Bayou City Magazine

KRAFTSMEN BAKERY

rises to the top

5 life moments

TO GET ORGANIZED FOR

Experience it!

Jeff Kaplan plants the seeds for creating a healthy environment

Guide to the Bayou Man

Think you know the Houston man? Think again. He’s more than meets the eye. > PAGE 57

T H E B AY O U C I T Y ’ S B L O O M I N ’

with spring festivals

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contents F E AT U R E S

50 Agent of Change Social entrepreneur Jeff Kaplan is busy winning hearts and minds with his mantra: Homes can heal.

57 The Bayou Man

From how he looks to what he eats to how he spends his time, today’s Houston gent is more than meets the eye.

NORTON DITTO

58 Modern Image 62 Eat Like a Bayou Man 66 Passionate Pursuits

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D E PA RT M E N T S

the tablet-only bonus stories: Helping Hand—Without a Chair to Sit On and Clean Bill—The Doctor Patient is In.

the bayou city

embody

the bayou lifestyle

indulge in bayou eats

in bayou events

16

28

38

71

HERE & NOW

What’s trending in the Bayou City

DOWN HOME Sensory Garden

18

F+B

Haute Chicken

engage

EXPERIENCE IT

Bayou City’s hottest happenings

40

A+E

TASTEMAKER

The World Through Pictures

Of Wine and Woman

20

42

GET OUT

THE POUR

80

WHAT’S YOUR BAYOU IQ? Play Time

Spring is in the Air

Ridin’, Ropin’ and Sippin’

22

44

EDITOR’S LETTER

Bread Winner

12

FIELD NOTES

HOME GROWN

24

46

EaDo

TOP SPOTS

STREET EATS

Reasons to Rodeo

10

NOTES & NOTED Letters to the Editor

Curb to Counter

TABLET ONLY

HELPING HAND Without a Chair to Sit On

CLEAN BILL

30

The Doctor Patient Is In

TO THE 9S Shady Ladies

32

TECH SAVVY Home Smart Home

34

IN FIVE

Manage Your Milestones

48

TOP EATS Pasta Pronto!

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MARK LIPCZYNSKI | DON GLENTZER | ARCHITECTS OF AIR | HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO | LEYENDECKER LANSCAPES/DEBORA SMAIL

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Bayou City Now

Bayou City Daily Get the rest of the story and stay in touch between issues when you subscribe to Bayou City Daily email newsletters* and website at BayouCityMagazine.com. Here are some highlights: monday

tuesday

wednesday

thursday

friday

saturday

LIVING

DOING

DINING

SHOPPING

EXPLORING

SIPPING

march

7 Explore spring festivals Beyond the Beltway.

Dine at the Haute Wheels Food Truck Festival.

april

5 Wine and Wildflowers: Spring road sipping tripping

9 Not just chicken… haute chicken.

25 30

may

Take tea…in your most fabulous hat.

9 Explore the Art Car parade and submit some #bayoucitymagstreetscene photos!

21 21 Screw cap wines: more than they’re corked up to be.

The Bayou Man (or woman) goes on the hunt.

29 Shopping Uptown Park.

*Bayou City LIVING shows you how to embody the Bayou lifestyle. • Bayou City DOING exposes you to our curated calendar: the events and happenings worth the time, money and outfit. • Bayou City DINING explores tips, tricks, recipes and behind-thescenes experiences with local chefs and eateries. • Bayou City SHOPPING displays sophisticated styles and trendy ideas, then offers easy access to buy your favorites. • Bayou City EXPLORING unearths local gems for your weekend jaunts. • Bayou City SIPPING lets you sip, swallow and quaff your way through Houston’s cool cocktails, craft beer and wine. • BAYOU WEEK IN REVIEW brings you highlights from the previous week so you never miss a story.

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Tablet Bonus Helping Hand—Without a Chair to Sit On Clean Bill—The Doctor Patient is In

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Prices up. Inventory down.

It’s a cycle Boulevard Realty knows backwards and forwards. In fact, when prices were down and the housing market was flooded with homes for sale, the experienced agents at Boulevard Realty worked just as diligently with buyers and sellers on pricing, marketing and negotiating.

Which scenario is more fun? It doesn’t really matter to us, just as long as we continue fulfilling our clients’ needs.

When you need more information than an internet listing can provide, expert advice and a real estate professional who’ll work for your best interests. Boulevard Realty is the firm to call.

Return clients. Referrals. Clients who remain friends long after their closings.

These are the rewards for our proven results.

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10 Hear from editor-in-chief Becky Davis.

12 Tell us what you think of Bayou City.

17 See more Street Scene photos.

18 Get a FotoFest map and preview the artists’ works.

20 Find the festivals and see Bayou City Art Festival in action.

23 See more EaDo in action and get a map of the EaDo hot spots.

25 Get the rodeo goods.

29 Tease your senses with more gardens.

31 See more hat looks.

32 Get these home tech goods.

33 Download these interesting apps.

35 Buy the organizing gear.

39 Download a chicken recipe.

41 Get a wine-buying guide from sommelier Vanessa Treviño Boyd.

YASMIN

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47 Get the pasta-making goods.

48 Find these food-trucks turned restaurants.

51 See more from Jeff Kaplan.

80 Tell us the best way to be a tourist in our town.

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2/20/14 11:25 AM

editor's letter

I

Thanks to what I learned from our story “Shady Ladies” (page 30), I can conclusively tell you that my hat in this picture is a cocktail hat, not a fascinator.

Just getting my terminology down.

Tell me what hats you’re choosing, where you’re wearing them and what trends you and the Bayou men you know are embracing this month. Send email to Becky@BayouCMag.com or connect with us on Facebook [facebook. com/bayoucitymag] or Twitter [twitter. com/bayoucitymag].

PHOTO/VIDEO SHOOT: HAIR + MAKEUP BY TRACEY KEEVER; PHOTOGRAPHY BY RANDALL MURROW; HAT + LOCATION THANKS TO CATHY RASCOE; VIDEOGRAPHY BY DNB PRODUCTIONS

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bayou city m ag a z i ne March/April/May 2014

have loved hats since I was a little girl rocking an Easter bonnet, gloves and a tiny heart-shaped purse. Today, it can feel a bit uncomfortable if you’re the only person in the room wearing a hat.

Thank heavens for Houston’s hat season, which comes each spring with grand events such as Hats Off to Mothers and Hats in the Park, where practically any topper is tolerated. (Except fruit. I’ve been advised not to wear a hat with fruit under any circumstances.

Unless, of course, it’s Halloween.)

So in “Shady Ladies” (page 30), I indulge my passion for hats. Our experts offer a few hints on hat trends and where to find the best hats in the Bayou City, allowing us all to channel our inner Duchess Kate.

Also in this issue, we introduce you to the Bayou Man (page 57). I’m betting that when you saw the “Guide to the Bayou Man” on our cover, you immediately flipped through to find out who we selected. (I know this because each time I told someone about the story during our planning process, she (or he!) would conspiratorially lean in and whisper, “Who is it?”)

I hope you aren’t too disappointed that we didn’t single out anyone you might know.

Instead, we introduce you to a few of the trends that men in the Bayou City are making their own, from embracing the luxury and leisure found in salon and spa treatments (especially a sports massage or a smooth straight-razor shave, complete with hot towel facial) to taking their passionate pursuits a step beyond, whether that means running Tough Mudders or conquering cooking school.

As I write this, I’m watching a table full of Bayou men across the restaurant from me exemplify the idea captured in “Where Whiskey and Cocktails Meet,” in that the craft beer, wine and whiskey-infused cocktails are vying for space on their table. We covered some craft beer deliciousness in the last issue and this month we share not only the Bayou Man’s cocktail trends but also a woman of wine (and her recommendations) in The Pour.

+

scan this page with Layar to see how editor-in-chief Becky Davis chose the details for her hat.

You’ll note that one of the pursuits many of our Bayou men are attacking (maybe not so metaphorically speaking) is hunting. I have to admit that I told my husband that I would happily clean and cook any skeet he brought home, but anything else needed to be presented to me as cooked steaks, sausages or duck a l’orange (a la Julia Child). However the undeniable thrill of the hunt is luring many of even the most urban of you out to the fields and forests.

In this month’s profile, we introduce you to yet another person helping Houston move forward: Jeff Kaplan (page 50). Kaplan’s businesses New Living and The Green Painter— and his enthusiastic belief that “homes can heal”—showcase his passion for sustainable living. He is a social entrepreneur, an avid fan of all things Houston, an activist and a proponent of helping people make choices that are healthy both for them and for our community.

OK, we’ll say it—he’s a Bayou Man. My thanks to reader Amanda Sorena, who responded to my request in last issue’s editor’s letter to tell us about people and organizations that exemplify “mind shift” by reinventing themselves or their communities.

Amanda told us about Wesley Community Center, which has served the working poor of Houston’s near north side for 109 years!

They currently serve more than 27,000 people a year with a range of childhood education, senior and social services. Most recently, the center launched a community garden to help add more fresh produce to their client’s diets.

I’ve actually toured Wesley and they are certainly worthy of a shout out for shifting our community forward.

I look forward to hearing more about the changes you’re making, the hats you’re wearing and the trends you’re seeing in our Bayou City.

Becky Davis Editor-in-Chief

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EDITORIAL

AT UR OWN B R E W YO

Houston Beer ‘Le

Experience it!

ague’

I would like to say thank you to Bayou City for mentioning the Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) in your recent article “Out of the

Experience it!

Box.” This was a great and fabulous surprise to read. We truly appreciate being a part of the

MIND

FOUNDER + EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Becky Davis MANAGING EDITORS Libby Ingrassia Michelle Jacoby

article and hope that if you ever have any questions about our organization you won’t hesitate

oach take a fresh appr play This New Year, work, connect and to how you live, > PAGE 62 City ou Bay the in

to contact us.

Kelly Finkenbinder (via email)

ad?

De TRÉE Is the EN or among nus gain fav Tasting me dies > PAGE 40 Bayou City foo

As I read the header “Ageless Fashion” (To the 9s—Ageless Fashion) and looked at the models,

sperer WOdocRtorDbrinWgshi literacy to life

I was terribly disappointed. You actually made

54 Local readers > PAGE for challenged

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Courtney Laine ART DIRECTION + DESIGN Switch Studio STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Mark Lipczynski

them all look older! I wouldn’t run out and purchase the USA dress. You guys didn’t do it justice.

PM 12/18/13 10:04

MiMi LaRue (via Facebook)

ups 7.indd 1

BCM-CoverMock

Thanks for the feedback. While David Peck did Greetings! I just finished reading Bayou City

not style the photoshoot, as the designer we

cover to cover and truly thought it was the most

asked him to comment.

