are 100% identical to the hormones your body naturally makes, releasing them at a steady rate over 4-6 months, and avoiding the "rollercoaster" effects of injections.

Concierge

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Fine Dining

AMERICAN

Taste of Texas

10505 Katy Fwy., Houston, TX 77024

713.932.6901 | tasteoftexas.com

Huge steaks from an on-site butcher shop & a vast salad bar star at this family-friendly steakhouse.

CHINESE

Mala Sichuan Bistro

9348 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036 713.995.1889 | malasichuan.com

EURO-AMERICAN

Masraff’s

H ouston ' s P remier B razilian C H urras C aria wit H t H e r omanti C V iews of H ig H land V illage or our C H arming V intage P ark l o C ation

The Republic Grille

4775 W Panther Creek Dr #490, The Woodlands, TX 77381 281.719.5895 | therepublicgrille.com

Rustic eatery with a Hill Country vibe offers Texas & Southern flavors, a full bar & a large patio

Jasper’s The Woodlands

9595 Six Pines Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77380 281.298.6600 | jaspersthewoodlands.com

Upscale grill turns out creative takes on homestyle American barbecue dishes in a modern setting.

The Kitchen

4526 Research Forest Dr., The Woodlands, TX 77381 281.203.5650 | thekitcheninthewoodlands.com

Counter serve offering gourmet burgers, sandwiches & wines in a sleek, industrial-chic space

HIGHLAND VILLAGE

3995 Westheimer Rd. 3rd Floor Houston, Texas 77027

832.879.2926

VINTAGE PARK

126 Vintage Park Blvd. Houston, TX 77070

832.953.2398

KATY

910 W. Grand Pkwy S. Katy, TX 77494

BRAZILIAN STEAKHOUSE

Gauchos do Sul Brazilian Churrascaria

HIGHLAND VILLAGE

3995 Westheimer Rd. 3rd Floor, Houston, Texas 77027 832.879.2926 | gauchosdosul.com A romantic setting to enjoy Houston’s finest Brazilian cuisine.

VINTAGE PARK

126 Vintage Park Blvd., Houston, TX 77070 832.953.2398 | gauchosdosul.com

KATY

9655 Katy Freeway at Bunker Hill Rd. 713.355.1975 | masraffs.com

Creatively prepared Euro-American eats such as duck, osso buco & foie gras amidst elegant surrounds

FRENCH

Toulouse Cafe & Bar River Oaks District 4444 Westheimer Rd E100, Houston, TX 77027 713.871.0768 | toulousecafeandbar.com

La Table

1800 Post Oak Blvd., Houston, TX 77056 713.439.1000 | latablehouston.com

Modern, multilevel destination housing a French-American restaurant, bar & bakery.

ITALIAN

Tony’s

3755 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77046 713.622.6778 | tonyshouston.com

Potente

1515 Texas Ave., Houston, TX 77002 713.237.1515 | potentehouston.com

Swanky, modern destination serving locally sourced modern Italian cuisine plus wine & cocktails

INDIAN

Kiran’s

832.953.2398

910 W. Grand Pkwy S,, Katy, TX 77494 832.953.2398 | gauchosdosul.com

2925 Richmond Ave Suite 160, Houston, TX 77098 713.960.8472 | kiranshouston.com gauchosdosul.com

Houston and The Woodlands’ Luxury Shopping, Dining, and Service Guide

JAPANESE

Uchi

904 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77006 713) 522-4808 | uchihouston.com

Innovative preparations of sushi & fusion plates shine at this upscale Japanese hot spot

Kata Robata

3600 Kirby Dr., Houston, TX 77098 713.526.8858 | katarobata.com

Sleek, contemporary space for innovative sushi & Japanese small plates such as Kobe beef skewers

MEXICAN Ambriza

10115 Louetta Rd., Houston, TX 77070 281.205.1240 | ambriza.com

Xochi

1777 Walker St., Houston, TX 77010 713.400.3330 | xochihouston.com

Dishes inspired by Oaxaca headline this chic Downtown destination that also serves cocktails & wine.