“The point of the article was showing that

places to check out—it’s a gem!

women don’t have to look at particular pieces of

Gail Singer (via email)

clothing and worry about whether they are age appropriate. If you make it your own, you can

Just wanted to say how much I enjoy read-

wear most things that you want to wear regard-

ing your daily email. I know this town well—so I

less of your age. The article gave some tips on

thought until I started reading you. Thanks for

styling and youthful appearance, but the point of

adding layers to my life.

it—and of the photos especially—was not about

Sky Pulford (via email)

how to be uber-fashionable or even to look younger, it was about personal style. It wasn’t

I’ve been meaning to send you a note on your

about dressing up the women in the photo shoot.

really fabulous new magazine. The editorial is

These are real women, showing clothes that are

excellent, the photos are gorgeous and the over-

in their wardrobe and that they wear, making the

all format has a wonderful sophistication to it.

dress their own. Anyone would consider these

Well done!

women to be well-turned out if they met them on

Chris Silkwood (via email)

the street.”

David Peck

Just got my first issue of your magazine. Very nice. I can’t wait to try the Layar thing.

Jost Lunstroth (via email)

Stacy Barry, Holly Beretto, Jen Bootwala, Betsy Denson, Bruce Farr, Jessica Mebane, Julie Osterman

PUBLISHING & ADVERTISING FOUNDER + PUBLISHER

refreshing and interesting magazine about Houston in a long while. Learned a lot about new

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Dwight Baker, Robin Barr Sussman,

note

Bayou City magazine will return to its bi-monthly schedule in June 2014.

Mark Standridge GENERAL MANAGER Michelle Feser Rogers ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Michelle Moore

BAYOU CITY ADVISORS Greg Jones, MULTIMEDIA PUBLISHING STRATEGY Don Nicholas, DIGITAL PUBLISHING & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Jim Nissen, CREATIVE STRATEGY Terry Ribb, DIGITAL CONSUMER STRATEGY Bayou City magazine (Volume 1, Issue 3) is published bimonthly by Urban Experience Media, 1519 Oxford Street, Houston, Texas, 77008. 713-868-7023. Single issue $4.95; Annual subscription $15. Discounts available to Harris County residents.

Editorial inquiries: stories@bayoucmag.com

How to reach us: Email: stories@bayoucmag.com. You can also contact us via social media. We follow @bayoucitymag and #bayoucitymag, #bayoucitydaily, #bayoucitymagstreetscenes, #bayoucitysnapping and #bayouiq. Please include full contact information on letters and emails. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity and brevity. Submissions: Send manuscripts, photographs and ideas to the editors at stories@bayoucmag.com or to Editors at Bayou City Magazine, 1519 Oxford St., Houston, TX 77008. The publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Subscriptions: Contact info@bayoucmag.com, call 713-868-7023 or go to bayoucitynetwork.com.

Advertising inquiries: mark@bayoucmag.com Subscription inquiries: info@bayoucmag.com POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Bayou City, 1519 Oxford St., Houston, TX, 77008.

Copyright 2014 Urban Experience Media

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A Conversation with

BETTE MIDLER ONE NIGHT ONLY

TUESDAY, APRIL 29 7:00 PM

WORTHAM CENTER

+ Scan page with Layar to buy tickets

Tickets 832.487.7041 BrilliantLectures.org VIP Dinner with Ms. Midler 713.974.1335

explore the bayou city

22 FIELD NOTES Eat, shop and explore your way through EaDo.

16 HERE & NOW 18 A+E 20 GET OUT 22 FIELD NOTES 24 TOP SPOTS

24 TOP SPOTS MARK LIPCZYNSKI

The rodeo’s in town, y’all.

What kind of rodeo-goer are you?

bayoucitymagazine.com

15

explore

HERE & NOW A+E GET OUT FIELD NOTES TOP SPOTS

Chef on Top

W

hen chef Philippe Schmit left his namesake restaurant last September, Houston foodies were left wondering if the restaurant would remain open and, if so, who would fill his culinary shoes.

Fans of Philippe breathed a collective sigh of relief as chef de cuisine Manuel Pucha took over as executive chef of the two-year-old restaurant located in the heart of the Galleria area. Oh, what a difference a few months make.

Early this year, Crest Restaurant Company announced that Philippe will be renovated and renamed Table, with Chef Pucha overseeing the menu and kitchen as executive chef.

“Table will craft plates with food that’s enjoyable, tastes good and designed to inspire conversation and lively dialogue around the table,” says general manager Dallas Easterly.

Menus will highlight seasonal ingredients and offer a twist on American classics. And just right for Houston’s warm seasons are offerings of salads, vegetable flights, seafood and light pastas.

The restaurant will also offer a spacious patio where handcrafted cocktails and craft beers will be served. The restaurant’s wine menu features wines from around the world, from Germany and South Africa to the California wine country.

Table is anticipated to open in April on Post Oak Boulevard in the BLVD Place development.

For more dining news,

TEMPLE RISING Back by popular demand, Architects of Air returns to Houston this spring with “Miracoco,” a spectacular “luminarium” filled with light and color. Designed by company founder Alan Parkinson, the inflatable structure is filled with winding paths and soaring domes, and is inspired by the Lotus Temple in India.

Architects of Air has toured all over the world, from Hong Kong to Honolulu, Sydney to Singapore. Since it began in 1992, more than 2 million visitors in 40 countries have experienced its luminariums. This is the second year Architects of Air has come to Houston. The company’s “Exxopolis” was part of Discovery Green’s fifth anniversary celebration last year.

“Miracoco” will be open to the public March 15-23 at Discovery Green. Tickets are $10 per person, free for children 3 and younger.

Visit discoverygreen.com for more information.

check out “Bayou Bites” on page 39.

BEYOND THE BELTWAY

Mudbug Mayhem While Louisiana may be known for its

rides, midway games and a

crawfish, Old Town Spring is known for its

kids’ area with petting zoo. You

annual crawfish festival. Now in its 27th

can also shop to your heart’s content at

year, the Texas Crawfish & Music Festival

the town’s shops and boutiques.

Hungry for more? Find out how the

tainment and family fun right in the heart

pros pull off their own crawfish boil in our

of this historic railroad town.

“Guide to the Bayou Man” special feature

If you like a little music with your

section on page 57.

crawfish, this year’s lineup includes the

16

bayou city m ag a z i ne March/April/May 2014

Charlie Daniels Band, Kevin Fowler and

The festival will be held April 25-27

Los Lonely Boys, as well as a slew of local

and May 2-4. For information, visit

acts. The fun continues with carnival

texascrawfishfestival.com.

TABLE | ARCHITECTS OF AIR

brings together the best in food, enter-

+

scan this page with Layar to visit these hot spots and see all our Street Scenes photos.

STREET SCENES

Share your view of the Bayou City Each Saturday, our Bayou City Daily: Snapping email offers an Instagram project challenge and shares some of the previous week’s photos. One favorite shot appears here in each issue.

Thanks to @justinreb for a great bicyclists’ eye view of the city and bayous: a perfect cap on last issue’s coverage of B-cycle and biking the bayous. Look for other great #bayou-

hot list

citymagstreetscene pics and responses to

homes & gardens

our #bayoucitysnapping challenges on our Pinterest Street Scenes board.

Subscribe to Bayou City Daily emails or get social with us for upcoming challenges, then tag your photos on Instagram with #bayoucitymag streetscene or #bayoucitysnapping to be considered (or email to streetscenes@bayoucmag.com).

TREND WATCH

Creature Comforts Just as they do in the worlds of food and fashion,

areas now offer fire pits, water features, summer

home trends often dictate what today’s homeown-

kitchens and the newest evolution away from giant

ers are building, renovating or buying. The Custom

pools to smaller splash pools.”

Builders Council of the Greater Houston Builders

Getting technical New homes are built to keep

Association makes note of some of the latest trends

up with the times. Clients want to control their lights,

in the industry today:

fireplace, garage door, home temperature, security

Functionality Homeowners tend to prefer function- system and music all from their smartphones. ality over formality. “This is particularly true with great

Custom touches The home industry is trending

rooms, where dining, kitchen and living rooms all blend toward more efficiently sized houses, says Kevin [together]. “We’re also seeing kitchen islands get-

Stuckey, managing partner at Stuckey Builders,

ting bigger and designed in new shapes to seat more

but still full of custom amenities. “These smaller

people and allow for easier conversations,” says James homes offer total luxury, from appliances to highMcVaugh, president of McVaugh Custom Homes.

end details,” he says. “There are full coffee bars

Outdoor living Functional living spaces often

and wine closets, as well as unique finishes like

incorporate patios and back yards. “We’re incorporat- porcelain tiles that mirror the warmth of wood.” ing outdoor sliding pocket door systems that blend the inside with the outside,” says McVaugh. “Outside

Want more on smart homes? See “Home Smart Home” on page 32.

Bayou City Social We look for #bayoucitymagstreetscene and #bayoucitymag on social media. bayoucitymag

bayoucitymag

bayoucitymag

bayoucitymag

By tagging us, you give us permission to share your photo on our social media and website, and publish it in our magazine. We’ll give you credit wherever we share the photos.

Celebrate spring with a bevy of home and garden tours. Here are just a few don’t-miss events.

AZALEA TRAIL Hosted by the River Oaks Garden Club, the Azalea Trail showcases homes with beautiful gardens and offers advice from gardening experts.

This year’s event runs from March 7-9 and features seven homes in the River Oaks and surrounding areas. riveroaksgardenclub.org RICE DESIGN ALLIANCE ARCHITECTURE TOUR In its 38th year, Rice’s annual architecture tour will explore eight Houston residences, dating from 1885 to 1964. Held March 29-30, the tour is available to Rice Design Alliance members and their guests. ricedesignalliance.org THE ART OF COLORFUL LIVING The Houston Heights Association kicks off its annual spring home and garden tour on April 4 with the Candlelight Dinner & Auction. Six Heights-area homes will be on display April 5-6, showcasing a mix of architectural styles and inviting gardens. houstonheights.org BELLAIRE NEW HOME SHOWCASE Tour a collection of homes by builders in the Bellaire area, including Bentley Custom Homes, Covington Builders, Tommy Cashiola Construction Company, and Granit Builders. Tours are available May 10-11 and May 17-18.

Admission is $10 and proceeds benefit Evelyn’s Park Conservancy. bellairehomeshow.com

bayoucitymagazine.com

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HERE & NOW A+E GET OUT FIELD NOTES TOP SPOTS

+

scan this page with Layar for a

map of FotoFest locations and to see a preview of artists’ works.

The World Through Pictures FotoFest brings the best of global photography to the Bayou.

Left: Tammam Azzam (Syria), The Syrian, 2012. Top right: Samer Mohdad (Lebanon), Untitled, 1994. Middle right: Tarek Al Ghoussein (Palestine/Kuwait), (In) Beautification, 1333, 2011. Bottom right: Huda Lutfi, (Egypt), Cactus Walk (detail), 2013.

T

o the uninitiated, it can seem overwhelming: A month-long celebration of photography, strewn across hundreds of gallery and museum spaces all over Houston, complete with lectures and receptions. Think of it as one more reminder that yes, everything is bigger in Texas.

“Lots of people will take a day and go to as many galleries as they can,” says Vinod Hopson, the press coordinator for FotoFest, who was, at press

18

time, still updating the number of galleries participating. At last count, it was 111.

FotoFest’s backbone is its Biennial of Photography, which this spring, will showcase contemporary Arab video, photography and multimedia.

“The 47 artists we have from the Arab world are really top artists,” he explains. “Few of them are known in the U.S., so this is an excellent way to be exposed to their work and maybe break down some old

bayou city m ag a z i ne March/April/May 2014

stereotypes people may have, [including] there being a ban on photography in Islam.”

Hopson says that the works of Arab photography should feel familiar to everyone, as they are examinations of the human condition.

FotoFest also provides an opportunity to see a window on a part of the world that may be unfamiliar; some of the exhibits look at the civil war in Syria or the uprising in Egypt. Huda Lutfi of Egypt and Faisal Samra

of Saudi Arabia both offer nontraditional approaches to their work, with Lutfi’s images being highly artistic and stylized and Samra’s based on video.

While Arab photographic art is the focus of this year’s event, many other photographic works will be on display.

“Discoveries of the Meeting Place,” for instance, will showcase works chosen by reviewers and curators from the FotoFest 2012 portfolio review. The 10 artists selected for this year’s FotoFest come from all over the country and the world, including France, Sweden, Brazil, Spain and Japan.

There’s also a 16-day portfolio review March 15 to April 2, and the International Fine Art Print Auction on March 24 featuring some of the world’s finest contemporary photographic art. Denise Bethel, senior vice president of photography from Sotheby’s New York will lead the auction, while Houston photographic arts collectors Jim and Sherry Kempner will be honored.

Fotofest runs from March 15 to April 27, and Hopson says many of the exhibitions are free.

“You’ll find photo exhibits in small studio spaces, galleries, even coffee shops,” he says. “Anywhere there’s a wall, actually.”

FotoFest 713-223-5522 fotofest.org

COURTESY OF THE ARTISTS

BY HOLLY BERETTO

BRING THESE PAGES TO LIFE WITH AUGMENTED REALITY. WHEN YOU DOWNLOAD ONE FREE APP, THE BAYOU CITY COMES TO LIFE ON YOUR MOBILE DEVICE. HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO INTERACT WITH BAYOU CITY MAGAZINE:

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Spring is in the Air

Kids will be in for a treat at the Houston Children’s Festival, March 29-30.

Citywide festivals are a sure cure for spring fever in H-Town.

BY STACY BARRY

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bayou city m ag a z i ne March/April/May 2014

FOR FUN-LOVING FAMILIES: HOUSTON CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL

The 26th annual Houston Children’s Festival, the largest children’s festival in the United States, takes place March 29-30 downtown near City Hall, Tranquility Park, Sam Houston Park and the downtown Houston Public Library Plaza.

Benefitting the Houston chapter of Child Advocates, a nonprofit group dedicated to ending the cycle of child abuse through court appointed advocates, the festival is expected to attract more than 50,000 people for a weekend full of music and entertainment, as well as over 300 exciting activities, music, crafts, exhibits, games, sports and rides.

Admission is $10, with children 3 and younger admitted free.

For special offers and food, beverage and game coupons, visit houstonchildrensfestival.com.

MAURO GOMEZ

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hile the spring season may mark the beginning of spring cleaning, spring training and spring break, in Houston spring is the time for festivals. No matter your interest, there’s a festival (or two) to suit it.

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FOR OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS: 41ST ANNUAL BUFFALO BAYOU REGATTA

On March 15, Texas’ largest canoe and kayak race—and one of the five largest in the nation—winds its way down 15 miles of the Buffalo Bayou toward a scenic finish at Sesquicentennial Park. Last spring’s race welcomed more than 900 boaters in over 500 colorful vessels, while hundreds of spectators cheered from the banks before enjoying free finish-line activities and music. This is a perfect event for outdoor and water enthusiasts alike. buffalobayou.org/regattabayou.html FOR ART AFICIONADOS: BAYOU CITY ART FESTIVAL

The spring edition of the Bayou City Art Festival, set for March 28-30 in Memorial Park, is a fundraising effort featuring more than 300 pieces of juried fine art representing 19 different mediums. The weekend is designed not only to showcase original works, but to demonstrate the fun of art and artistic expression through a variety of hands-on, interactive events for children and families, with all proceeds benefitting community arts programs.

Cost is $15 for adults and $3 for children ages 3 to 12. There is no public parking at Memorial Park, but you can park and ride free from Northwest Mall.

For information on featured artists, scheduling, shuttles and tickets, visit bayoucityartfestival.com.

FOR CULTURE SEEKERS: JAPAN FESTIVAL OF HOUSTON

BAYOU CITY ART FESTIVAL

This popular cultural festival, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2013, gives locals and visitors a chance to totally immerse themselves in Japanese culture.

The event features vibrant performances by taiko drummers and other artists, as well as martial arts demonstrations, At the Bayou City Art Festival, guests will see artists’ works such as this blown glass vase by Andrew Shea.

scan this page with Layar to find these festivals and to see the Bayou City Art Festival in action.

children’s activities, anime, and examples of Japanese flower arrangements and bonsai trees. While wandering the festival grounds at Hermann Park, visitors can also sample authentic Japanese cuisine and tea ceremonies. Admission is free to the two-day event scheduled for April 12-13. japan-fest.info FOR FILM BUFFS: WORLDFEST: HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Armchair movie critics and bonafide film buffs should head to the cinema for 10 great days in April (April 4-13) as WorldFest Houston premieres almost 150 new international films, shorts and features, most personally introduced by their directors.

Screenings take place at the AMC Studio 30 at 2949 Dunvale, and are followed by Q&A sessions with the moviemakers. In addition, the festival offers six master classes on filmmaking, as well as the opportunity to mix and mingle at several galas and ceremonies.

Past attendees include John Lee Hancock (“Saving Mr. Banks,” “The Blind Side”), Ang Lee (“Life of Pi,” “Brokeback Mountain”) and other movie industry notables. For tickets to all events and other information, visit worldfest.org.

FOR DOWN UNDER DREAMERS: HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL PRESENTS AUSTRALIA

For two weekends each spring, this multicultural outdoor arts festival turns 16 city blocks of Houston parks, plazas and streets into a veritable world bazaar, showcasing a spectacular selection of art, music, food and crafts from around the globe. This year’s rain-or-shine event, scheduled for April 26 to May 4, spotlights Australia, with all things from the Land Down Under taking center stage.

Tickets and other information are available at ifest.org.

if you go fuss-free festivals With so many amazing festivals to attend in the Bayou City this spring, it may be challenging to squeeze in all the fun. Once you arrive, another challenge awaits: trying to make it to every portion of the activity-filled event.

Lynn Alexander, with the Houston’s Children’s Festival, shares a few tips to help you maximize your experience.

WEB SAVVY “Make the event website your new best friend,” she says. Looking over this valuable resource will ensure you are in the know about important details before you arrive at the festival, including special offers on advance tickets, parking and directions (as well as street closures) and whether or not the event allows bags, outside food and drink, pets and strollers.

MONEY MATTERS Alexander also points out that while many events offer tickets at the gate, they may use a coupon system once inside to purchase food and beverages and to pay for games and rides. Credit card acceptance and ATM availability varies, so check before you head out in case it’s cash only.

CHILD SAFETY Since most of these events are outside, make sure you plan accordingly by packing sunscreen, hats and bug spray, and label everything from camera bags to children.

Alexander says most events geared toward kids “have a program to tag children at festival entrances. However, it’s always a good idea for parents to ‘tag’ their own kiddos with a note in their pocket (or pinned to them) just in case they get separated. This information should only contain the parent or guardian’s first name and cell number.”

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EaDo

SHOP

Urban revival is alive and well in the east end of Houston’s downtown.

don’t, we’ll find it.” Their offerings, like doll parts and

Crafty people, get yourselves to the Texas Art Asylum (1719 Live Oak St.) where cofounder Ramona Brady says they carry “every damn thing…and if we rusty hardware, are 100 percent donated by individuals and businesses.

BY BETSY DENSON

For more than 55 years, Frankel’s Costumes Co. (2801 Polk St.) has been keeping Houston in char-

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acter, whether it’s a fifth-grade pilgrim or a 1920s flapper. Occupying a city block, Frankel’s stays busy year-round, but Halloween through Christmas is its Super Bowl.

At Art Hous (811 St. Emanuel St.) you can see the interiors of your dream home and then acquire some of the items to make it a reality.

This wholesaler features everything from kitchen and bath products to architectural elements in its 2,500-square-foot showroom.

Fine Gifts-Home Accessories (910 St. Emanuel St.) is the straightforward name of the shop owned

by Annie Dang, whose family restaurant is next door.

Need a tea set? You might not think so until you see what Dang imports from Vietnam. A more eclectic gift shop is Wah Nam Gifts (2000 Walker St.), where you can pick up a jade statue or a rotary phone.

And don’t neglect your furry friend. At The Green Bone Boutique (2104 Leeland St.), you can get Spot some natural and organic treats, and even order him a birthday cake if you’re so inclined.

MARK LIPCZYNSKI

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hat began as a marketing exercise in 2005 to brand the area east of downtown Houston with a name that would herald its arrival has caught on—much like the place itself.

“For every person who doesn’t like the name EaDo, 10 people do,” says Anton Sinkewich, executive director of the East Downtown Management District.

A triangle demarcated by U.S. Highway 59, Interstate 45 and the HB&T rail line, EaDo is a stone’s throw from the George R. Brown Convention Center and Discovery Green. It used to be heavily industrial, but is increasingly becoming more residential and entertainment oriented. The former home of Houston’s Chinatown before many Asians moved their businesses to the southwest, EaDo still reflects this heritage.

About 3,000 people live here, many of whom are young professionals and empty nesters according to Sinkewich, who also cites the multigenerational appeal and walkability of the area as big draws. There are nearly 100 new housing units under construction with more on the way.

“It’s an interesting neighborhood,” says Sinkewich. “A game changer for the area will be the Metro Light Rail extension in 2014.”

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scan this page to get a map of these spots and to see more of EaDo.

DINE

DO

SEE

The Asian influence in EaDo is alive and well at

The biggest do in EaDo has got to be the

While its true glory is a few years off, take a look

Café Th (2108 Pease St.). Whether it’s the Cà

Houston Dynamo (2200 Texas Ave.), which has

at the Houston International Promenade, a six-

Phê Sűa Đá/Nóng (chicory coffee with con-

played its matches in the geometrically awe-

block capital improvement project that brought

densed milk served hot or cold) or the Bánh mì

some BBVA Compass Stadium since 2012. The

the EaDo community together to plant hundreds

thit (baguette with grilled meat), you can’t go

Houston Dash, a women’s professional soccer

of trees. Eventually, the area will be a nice coun-

wrong. Another Vietnamese standout is Huynh

team, will make its debut there, as well, in 2014.

terpart to Discovery Green.