NEW AMERICAN

Nobie’s

2048 Colquitt St., Houston 346.319.5919 | nobieshtx.com

Intimate spot serving New American dishes & craft cocktails, with a patio & a vinyl soundtrack.

TRIS

24 Waterway Ave., The Woodlands, TX 77380 281.203.5641 | triswoodlands.com

Contemporary, white-tablecloth venue serving New American fare, with an intimate chef’s table

The Capital Grille

5365 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77056 713.623.4600 | thecapitalgrille.com

Concierge

Riel

1927 Fairview St., Houston, TX 77019 832.831.9109 | rielhtx.com

Stylish, bustling bistro serving globally inspired shared plates, cocktails, beer & sparkling wine.

93 Til

1601 W Main St, Houston, TX 77006 281.846.6405 | 93-til.com

Refined homestyle fare & cocktails in a laidback restaurant that has warm decor & vinyl records

NEW ORLEANS

Brennan’s of Houston

3300 Smith St., Houston, TX 77006 713.522.9711 | www.brennanshouston.com

New Orleans character & cuisine shine at this decadent eatery serving turtle soup, oysters & more

PIZZA

The Gypsy Poet

2404 Austin St., Houston, TX 77004 281.888.8663 | thegypsypoet.us

SOUTH AMERICAN

Sal y Pimienta Kitchen

818 Town and Country Blvd., Houston, TX 77024 713.907.0412 | salypimientakitchen.com

Latin Bites Kitchen (Peruvian) 5709 Woodway Dr., Houston, TX 77057 713.229.8369 | latinbitescafe.com

Marine’s Empanadas Delicias Colombianas Colombian and Argentian casual Cuisine 3227 Hillcroft St, Houston, TX 77057 713.789.2950 | marinesempanadas.net

The Original Marini’s Empanada House Argentinian Casual dining

10001 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77042 713.266.2729 | theoriginalmarinis.com

STEAKHOUSE

Sal y Pimienta Kitchen

818 Town and Country Blvd., Houston, TX 77024

713.907.0412 | salypimientakitchen.com

A casual, yet sophisticated dining experience for the best South American steaks and finest wines

Mastro’s Steakhouse

1650 W Loop S, Houston, TX 77027

713.993.2500 | mastrosrestaurants.com

Churrascsos Steakhouse - River Oaks

2055 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77098 713.527.8300 | churrascos.com

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille - The Woodlands 6700 Woodlands Pkwy, The Woodlands, TX 77382 281.362.0569 | perryssteakhouse.com

Steak 48

4444 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77027 713.322.7448 | steak48.com

SEAFOOD

Eddie V’s Prime Seafood 2800 Kirby Dr., Houston, TX 77098 713.874.1800 | eddiev.com

Elegant fine-dining chain with a seafood & steak menu, plus a cocktail lounge featuring live jazz.

SPANISH

BCN Taste & Tradition

4210 Roseland St., Houston, TX 77006 832,834,3411 | bcnhouston.com

Set in a 1920s home, this contemporary Spanish fine-dining spot presents classic Catalan flavors.

THAI

Songkran Thai Kitchen

Best Thai cuisine in Houston

1101 Uptown Park Blvd., Houston, TX 77056 713.993.9096 | songkranthaikitchen.com

Houston and The Woodlands’ Luxury Shopping, Dining, and Service Guide

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Fine Jewelry & Watches

Vander Dys Fine Jewelers

24 Waterway Ave., Suite 200, The Woodlands, TX 77380 281.651.5380 | vanderdysjewelers.com

Daniel & Co. (see ad for details)

9798 Bellaire Blvd., Houston, TX 77036 713.980.9798 | danielco.us

1416 N Loop 336 W C Conroe, TX 77304 936.756.0300 | danielco.us

C Malls & Shopping Plazas

The Galleria Mall

5085 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77056 713.966.3500 | simon.com/mall/the-galleria