Restaurant (912 St Emanuel St.), which does big

For a unique perspective on the area, bring

The Sun Young Taoist Temple, formerly the

business for lunch, but also offers dinner and is

your bike to Columbia Tap Rail-Trail, which

Tien Hou Temple (1507 Delano St.), doesn’t draw

BYOB. Try the Phoenix chicken or duck salad. The

begins at Walker near the BBVA Compass

the crowds that it once did but is still a place of

beef or chicken pho should also be on your radar.

Stadium and goes through the Third Ward before

beauty and peace. During festivals and holidays,

At Long Sing Supermarket (2017 Walker St.),

it connects with Brays Bayou trail. Not tired yet?

the traffic does pick up a bit.

they’re serving up Chinese barbecue to the

Check out EaDo Crossfit (2955 Gulf Fwy.), which

You might not need a trial lawyer, but don’t

masses from an unassuming storefront. Anna

bills itself as the “biggest CrossFit box in Texas.”

let that stop you from driving by the law offices

Woo, daughter of the 30-year owners, says that

With more than 25,000 square feet of space,

of Tim Hootman (2402 Pease St.) because

online reviews have brought in a new generation

it’s certainly big enough to host a multitude of

they’re located in a boxcar, a Pullman car and a

of customers. For a delicious change of pace, hit

classes. See for yourself at the free intro class

caboose. There’s also some far-out yard art. At

the Cajun Stop (2130 Jefferson St.), where the

on Mondays.

Aerosol Warfare (2110 Jefferson St.) you’ll find

po-boys make a claim for supremacy in Houston

On another planet altogether is Super Happy

art exhibitions and gallery tours by appoint-

(it’s the bread, but don’t ask owner and former

Fun Land (3801 Polk St.). In this case, the fun

ment. Co-founder Mario Enrique Figueroa, Jr. (aka

Louisiana resident Lisa Carnley for her secret

is experimental electronic music, underground

GONZO247) is a well-known graffiti artist who

because she’s not telling).

jazz and outsider art. Feeling experimental your-

heads up this unique collective.

Chow down at Sparkle’s Hamburger Spot

self? Try Odd Thursday’s Poetry Open Mic Night.

While technically something offering some-

(1515 Dowling St.) and bring a big appetite

Bigger-name acts like Public Enemy and Tegan

thing to see and do (as well as drink), the 8th

because the burgers could never be called small.

and Sara take the stage at Warehouse Live (813

Wonder Brewery (2202 Dallas St.) offers weekend

Little Woodrows (2019 Walker St.) Lucky’s Pub

St. Emanuel St.), which in a former life was—you

tours and some great craft brews. Likewise, the

(801 St. Emanuel St.), and Mojeauxs Lousiana

guessed it—a warehouse. The intimate vibe and

Houston Food Park (1504 St. Emmanuel St.) has

Drinkery (2024 Rusk St.) are especially lively on

excellent acoustics of both Warehouse stages

yummy food, sure, but there are also some incredi-

Dynamo game days when everybody looks good

are pluses. They feature a lot of indie bands and

ble wall murals generated by 40 different artists. Like

in orange after a few beers.

up-and-comers, too.

them or not, you’re certainly going to notice them.

bayoucitymagazine.com

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Reasons to Rodeo With the rodeo in full swing, it’s time to ask the question: Why do you rodeo?

BY STACY BARRY

A

round these parts, the month of March means one thing: Rodeo time!

The 2014 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) runs March 4-23 and is expected to draw more than 2 million visitors to Reliant Park during its three-week run. Whether you’re a rodeo regular or a onceevery-few-years attendee, this annual tradition provides hours of family fun, spirited competition and a glimpse into Texas’ western heritage. There are almost as many reasons to go to the rodeo as there are people who go.

FOR THE BIG GIGS Many people who wouldn’t ordinarily find themselves within a country mile of a rodeo arena change their tune in order to see an act from the HLSR’s concert lineup, a who’s who list of performers from the top of the nation’s music charts.

“Our entertainer selection has always reflected what’s popular, not just who the current country

FOR THE MAIN EVENT

singers might be,” says Joel Cowley, HLSR presi-

The main (or perhaps “mane”) attraction

dent and CEO. Case in point: this year’s lineup,

of the rodeo is, well, the rodeo. What has

which runs the gamut from Brad Paisley and

evolved from an end-of-cattle-drive

Reba McIntire to Usher and Maroon 5.

cowboy playtime to a world-wide spectator sport with superstar athletes and big-money prizes, the HLSR is the world’s largest rodeo. See top cowboys and cowgirls compete in events such as roping, bull riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling and more, in a super series tournament-style bracket even rodeo newbies will get.

FOR FAMILY FUN There is so much for kids—or the kid in you—to do at the HLSR that it’s hard to know where to start.

The carnival offers La Grande Wheel, the Western Hemisphere’s largest portable Ferris wheel, as foot gondola Sky Ride across Reliant Park allows you to survey the range of activities, from rides, midway games and all the best carnival foods from nearly 60 feet up.

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HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO

well as other attractions for all ages. The 1,700-

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scan this page to get the rodeo goods.

the goods western wearables Rodeo bound? Here’s how to look the part.

FOR THE WESTERN WARES During the rodeo, Reliant Center is transformed into a gigantic western shopping mall where shoppers can load up on all kinds of rodeoready items, such as western clothing, jewelry and home decor, as well as larger items like horse trailers and agricultural equipment. In addition, more western goods and official HLSR and entertainer merchandise can be purchased throughout Reliant Park.

1. BOOTS Since boots reflect individuality and personality, heel height, toe shape, colors, inlays and materials are all considerations when selecting the perfect boot for you. And with so much time on your feet at the rodeo, pay attention to size and width when selecting footwear, such as this stylish number from Pinto Ranch. Pinto Ranch, 1717 Post Oak Blvd. 713-333-7900, pintoranch.com 2. BELTS AND BUCKLES Most Texas-size belt buckles are reserved for rodeo cowboys displaying their winnings ’round their waist. But that doesn’t mean regular cowboys can’t stylishly keep their pants off the ground. Belt choices range from intricately tooled designs to basic leather, but all can be embellished with a commemorative Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo buckle, an annual tradition started in 1980. $150. store.hlsr.com

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3. HATS Not everyone wears a western topper, but if cowboy hats are your thing, most suggest a felt hat—like the Milano Legend 5X hat–for for the winter months and straw for summer.

For the perfect fit, measure around the head with a tape above the brow ridges and convert the inches to your hat size. $195. Pinto Ranch, pintoranch.com.

FOR THE CHOW Dining at the HLSR is anything but ordinary. Sure, you can get authentic Texas barbecue and Tex Mex, as well as carnival staples like funnel cake, turkey legs and any number of deep-fried goodies. But many rodeo victuals are on the advenHOUSTON LIFESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO

turous edge of creative cuisine, such as cricket and alligator pizza, and chocolate-dipped bacon slices, just to name a few.

For a complete listing of events and activities to help plan your rodeo

4. BLING Jewelry adds fashion and flair to any ensemble, and nothing adds western style better than turquoise. When combined with metals, leather or other stones, turquoise jewelry is both trendy and timeless, like this Southwest-style cross necklace with green and turquoise chip stone by Montana Silversmiths. $74. cavenders.com

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5. COLLECTIBLES Once you’re at the rodeo, you may want something to remember your experience by.

Collectible charms and/or pins are just the thing.

The tradition of collector’s pins was unveiled for the rodeo’s 50th anniversary in 1982, and these pins now adorn hats and jackets throughout the year. Start or add to your collection with these 2014 designs. $10 each. store.hlsr.com

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adventure, visit rodeohouston.com. bayoucitymagazine.com

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Every princess deserves her crown.

embody t h e bayo u l if est y l e

28 DOWN HOME Delight the senses with a new spring garden.

28 DOWN HOME 30 TO THE 9S BAYOU BEND/DON GLENTZER

32 TECH

SAVVY

Be more in control of your home with the latest apps and gadgets.

32 TECH SAVVY 34 IN FIVE

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embody

DOWN HOME TO THE 9s TECH SAVVY IN FIVE

Sensory Gardens Create a backyard haven that speaks to all your senses.

BY JULIE OSTERMAN

W

hether your goal is simply creating something pretty or more functional like growing your own produce, it’s easy to create an outdoor haven that satisfies your sensory needs, from sight and sound to taste, smell and touch.

A sensory garden is designed for your personal tastes, but not all of us are blessed with a vision of what a backyard retreat can be. So here we’ll focus on the gardens you can design, based on your favorite sensory delights. Feel free to go wild in your own garden and incorporate more than one, or if you’re truly inspired, try them all.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so it’s important to take an active role in designing your garden, whether you do it yourself or hire someone to help.

“There’s no such thing as too many flowers,” says David Morello, owner of David Morello Garden Enterprises, who advises adding hot season annuals to your garden in April or May. “I pick complementary colors, and put as many together as possible.”

Certain varieties attract butterflies and bees, adding to the visual appeal, like butterfly pentas, lantana and salvia, which Morello plants in his own garden. Lure monarch butterflies with a trellis of Mexican flame vine, or hummingbirds with red flowering plants like azaleas or petunias.

Morello says there are no big secrets in caring for your garden. “Every plant has needs, and so your job as the caretaker… is to understand what these plants require and then give them lots of it,” he says.

Tip: Good soil and light conditions are critical for happy plants. “If you’ve got full sun, you can rejoice,” Morello says, “because you can have a very colorful flower garden.”

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LEYENDECKER LANDSCAPE/DEBORA SMAIL W

SIGHT: FLOWERS, BUTTERFLIES AND BEES, OH MY!

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scan this page with Layar to tease your senses with more gardens.

explore TASTE: FROM YOUR GARDEN TO YOUR TABLE

Growing edibles at home offers many benefits—most importantly, healthy and convenient food for your family.

Portia Leyendecker, of Leyendecker Landscape, encourages all her clients to plant “things that give back to you,” and to get their neighbors involved, too, for a fun community effort. She recommends a nontill method for planting, with bales of organic pine needles as a border, and composting to enrich the soil.

“If the soil’s in good shape, that not only helps retain moisture, but also encourages macrobiotic life,” she explains.

Now’s the time for planting Brussels sprouts, beets, okra, tomatoes, greens, herbs, watermelon, blackberries and more. Edible flowers like nasturtiums, calendulas and dianthus can add color and flavor to salads, or act as a delicate garnish for your meal.

Tip: If pests appear on your produce, Leyendecker suggests spraying a mixture of dish soap, water and red peppers. “Boy, that’ll teach them,” she assures.

SOUND: FOUNTAINS DOUBLE AS BIRDBATHS

LEYENDECKER LANDSCAPE/DEBORA SMAIL | BAYOU BEND/RICK GARDNER

From bubbling fountains to gushing waterfalls, incorporating a water feature in your garden provides soothing sounds for your garden getaway. The added bonus: Birds and other wildlife will flock to your fountain, adding sounds of Mother Nature to the mix. “[My fountain] is the most popular watering hole in the Heights,” Morello says, as a blue jay bathes vigorously in his back yard.

“It’s usually standing room only out there.”

To attract mockingbirds, which he calls the “most beautiful songsters,” he suggests planting beautyberry shrubs.

Tip: Another way to enhance the aural experience is to pipe house music into the garden, Morello adds. Be sure to include comfortable seating for optimal enjoyment.

no green thumb required Don’t have the time or talent to do it yourself? Visit these public gardens offering sensory experiences for all to enjoy.

BAYOU BEND COLLECTION AND GARDENS

SMELL: FRAGRANT FLOWERS AND AROMATIC HERBS

Roses are an obvious choice for irresistible inhaling. Morello sticks with old antique varieties because they’re incredibly fragrant and carefree, he says. Sweet almond verbena and angel trumpets also fill a room, but his favorite fragrance emanates from the sweet olive hedge along his house.

“It’s not particularly a beautiful shrub, but the scent can fill a garden space,” he says.

Leyendecker adds butterfly ginger lilies to the list, and their culinary cousin, the herb ginger, works double-time in the sensory garden, offering fragrance and flavor. Rosemary, sage, basil, mint and oregano also grow well in the Bayou City.

Leyendecker recommends Mexican mint marigold as a substitute for tarragon, since the latter languishes in the humid South.

Tip: Short on space? Many herbs will thrive in containers on your porch or windowsill.

TOUCH: DON’T BE AFRAID TO GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY

Planting and caring for your garden offers a hands-on experience that’s calming and nurturing.

“Getting your hands in the soil, you’re experiencing life, and it’s been known to extend life,” Leyendecker says. “When you’re stressed, get out there in your own yard, pour yourself a glass of wine and harvest or plant a tomato, peppers, eggplant or arugula.”

It’s a feast for the senses.

A favorite stop on the Azalea Trail, Bayou Bend boasts 14 acres of finely manicured gardens—truly a sight for sore eyes. The gorgeous and fragrant grounds feature the former home of Houston civic leader Ima Hogg.

6003 Memorial Drive. mfah.org COCKRELL BUTTERFLY CENTER Step into this tropical rain forest at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and you’ll be greeted by a cascading 50-foot waterfall. Discover visual delights around every corner, including exotic plants and hundreds of butterflies. 5555 Hermann Park Drive.

713-639-4629, hmns.org JAPANESE GARDEN

In Hermann Park, the Japanese Garden is perfect for a sensory stroll past beautiful flowers, manicured shrubs, a teahouse and koi pond complete with quaint bridges and a gentle waterfall.

It’s free on two levels: no admission fee and an escape from the daily grind. 6000 Fannin St. 713-284-8300, jashouston.com FROBERG’S FARM Pick your own strawberries from March to May at this working farm about 45 minutes south of downtown.

Also enjoy fresh-picked produce like broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts.

Visit on a weekday to avoid the crowds.

3106 W. Highway 6, Alvin. 281-585-3531, frobergsfarm.com

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DOWN HOME TO THE 9s TECH SAVVY IN FIVE

Shady Ladies Put your best face forward at this season’s social events with a stylish spring hat.

BY JESSICA MEBANE

I

n the last 40 years or so, women’s hat fashion was largely relegated to outdated shapes in watery pastel shades. But thanks to the hat rebirth from hipsters far and wide, as well as the wonderful millinery confections sported by the commonercum-duchess Kate, we’re full to the brim with hat fancy once again.

So let’s tip our caps to the resurgence of retro glamour and see if we can come up with a few ideas to get your head covered in style this spring. Here are some great hat tricks and tips, including which hat shapes will be causing a stir and how to buy one without getting yourself all bent out of shape.

TIPS FROM THE BRITS

We tend not to get too particular about which shape suits which face, but are more led by the occasion.

Gracie Cavnar and Jana Arnoldy show off their chapeau style at last year’s Hats in the Park luncheon.

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COURTESY OF HATS IN THE PARK

English designer Gina Foster of Gina Foster Millinery recognizes that although “the UK is traditionally thought of as the home of millinery,” in terms of design and customer base, “there’s been a rise in U.S. and European visitors looking for that one-of- a-kind piece that no one back home would have.”

When Pippa Middleton sported a Gina Foster raspberry fascinator to a wedding in Scotland in May 2012, many of us stateside made an attempt to jump on the bandwagon with small bits of feather and

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lace artfully attached at a rakish angle to our heads. But Foster wants us to pump the breaks on that fluffy fashion phenomenon for the moment and return to some more traditional shapes, but with a fresh perspective.

“The styles at the moment seem to be much more playful and sculptural, a real statement,” she says. And in terms of new spring and summer styles, Foster is feeling flowery, not fascinated.

“We still see the pillbox as one of our most popular styles, whether the Jackie O-style, which sits on the back of the head, or the more sculptural ones at the front of the head,” she says. “Our spring and summer collections see inspiration coming from the Chelsea Flower Show, so we’ve incorporated lots of flowers and color, which we are really excited about.”

HATS OFF TO HOUSTON

RANDALL MURROW

In Houston, local events such as the Hats Off to Mothers Luncheon, Hats in the Park, and the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Hatter Derby encourage—almost dare— the ladies-who-lunch set to out-top each other when it comes to the latest hat styles.

Of course, Bayou City beauties are wearing hats for more than just those few events, according to Fady Armanious, creative director at Tootsies.

“Women in Houston wear hats to events, but also for vacationing, cruises, protection and style during the summer,” Armanious says. “Women use all kinds of UV protection, but a hat helps protect against aging while giving a complete look.”

To get that complete look, Armanious recommends more elegant, bigger hats for women this spring Milliner Cathy Rascoe models one of her creations, the Meryl Streep.

scan this page with Layar to see more fun hat looks.

and summer. He also sees either a lot of color—from pinks to jewel tones—or a more neutral look, with creams, off-whites and sands.

“If a dress is a floral print or bright color, sometimes the best way to complement it is with a nude hat to be elegant,” he says.

“You can either match or coordinate. The hat can be a pop of color, or a tonal look is also chic.”

Cathy Rascoe is a Houston-area milliner who creates both custom and ready-towear hats and hair accessories for weddings and other social events. Her hats are designed to be classic and elegant—hats you will still love for decades to come. She sees cocktail hats as the style for spring.

This season’s hats don’t have to be small, however. Rascoe’s hats are “both large and small, but the most important element for most people is that their faces can be seen,” she says. Hat styles Rascoe makes for her clients range from cocktail hats with smaller brims, intended to sit at a jaunty angle, to hats for Kentucky Derby parties and other events that are “intended to be big and over-the-top eyecatching pieces.”

When asked about fascinators, Armanious says to consider why one is looking for a hat. “It’s a whimsical style versus protection,” he says. “Think of a fascinator more as an accessory—like putting on a brooch or bracelet—rather than a full hat, which is more part of the entire outfit.”

Rascoe also cautions, “The word fascinator has been abused. A fascinator refers to a very small piece, usually with feathers on a comb or barrette. Some people mistake a cocktail hat for a fascinator because it can be small. A cocktail hat is a piece that has been blocked, sometimes with a brim and sometimes not.”

The Vanessa Redgrave is a cocktail hat from Cathy Rascoe.

BUY A HAT, DON’T LOSE YOUR MIND

There are a lot of choices that go into any serious fashion purchase. With hats the variety of styles, sizes and shapes can be overwhelming. Keep in mind, however, this advice from Gina Foster, “We tend not to get too particular about which shape suits which face, but are more led by the occasion, as well as the character of the customer and what they are wearing. The most important thing is that the customer feel comfortable in the hat and that they feel like themselves rather than feeling like they are in fancy dress. “ Another thing to consider is materials.

According to Foster, the fashion world and, consequently, most retailers, are full of mass-produced hats. And although the price is often appealing, the finished product is completely different from those made by individual milliners.

Leave your Minnie Pearl inclinations behind and avoid anything that seems trimmed in fake flowers or designed with cheap, thin felt that would begin to wilt or disintegrate in Houston’s frequently inclement weather.

In Houston buying a hat might entail having one custom made by a milliner like Rascoe (cathyrascoe.com) or the slightly edgier Violet Peacock (violetpeacock.com).

If you want a ready-made high-quality hat, Tootsie’s carries a selection of hats during the spring “high hat season,” while J. Reneé Shoes and More in Meyerland Plaza or Lily’s Boutique on Fondren have options throughout the year. bayoucitymagazine.com

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embody

DOWN HOME TO THE 9s TECH SAVVY IN FIVE

Home Smart Home Connect house and home in ways that not only improve, but may even save, lives.

BY JESSICA MEBANE

W

e’ve become a society so dependent on the helpful hand of technology that we can’t imagine communicating, shopping or traveling without it.

But what about that large investment you call your humble home? Can you really make that inanimate mass of bricks, sheetrock and lumber behave in perfect synergy with the rest of your wireless devices? Interestingly, yes.

Here are a few home tech advances that don’t require a renovation, will ease your peace of mind and maybe improve your personal bottom line, too.

ENERGY SAVER

HOME ALERT

You’ve turned into the household nag, reminding everyone else to turn off those lights and TVs and

In 2011, two media lab students at MIT got

computers, to no avail. What if there was a gadget that could show just how much energy is con-

together with the help of a wildly success-

sumed by household electronics and break down a cost analysis of usage?

ful Kickstarter campaign to create a device

Enter the UFO Power Center. Designed by Palo Alto-based Visible Energy, the power strip device

that would ultimately watch your house

measures how many watts each unit is using and sends the information to your smartphone to help

better than the most hyperactive poodle ever

you better identify the real culprits of energy inefficiency.

dreamed possible.

The device also has an LED status light feature that changes color from green to yellow to red,

Fast forward three years and say hello to

indicating the total power used at any given moment. You can also turn off these UFO-connected

Twine, a smart gadget that, in a nutshell, will

electronics remotely using your iPhone or iPad. This won’t quantify the energy usage of your whole

alert you to home issues and repairs.

house, but it can definitely identify “hot spots” like an office or family room where electricity and your money could be going to waste. $130. energyufo.com

Manufactured by Austin-based Supermechanical, Twine responds to basic “home rules” that the average homeowner can quickly set up without a degree in computer science. For example, place the gadget atop your washing machine and set up a sensor program to detect vibrations. If the washing machine stops, you’ll receive a text message to start another load of laundry.

In the case of more important issues such as safety and functionality, Twine can text, tweet or SMS the homeowner if the front door has been opened, or if the pipes are in danger of springing a leak from freezing temperatures.

Twine is available with multiple sensors and $189. supermechanical.com

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bayou city m ag a z i n e March/April/May 2014

?

works through your wireless home network.

+ WORKING TOGETHER

scan these pages with Layar to get the home tech and to download these apps.

So your house is now a fully functioning smart home, wired for sound, safety, lights, locks and temperature. But how do you make the parts work together as a whole?

Designed to make all of your gadgets play nice, the Revolv Smart Home Solution can, for instance, activate your sound system, electronic locks and lighting system simultaneously when you return home from work or vacation.