Uptown Plaza - Houston

4715 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77027 877.775.3462 | uptownparkhouston.com

Citycentre

800 Town and Country Blvd., Houston, TX 77024 citycentrehouston.com

La Centerra at Cinco Ranch

23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Katy, TX 77494 281.395.5533 | lacenterra.com

The Woodlands Mall

1201 Lake Woodlands Dr, The Woodlands, TX 77380 281.363.3409 | thewoodlandsmall.com

River Oaks District

4444 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77027 713.904.1310 | riveroaksdistrict.com

Memorial City Mall

303 Memorial City Way, Houston, TX 77024 713.464.8640 | memorialcity.com

Highland Village

4055 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77027 713.850.3100 | houstonhighlandvillage.com

Defining a Man’s Style

24 Waterway Ave., Suite 200, The Woodlands, TX 77380

VanderDysJewelers.com 281.651.5380

Concierge

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Art Galleries

Andy González

Silver Street Studios - Studio 202

52000 Edwards St, Houston, TX 77007

713.291.7533 | artistandy.com

C Museums

Museum of Natural Science

5555 Hermann Park Drive | Houston, TX 77030

713.639.4629 | hmns.org

Children’s Museum of Houston

1500 Binz St., Houston, TX 77004

713.522.1138 | cmhHouston.org

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Women’s Boutiques

ETRO Milano

4444 Westheimer Road. | Houston, TX 77027

713.552.1122 | etro.com

CMen’s Clothiers

Norton Ditto

2425 W Alabama St., Houston, TX 77098

713.688.9800 | NortonDitto.com

M Penner

1180 - 6 Uptown Park Blvd., Houston, TX 77056

713.527.8200 | mPenner.com

Q Clothier

2800 Kirby Dr., B124, Houston, TX 77098

713.523.8333 | qClothier.com

C Spas

Progressive Rejuvenation

10857 Kuykendahl Rd #110, The Woodlands, TX 77382 346.220.8063 | ProgressiveRejuvenation.com

Sensia Studio & Japanese Day Spa

1711 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056

713.627.0070 | SensiaStudio.com

Sanctuary Spa

1701 S Shepherd Dr., Suite C, Houston, TX 77019 713.622.7722 | BeSanctuary.com

C Spas for Him

Persona - Spa para Hombres

2311 West Alabama St. | Houston, TX 77098

713.630.0772 | PersonaMedicalSpa.com

C Beauty Salons

Bella Rinova

4444 Westheimer Rd Suite H200, Houston, TX 77027 713.572.0022 | BellaRinova.com

C

Plastic Surgeons

ACPS Plastic Surgery - River Oaks 4400 Post Oak Pkwy, Suite 300, Houston, TX 77027

713.799.4768 | DrNewall.com

ACPS Plastic Surgery - Memorial 12727 Kimberley Ln., Suite 300, Houston, TX 77024 713.799.4768 | MyBeautifulBody.com

ACPS Plastic Surgery - The Woodlands

4800 W. Panther Creek Dr.- Suite 200-A

The Woodlands, TX 77381 713.999.4768 | MyBeautifulBody.com

C Dermatology

Progressive Rejuvenation - Cara Skero

10857 Kuykendahl Rd #110

The Woodlands, TX 77382 346.220.8063 | ProgressiveRejuvenation.com

Houston and The

C Cosmetic Dentistry

Texas Center for Cosmetic Dentistry

Dr. Guy M. Lewis 4800 W Panther Creek Dr Suite 200, The Woodlands, TX 77381 281.612.5220 | LoveThatSmile.com

Unicare Center for Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry (see ad for details)

Dr. Farid Noie - Dr. Amin Ehshan 20814 Gulf Freeway, #40, Webster, TX 77598 713.322.7002 | UnicareDentist.com

C Pain Doctors (Médicos del Dolor)

Progressive Pain and Rehabilitation Edward A. Nash, M.D 10857 Kuykendahl Rd #110, The Woodlands, TX 77382 346.220.8063 | DrNashCares.com

C

Personal Injury Attorney

McDonald Worley Principal Office in Houston, Texas 1770 Saint James Place #100, Houston, TX 77056 281.623.1906 | McDonaldWorley.com

C Immigration Attorney

Cano Immigration, PLLC 12141 Wickchester Ln., Ste 600, Houston, Texas 77079 832-288-2727 | CanoImmigration.com

C Probate Attorney

Kenneth Krohn, PLLC 1210 W Clay St Suite 12, Houston, TX 77019 713.429.0575 | KrohnPllc.com

Dining,

The best you is what we do

One of the Nation's Most Awarded Plastic Surgery Practices

GALLERIA

RIVER OAKS

Post Oak Parkway

300

TX 77027

| TOWN & COUNTRY

Kimberley Lane

300

TX 77024

Concierge

C

START ENJOYING IT ONLINE NOW!

C

Luxury Real Estate

Jenny Portillo

EXP Realty

JennySellsHouston.com

Home Design & Decor

Eklektik Interiors

Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77007 832.804.6300 | eklektikinteriors.com

Floor & Decor Houston Design Center

Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77056 832.839.8274 | FloorAndDecor.com

Lighting INC.

Richmond Ave. Houston, TX 77027 713.322.7027

LightingInc.com

THE WOODLANDS

Ed English Dr., Shenandoah, TX 77385 936.213.3512

LightingInc.com

C Home Theatre Screens

gForce Custom Microled Indoor / Outdoor

/ Commercial Theaters (see ad for details)

GforceAnimation.com

C Venues

Margaritaville Lake Resort

Margaritaville, Park Way, Montgomery, TX 77356 936.448.4400

MargaritavilleResorts.com

C

Landscaping Service

Premium Landscaping

S. Loop W. #521, Houston, TX 77054

PremiumLandscapingGroup.com

C Video Animation

Houston and The Woodlands’ Luxury Shopping, Dining, and Service Guide

C

gForce Video Animation, Inc. 281.541.0309 | GforceAnimation.com

C Photography

Saba Design Studio 832.301.9456 | SabaDesignStudio.com

C Luxury & Exotic Automobiles

Porsche of North Houston 13911 North Fwy, Houston, TX 77090 281.206.0300 | PorscheNorthHouston.com

Lamborghini Houston 13921 North Fwy, Houston, TX 77090 281.377.5056 | LamborghiniHouston.com

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars of North Houston (see ad for details) 13921 North Fwy, Houston, TX 77090 888.671.2602 | Rolls-RoyceMotorCarsNorthHouston.com

McLaren Houston 13921 North Fwy, Houston, TX 77090 855.847.7459 | McLarenHouston.com

Aston Martin Houston Star Motor Cars 7000 Katy Rd., Katy, TX 77024 713.868-6813 | StarMotorcars.com

Advantage BMW Midtown 1305 Gray St, Houston, TX 77002 713.289.1200 | www.AdvantageBMWHouston.com

Mercedes Benz of The Woodlands 16917 Interstate 45 South | The Woodlands, TX 77385 936.206.7500 | mbotw.com

Exotic Auto Club

Freedom Supercars

822 Town and Country Blvd Suite 106 Houston, TX 77024

832.726.1940 | FreedomSupercars.com

C Luxury Motorcycle

V1 Moto - Ducat

10102 North Freeway, Houston, TX 77037 281.447.3476 | DucatiHouston.com

C Luxury Automobile Service

Imperial Collision

9722 Honeywell Rd, Houston, TX 77074 713.808.9875 | imperialcollisionspecialist.com

Texas Detailing Association

4104 Dawn St., Houston, TX 77025 713.303.4994 | TXDetailingAssociation.com

C Limousines

Direct Transportation Solutions 2434 Sawdust Rd.

The Woodlands, TX 77380 713.800.5466 | Directts.com

C

Personal Security & Private Investigation Services

Jaguar Protection

10301 Northwest Fwy #308, Houston, TX 77092 833.654.6524 | JaguarProtection.com

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