Manually set up or schedule or use the app’s GPS capabilities so that your home greets you with sound, lights and action! OK, maybe not action, but it definitely eliminates the spooky element of entering your house after dark.

Revolv is currently only compatible with the iPhone and iPad, but the company says it has plans to offer Android and Windows Phone compatibility. $299. revolv.com

download app-etite Check out a few of our favorite apps this month WUNDERLIST If creating a spring cleaning to-do list is on your to-do list, this cool productivity app will help you manage it all. Keep notes, set reminders and due dates, and even share lists with your to-do crew.

WEATHER LIVE Whether it’s cloudy, rainy, snowy or stormy, this visuallystunning app by Apalon will bring you’re the most current weather conditions not only in your town, but also for destinations all over the world.

NEST For home climate control when you’re not home, connect to your Nest thermostat from your phone or tablet. Adjust the temperature from anywhere, anytime. You can also receive notifications on carbon monoxide readings.

COMFY CLIMATE Homeowners everywhere hear the words “programmable thermostat” and remain warily skeptical.

After all, how many of us have mashed every button on the so-called programmable thermostat only to discover that the heater is now kicking on in the middle of an August afternoon?

Puzzle no more over those infernal “away” and “vacation” buttons that have about as much functionality as a Star Trek set piece, and turn instead to the reassuringly named Nest Learning Thermostat. Simply install the thermostat and connect it to your home Wi-Fi network. Then, from your smartphone, tablet or laptop, you can change the temperature, view and adjust daily schedules or settings, and get an accurate report of exactly how much energy your house is using.

Nest, which was purchased by Google earlier this year, has an activity sensor that turns off your heater or A/C if no motion has been detected within 90 minutes. It also advises you of your energy usage, with a green leaf that appears when you’ve set the thermostat to an energy-saving temperature. $249. nest.com

REVOLV Part of the Revolv Smart Home Automation Solution, this app lets you do everything from turn lights on (or off), set your home security system, lock doors and control your home entertainment system.

ISCAPE Be your own landscape designer with this virtual design app that allows you to create a realistic rendering of your outdoor spaces.

Choose ground cover like grass and stone, and place trees and plants, and create your outdoor oasis.

You can find these apps in the iTunes and/or Google Play app stores.

?

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embody

DOWN HOME TO THE 9s TECH SAVVY IN FIVE

Manage Your Milestones What to do when life moments call for the need to reorganize and renew.

BY BETSY DENSON

TYING THE KNOT

Hilliard says that merging households is more than merging possessions.

“It’s two different personalities, two different styles and two different ways of keeping house,” she says.

If one person is already living in the space that two will share, Hilliard advises couples to purge unneeded items (wagon wheel coffee table, anyone?) to make room for their beloved’s things, as well as any wedding gifts. She says it’s also important to identify each individual’s strengths.

“One person might enjoy doing laundry while the other wants the kitchen to be their domain,” says Hilliard. “It eases tension to talk about it beforehand.”

BUNDLE OF JOY

According to Hilliard, this is one of the milestones for which people are most 34

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prepared, in part because they’re primed to be by society—and a million baby books— but also because they’re excited. Parentsto-be should identify the baby’s space and make it obvious, whether by removing items or shifting things around. While those in urban settings with less square footage may not have a specific room set aside, Hilliard says it’s OK to have dualpurpose spaces.

“You just need to have a place for the baby to sleep, to change him or her, and to store items.”

ON THE JOB…HUNT

In the transition of leaving a job, and the possible blues that could accompany, clutter may seem to multiply.

“Your home can become a negative environment,” says Hilliard.

Clients might need to take a look at their closet, getting rid of clothes they don’t feel good about. Organizing any problem areas in your home has the added benefit of uncluttering your mind so you’re ready for the next big adventure.

Hilliard also recommends that clients set up a calendar if they don’t have one and establish a new routine, with built-in time for their new gig, which is getting a new gig.

SEPARATE WAYS

With divorce, emotions run the gamut and depression can set in. If you don’t feel like getting out of bed, you don’t feel like dealing with your house either.

“It’s important to identify what memories are worth holding onto and then move forward,” says Hilliard.

Divorce can also generate a lot of paperwork. Once the matter is settled, file it, store it and “get it out of your prime real estate.”

Although not an interior designer, she advises clients on their use of space. If entertaining is a personal goal, reclaim your space and shake off the dust—literally and figuratively.

EMPTY NESTING

Whether Junior left at 18 or 28, odds are he left a lot of his stuff behind. According to Hilliard, parents must confront “the bedroom frozen in time” along with decisions about what to donate and what to store.

Whether you want to reclaim the space for a proper guest room or a study, it’s a safe bet you don’t want to be looking at debate trophies from 2006. Or maybe you do.

“It’s not what you keep,” says Hilliard.

“It’s how you keep it.” She favors clear boxes with clear lids behind closed doors. And if Junior is still in residence, make him a part of the process before he flies the coop.

SPINDLETOP DESIGN

S

pring cleaning isn’t the only time to organize for a fresh start. Trish Hilliard, owner of Simplicity Please and member of the National Association of Professional Organizers, says that significant times in a person’s life can also trigger the cleaning bug. Here are five instances when clearing the clutter and making a fresh start should be at the top of your to-do list.

+

scan these pages with Layar to get the gear.

get the gear ORGANIZE IN STYLE Who says home organization products have to be just clear plastic bins and cardboard boxes? Keep everything in place with a few products that bring together the best in form and function.

UNDER COVER By all outward appearances, the Safavieh Amelia tufted storage ottoman is the perfect place to sit a spell.

But lift the padded top and you’ll discover hidden storage space that will keep your living area looking neat as a pin. $169.99. Bed Bath & Beyond. bedbathandbeyond.com Fe at ur i ng a m a n da He a rst W e a r i ng t He COL L i ne , pHOtOgr apHe d at t He He a rst C ast L e

ROLL WITH IT

“Voted best optometrist by Houston press 2012 & 2013”

Handmade with natural, sustainable and durable abaca, Pottery Barn’s Havana wheeled recycling bin lets you easily collect and store bottles, cans OP-RS14-WRK165.indd and paper goods throughout your home. $99. potterybarn.com

1

1/27/14 5:07 PM

19TH ANNUAL KEELS & WHEELS CONCOURS D’ ELEGANCE

MAY 3-4, 2014 ANNOUNCING WAYNE CARINI OF “CHASING CLASSIC CARS”

WINE TIME

AS THE KEELS & WHEELS 2014 GRAND MARSHAL

Create a little wine nook with the Aiden wood wine rack storage tower from Pottery Barn. Painted and distressed by hand, this modern piece with a vintage feel can hold 20 wine bottles and 12 stem glasses. $499. potterybarn.com

Don’t miss Wayne and his film crew while they film an episode of “Chasing Classic Cars” at Keels & Wheels!

SERVICE, PLEASE Add a pop of color to your home organization plan with square lacquer trays from West Elm. Use them for everything from serving drinks, to storing odds and ends on a coffee table, to holding books or magazines on an end table. $29 to $44. westelm.com

2014 AUTOMOBILE MARQUES | AUBURN, CORD AND DUESENBERG, 2014 BOATING MARQUE | “CLASSICS OF THE 40’s AND 50’s” Join us for the premier Classic Car and Vintage Boat Concours in the country.

The event benefits Boys & Girls Harbor with over $1 Million donated to charity.

VISIT WWW.KEELS-WHEELS.COM FOR ENTRY INFORMATION OR ADVANCE PURCHASE DISCOUNT TICKETS. | 713-521-0105

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But at

w e w i l l a l w ay s s a v e y o u r s e a t a t o u r

ta B l e

‌pull

we know our manners

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your preferences

u p a c h a i r , s i p a c o c k ta i l , s ta r t a c o n v e r s at i o n

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bar bites

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opening spring 2014

1 8 0 0 Po s t Oa k B o u l e v a r d , H o u s t o n 713.439.1000

tablerestaurants.com

indulge in bayo u e ats

44 HOME GROWN Scott Tycer rises to the top with Kraftsmen Bakery & Cafe.

38 F+B 40 TASTEMAKER 42 THE POUR

MARK LIPCZYNSKI

40 TASTEMAKER Vanessa Treviño Boyd wins us over with her wine expertise.

44 HOME GROWN 46 TOP EATS 48 STREET EATS

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F+B TASTEMAKER THE POUR HOME GROWN TOP EATS STREET EATS

Haute Chicken The bird is the word when it comes to 2014 menu trends.

BY ROBIN BARR SUSSMAN

F

rom sliders to lobster-stacked beef patties, burgers had their moment.

Then pizza was the boss nosh. Now chefs are going cuckoo for chicken, from gluten free to free-range—stuffed with upscale ingredients, brined with local spices or fried-up fancy and served family style with contemporary sides.

POULTRY GOES PALEO

“Our chicken dishes sell like crazy,” says chef Bruce Molzan of the newly-opened Corner Table. Molzan has long been known (from his Ruggles days) for taking humble ingredients like a vegetable or ho-hum chicken breast and making it taste divine. The restaurant took on a big experiment when they offered a paleo menu, the popular huntergatherer diet based on natural proteins, vegetables and nuts.

“We really didn’t know if this would fly, but it’s been extremely successful and the paleo chicken dishes are popular,” says Molzan.

Zatar Roasted Chicken is his signature paleo dish and the secret to the “explosive” flavor is the brine. Molzan starts with ground hemp and sesame seeds, and then adds agave and other secret ingredients.

After a long marinating bath, chickens are quickly sautéed and slowly oven roasted.

The bright array of gingerly cooked vegetables like asparagus, broccoli and carrots delivered with the generous half chicken, is the icing on the cake.

You’ll be wowed with his super-moist non-paleo chicken dishes, too, like the plump breast stuffed with ground local pecans, sweet Texas goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and piquant ancho chile. Draped in a port wine demi-glace, it’s rich enough to serve to a king.

Made with ground hemp, sesame seeds and agave, Zatar Roasted Chicken at The Corner Table takes chicken from ho-hum to divine.

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bayou city m ag a z i n e March/April/May 2014

You know chicken is hot when a cuttingedge California chef known for multiple West Coast restaurant successes opens his first chicken-centric eatery in Houston.

Chef Bradley Ogden’s Funky Chicken recently bowed to rave reviews. Here, it’s all about sublimely fried or roasted cluck

MARK LIPCZYSNKI

OUT OF THE BUCKET

+

scan these pages with Layar to see more chicken dishes and download a Funky Chicken recipe.

dine bayou bites Get the dish on the Bayou City's culinary happenings.

RAMEN RAGE Chinatown was recently graced with Tiger Den by Mike Tran, owner of the wildly popular Upper Kirby Aka Sushi House. The Asian noodle shop serves five kinds of ramen in creamy homemade stocks, in addition to udon, soba and Hong Kong-style cart noodles.

The tiny bustling eatery is warm and contemporary with striking black-andwhite Asian murals and natural wood booth seating. For an eclectic bite, try the grilled robata offerings like chicken skin and gizzards, shrimp or vegetables.

9889 Bellaire Blvd. 832-804-7755.

served alongside Midwest-meets-California sides like roasted Brussels sprouts and quinoa salad. But it isn’t just any bird.

“Our product is all natural and hormonefree, never frozen. And we make everything from scratch,” explains chef Bryan Ogden, Bradley’s son. “After brining the chicken pieces, they are air dried, dredged with our spice blend, pressure fried and, finally, seasoned with our spice mix.”

Not only is the breading very light and fried perfectly golden and tempura-like, it’s also gluten free.

“I love the addition of sumac in the blend.

It adds a touch of acidity, which balances out the oil in the fried chicken,” he says.

The final effect is elegant: clean, crispy and perfectly seasoned. And you won’t end up with a big mess of fried batter scattered all over your plate.

Why the focus on chicken? “There was a void for straight-forward, well-executed American comfort food. Our emphasis is on the quality of the raw product—we treat it with respect and use proper technique in execution,” Ogden says.

The classic fried chicken dinner gets a facelift from chef Bradley Ogden at Funky Chicken in the Heights.

Funky Chicken also serves a mean “Funky style” chicken pot pie (another chicken trend) with a thick homemade drop biscuit crust.

LATIN FLAIR

Seeking sophisticated South American flavors? Américas menu, designed by Michael Cordúa and chef-son David, is all about exotic and its Pollo Encamisado (“chicken in a shirt”) is a house specialty.

Pounded boneless chicken breasts are dipped in crushed plantain chips that have been tossed with grated Cotija cheese. Pan fried for only three minutes, the results are ethereal: light and crispy with a slightly sweet crust. On the plate, expect soulful black bean puree, roasted tomatoes and stacked smoked panela cheese—swoon-worthy compadres.

If you miss it at Américas or Churrascos, cook it at home (look for this recipe and others on our website through March, April and May). There’s no reason to ever eat dry, boring birds again. Chicken rules the roost!

BEACHY KEEN Caracol by chef Hugo Ortega and restaurateur Tracy Vaught is the newest addition to the Galleria-area BBVA Compass Bank building. Expect a vast and glamorous space awash in earthy coastal hues and lots of glass.

The Mexican seafood menu offerings are also vibrant with selections ranging from ginger-serrano-pineapple conch ceviche to expertly grilled dishes cooked in the fragrant wood-burning oven like roasted Gulf oysters with chipotle butter, butterflied snapper with wild salad and chargrilled beef with ancho sauce. 2200 Post Oak, 713-622-9996. caracol.net WELCOME, MASTER CHEF After a year of waiting, Fritz Gitschner’s 60 Degrees Mastercrafted opened in the smartly refurbished space that was formerly Palazzo’s. The lofty and light open space has an open kitchen and plenty of patio seating.

Certified master chef Gitschner was formally trained in Vienna and cooked at several five-star hotels around the world, but his upscale American menu has familiar Gulf Coast and southwestern influences.

Expect entrée salads like Southwest Caesar with grilled corn and cotija cheese, Akaushi beef steaks cut to order, and the splurge-worthy $200 Bistro Burger with chopped ribeye, foie gras and Bordelaise sauce.

Pair that with one of the wines from the well-crafted list by new sommelier Vanessa Treviño Boyd (read more about Boyd on page 40).

2300 Westheimer. 713-360-7757, 60degreesmastercrafted.com

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F+B TASTEMAKER THE POUR HOME GROWN TOP EATS STREET EATS

Of Wine and Woman Vanessa Treviño Boyd is the toast of an industry.

BY HOLLY BERETTO

40

bayou city m ag a z i n e March/April/May 2014

T

o sit with her, you’d be forgiven not to realize you’re in the presence of greatness. Glossy-haired and stylish, Vanessa Treviño Boyd is as effervescent as the Champagnes in her wine cellar. The sommelier, who recently joined the justopened 60 Degrees Mastercrafted (read more about the new eatery on page 39), is approachable and open—which is exactly what she wants you to realize about wine.

Listening to her, it’s easy to forget she’s one of the biggest fish in the small pond of sommeliers and wine industry hotshots.

Named one of the Sommeliers of the Year by Food & Wine magazine in 2012, and a certified Advanced Sommelier by the American Sommelier Association, there’s no mistaking that Boyd’s a big deal. But she seems mostly unfazed by the attention.

“To a certain extent, being named on the Food & Wine list means there are more eyes on me and what I’m doing,” she says. “So, I’m more careful about my tableside approach, and looking to do what I do that much better.”

But what she’s interested in, more than the accolades and the name recognition, is helping people to discover how wonderful wine can be. Boyd has been known to organize wine lists by texture, pointing out to patrons how the varieties would taste and feel, instead of just listing reds and whites.

It’s something she feels gives patrons a better idea of what to expect from a particular wine, and maybe even offer them insight on old favorites or finding something new.

“Like pinot noir,” she explains. “It’s often misunderstood. Or a grüner veltliner; people don’t really know that grape.”

So, how did she come to know all of this about her craft? It started with a guy.

“I was working in a restaurant in Chicago, and I had a crush on the wine director,” she laughs.

Boyd convinced him to let her help with inventorying the bottles, and she recalls mangling French pronunciations and feeling very uneducated. But she used the experience as a learning tool and worked her way up through

MARK LIPCZYNSKI

indulge

+

scan this page with Layar to get a wine-buying guide from Vanessa Treviño Boyd.

drink hooking up When it comes to food and wine, Boyd is known for her eclectic pairings. She shares some of her creativity, both at 60 Degrees Mastercrafted and at home.

the ranks. At her start, she was majoring in performance study at Northwestern University, and she gradually came to see the work she took on in restaurants as part of the front of house staff as an extension of her theater experience.

Following Northwestern, she went to New York for culinary school. She helped run wine programs at multiple restaurants in the city, most notably for celebrated French chef Alain Ducasse, before relocating to Houston.

“This is a craft, like any other,” she says of being a sommelier. “For me, it’s not so much about which wine certification you have, but can you organize a cellar? Have you spent 10-, 12-, 14-hour days working with vendors and winemakers and customers, learning about what it means to do this day to day? I did all those things before I even went to wine school, and it gave me a solid perspective on the industry.”

It’s an industry that’s still largely maledominated. For Boyd, being one of the few female sommeliers isn’t so much challenging as it is thought provoking.

“It’s a little lonely,” she ponders. “I have very strong relationships with a lot of male sommeliers in Houston and elsewhere. Some are my best friends, and we all think that a

In addition to being an advanced sommelier, Boyd is also known to make a mean cocktail.

love of wine is something to be shared. But I’d love to see more women doing what I do.

I think that women are often better tasters of wine. And I work to mentor people, especially women.”

At 60 Degrees, Boyd says she’ll face the challenge of having the smallest wine list she’s ever worked with, and her marching orders from Chef Gitschner are to be sure to include boutique wines from smaller grower-producers, something that is right up Boyd’s alley, given her passion about knowing where food comes from.

One thing that won’t change as she continues to build 60 Degrees’ wine program is that she still wants to share with people the joy of wine.

“I’m most looking forward to the wine list changing often,” she says. “There are so many great wines out there that I get nervous I am leaving things out. So, in creating a dynamic list, there will always be something new out there.”

60 Degrees Mastercrafted 2300 Westheimer 713-360-7757

RILLETTE OF AKAUSHI BEEF AND QUPÉ SYRAH “Chef’s specialty is Akaushi beef, and it’s melt-in-your-mouth sublime,” she explains. ”You need something with a great acidity to balance that richness and the syrah is perfect for that. The winemaker was one of the first to pioneer Rhone blends in California and we’ll be offering the Qupé by the glass.”

RIBEYE AND ROEDERER ESTATE ROSÉ “This was unexpected for me as a pairing, but this rosé is a complete wine, with a front, middle and back end. It has a dry finish and great acidity. I ordered the ribeye with the bearnaise sauce because I am a bearnaise freak, but the ribeye doesn’t need a sauce at all; it’s that good. The flavors in the wine and the steak are great together.”

EASTER HAM WITH RIESLING “I’d use a riesling kabinett, something that has a little sweetness, but not dessert-level sweetness,” she says. “When you think of honey-baked hams, they have a sweetness to them as well, so this combination brings out the flavors in both the wine and the food.”

SALTY SNACKS WITH BUBBLES “No one admits to it, but people still pair potato chips with dips made from instant soup mix,” Boyd laughs. “And that salty combination is a great combination with a cold, cold, cold, acidic Champagne or sparkling wine.”

60degreesmastercrafted.com

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F+B TASTEMAKER THE POUR HOME GROWN TOP EATS STREET EATS

Ridin’, Ropin’ and Sippin’ Rope in a relaxing, educational and tasty time at the rodeo wine garden.

W

hat do horse lovers, country music fans and Houston epicures have in common?

Apparently, a thirst for wine.

Who knew that award-winning international wines would have such a large presence at the world’s largest livestock show and rodeo?

It all started back in 2001 when a group of rodeo volunteers approached the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) with the idea of implementing an international wine competition at the rodeo. Several sips later, it evolved into the Rodeo Uncorked! event, an international wine competition

42

Located in Carruth Plaza next to Reliant Stadium, the HLSR wine garden is the perfect place to take a break from the rodeo festivities.

featuring thousands of wine entries each year.

Now in its 12th year, the competition is “a huge boon for wineries—especially those with their first vintages—who steal the winning limelight in the fourthlargest city in America,” says Joel Cowley, president and CEO of the HLSR. This year, there were 2,505 entrees from 16 different countries and 40 wines from Texas.

Here’s how it works: In early November, 2,212 wines were awarded medals by 20 panels (yep, 20 different panels). The 11 wines honored as champions were all over the global map.

bayou city m ag a z i n e March/April/May 2014

Some of the winners included Reserve Champion Best of Show: Sonoma Cutrer Vineyards Estate Bottled Pinot Noir 2010; Top Texas Wine: Bending Branch Winery Estate Tannat, Texas Hill Country 2011; and the Top Wine Company: Trinchero Family Estates, California.

Thirsty yet? Here’s where you come in. Those champion wines will be sold at the Rodeo Uncorked! Champion Wine Garden during the HLSR (March 4-23). Even if you don’t have a thing for horses, livestock, carnivals, concerts or food on a stick, you can sip

champion wines by the taste, glass or bottle at the smartly landscaped wine garden in Carruth Plaza next to Reliant Stadium. Expect a relaxing patio setting among dramatic cowboy trail bronze sculptures, water features and tents set up as wine bars.

Speaking of food, anything you buy at Reliant Stadium can be brought into the wine garden. Think Berryhill Baja Grill shrimp diablo, Saltgrass Steakhouse ribs and chicken platters, or chocolate-covered bacon. Many menu items, like the epicurean pizzas, come with specific wine pairing suggestions—perfect for the wine geek in your group.

Rookies and wine connoisseurs alike will find the wine garden a welcoming haven away from the rowdy crowds and activities of the rodeo. Kick back and listen to the daily live music or take in popular wine sensory experiences to expand your knowledge of wine tasting from local experts. There’s a terrific lineup of classes ranging from Pinot Perfection to Cabernets Around the World or Cool Pool Wines.

This year, pull on your drinking boots and kick up some fun in the garden!

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Reliant Center, 8334 Fannin St. 832-667-1073 rodeohouston.com

HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO

BY ROBIN BARR SUSSMAN

indulge

F+B TASTEMAKER THE POUR HOME GROWN TOP EATS STREET EATS

+

Bread Winner

scan this page with Layar to download a bread recipe from Kraftsmen’s Scott Tycer.

Kraftsmen Bakery & Cafe takes artisan breads to new heights.

BY STACY BARRY

44

with comfy seating and long wooden tables on which to enjoy the café’s delicious mix of breakfast creations and pastries, signature sandwiches, soups and salads—traditional comfort foods with a Kraftsmen twist and all freshly prepared on-site.

The other is a bustling wholesale baking business just behind the swinging doors, where each day, a staff of dedicated bakers prepares and delivers specialty and artisan bread products to more than 170 restaurants, hotels and schools in Galveston, Houston and Austin.

“As a baker, I consider bread the base of the food pyramid,” Tycer says. “People always love good, fresh bread, but baking and having a diverse selection of breads is a huge undertaking involving a lot of space and time.”

Diversity is where Kraftsmen has found its niche. With its specialty loaf breads, buns and artisan rolls, Tycer and his staff help restaurants—such as Kenny & Ziggy’s—enhance their menus in a way that simply cannot be done inhouse or with large commercial bakers. In addition, the bakery regularly creates ceremonial and cultural breads like Jewish ryes and braided challahs, fruit and nut-filled German stollen, and bolillo, a crusty Mexican bread, among others.

Whether at the wholesale or individual level, Tycer says, “One of the most important things

bayou city m ag a z i ne March/April/May 2014

Kraftsmen owner Scott Tycer rolls out fresh-baked breads from his bustling bakery business and cafe.

about being an artisan bread maker is giving the customer what the customer wants.”

Just about the only requests Kraftsmen regularly turns down are those for gluten-free items due to cross-contamination issues. Tycer recommends Gluten Free Houston for freshbaked GF items.

Because bread baskets are not a revenue center, sometimes it’s a challenge to convince restaurants of their value. For example, during the recession, one of the things that fell to the bottom of

many restaurateurs’ priority lists was the complimentary bread basket, and many never brought it back. Tycer’s goal is to see more Houston restaurants go back to offering a varied bread basket, featuring an array of artisan breads.

“The goal is not to be the biggest bakery, but to offer our level of quality to this swath of Texas,” he says.

Kraftsmen Bakery & Cafe 611 W. 22nd St. 713-426-1300 kraftsmenbaking.com

MARK LIPCZYNSKI

F

or more than a decade, Scott Tycer has been a highly acclaimed fixture on the Houston restaurant scene, setting trends and dishing out cutting-edge cuisine in the Bayou City’s most innovative dining rooms.

Foodies know him for his adventurous creations at such restaurants as Aries, where in 2003 he was declared one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs, as well as Pic, Gravitas and Textile, where he was chef and owner.

These days, Tycer can be found rolling in the dough at Kraftsmen Bakery & Cafe in the Heights, where he mans a cozy café, while helping local restaurants elevate their bread baskets with specially prepared artisan breads.

Housed in a 7,000-squarefoot, 19th-century textile mill, Kraftsmen has two very distinct personalities. The first is the storefront, a quaint spot filled

ITALY - AMERICA

Chamber of Commerce of Texas

eat, shop

Presents

Exhib

and live like anExhib Italian...

5

6

April

...the th and th of at the George R. Brown Convention Center

Celebrating and showcasing the best in:

Arts & Crafts - Culture & Tourism - Design & Technology - Fashion & Accessories - Food & Wine

www.exhibitalia.com

The Made in Italy lands in Houston at ExhibItalia this 4-6 of April at the George R. Brown Convention Center ExhibItalia is the showcase of everything Italian: a fun combination of Made in Italy products, culture and taste of the famed Italian lifestyle all under one roof, at the prestigious George R. Brown Convention Center, right in the heart of downtown Houston.

Arts & Crafts, Culture & Tourism, Design & Technology, Food & Wine, Fashion & Accessories.

Exhibitors wow visitors, alongside activities such as chef competitions, fashion show, wine tasting, live events, and food for everyone to explore and enjoy.

Program 4 April - Business to Business (meetings, networking, conference and workshops) 5 - 6 April - Open to the public Special events for each pavilion, fashion show, wine and food tasting, cooking demonstrations, chef competition, artistic performances, VIP parties, a dedicated kid’s zone and many Italian restaurants offering the experience of a real “ospitalita’ italiana” George R. Brown Convention Center Hall A 1001 Avenida De Las Americas, Houston, TX 77010 Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 9pm www.exhibItalia.com

Tickets 9 $ presale / 12 $ at the door Tel. 713 626 9303

indulge

F+B TASTEMAKER THE POUR HOME GROWN TOP EATS STREET EATS

Pasta Pronto The Bayou City may be all barbecue and Tex Mex, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make a mean pasta, too.

BY BETSY DENSON

A

quick perusal of the Bayou City’s culinary landscape shows that pasta places may be just as commonplace as barbecue joints. But how to decide? To find out some of the tastiest pasta dishes in town, we asked three of Houston’s top chefs (who know their way around Italian cuisine) to tell us some of their favorites. Here’s what they said.

MAURIZIO FERRARESE, QUATTRO AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL HOUSTON

Ferrarese grew up in the Piedmont region of Italy between Milan and Turin, and also worked at Four Seasons hotels in London, Budapest and Florence. So he definitely has credentials. He singles out a pasta dish made for him by chef David Denis at Le Mistral: tagliolini pasta with shellfish.

“The pasta was freshly made in house and the sauce was a simple sauce that you would find in Italy—oil, salt and pepper, garlic, chili flakes, and parsley with no cream or butter to cover the flavors,” he says. “The seafood was excellently prepared.”

Denis says that one of the most important aspects of any dish is the pasta itself.

“It needs to be homemade and fresh.”

Denis is also very picky about his olive oil, which is always extra virgin cold pressed— meaning the olive was crushed only one time under a certain temperature.

“The oil gives it all the flavor,” he says.

Ferrarese says he also enjoys the homemade ravioli with beef brasato at Arcodoro, owned by Efisio Farris, who hails from the island of Sardinia.

“The pasta dough was nice and thin, just how I like it,” says Ferrarese. Farris notes that they cook the meat for a long time before pulling it to mix with the ricotta cheese.

“The pasta is delicate and homemade. We top it with both the Parmesan and Pecorino cheese from Italy.”

Chef John Watt of Prego says the ravioli stuffed with goat cheese at Quattro is one of his top pasta dishes in the Bayou City.

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bayou city m ag a z i n e March/April/May 2014

With a track record that includes Trevisio— and a 25-year tenure at Prego, which gets high marks from Zagat and Bon Appétit— chef John Watt has certainly sampled some of the best pasta dishes around. He chooses chef Maurizio Ferrarese’s ravioli stuffed with goat cheese in a fresh pea sauce at Quattro.

“The goat cheese ravioli tastes great with the fresh peas, mint and pancetta,” he says.

Ferrarese notes that it was a seasonal dish, but that he’ll make some variation with peas and goat cheese this spring, as well.

MARK LIPCZYNSKI

JOHN WATT, PREGO

+

scan these pages with Layar to to get the pasta-making goods.

cravings stir things up Perfect your pasta with these musthave products and tools.

“The combination of peas and a great local goat cheese creates a simple flavor that is hard to stay away from,” he says. “It is only the simplest and freshest ingredients that can make a dish with importance.”

Watt also pitches a culinary curveball with his second pick, which is not Italian, but Vietnamese: the crispy rice noodle pillows with shrimp and spicy vegetables at Huynh Restaurant in EaDo. “I love the crispy noodle pillows, which are soft in the center and the sauce with the vegetables and shrimp, which is nice and spicy,” he says. “You can bring your own wine to Huynh.”

Cindy Dang at Huynh says that it is their homemade pan-fried noodles that are the secret to the dish. The noodles are cut into pieces and topped with the sauce.

“No one else does that,” she says.

JOHN SHEELY, OSTERIA MAZZANTINI

John Sheely is the owner and executive chef at Mockingbird Bistro Wine Bar and the new Osteria Mazzantini in the Galleria area, which honors his mother whose family left Tuscany in the 19th century for Galveston.

He loves the Spaghetti alla Puttanesca at Antica Osteria, a cozy spot housed in a former bookstore near Rice.

“The dish has olives, anchovies, capers, onion and fresh tomatoes with perfectly al dente pasta,” says Sheely. “It is a classic Italian dish, but theirs is particularly full of flavor.”

Chef Velio DePlano at Antica Osteria attributes the dish’s success to the Italian black olives and to the San Marzano tomatoes, which he imports from Italy.

“I can’t find any that have the flavor of San Marzano tomatoes,” he says.

1. BOWLED OVER Harkening back to the Umbrian region of Italy, the Deruta-style pasta serving set comes with a large pasta serving bowl and four individual pasta bowls. $99.95. Sur la Table, 1996 W. Gray. surlatable.com 2. LITTLE DRIZZLE Use fresh olive oil to simply dress your pasta or use it to make a sauce. For an authentic Italian taste, try the D.O.P. Chianti Classico Extra Virgin Olive Oil. $19.95 at Sur la Table.

3. MADE BY HAND If you want to make pasta the good oldfashioned way, the hand crank is a must.

The Atlas Marcato Pasta Machine provides smooth sheets of fresh pasta, and includes basic cutters for fettuccine or vermicelli. $72.99. target.com

1

2

4. RACK ’EM UP Is it an objet d’art or a kitchen gadget? No matter how you see it, the Marcato pasta drying rack provides a great place to dry your pasta and takes up very little counter space. $49.95 at Sur la Table.

5. GRATER GOOD Everybody needs a good old reliable box grater for cheese. The Cuisipro four-sided box grater has a non-slip handle and measuring unit marks on the sides, and includes a ginger grater base. $29.99. bedbathandbeyond.com

5

3 4

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indulge

F+B TASTEMAKER THE POUR HOME GROWN TOP EATS STREET EATS

+

scan this page with Layar to find these food trucks turned restaurants.

Curb to Counter Houston’s food trucks find a new parking spot with brick-and-mortar locations.

BY JEN BOOTWALA

Y

ou probably don’t imagine 19th-century Amarillo as bearing any resemblance to modern-day Bayou City, but there is one Texas trend that spans from border to border, past to present: food trucks.

In 1866, during the middle of the cattle expansion in the Texas panhandle, rancher Charles Goodnight created the first food truck—or, as it was dubbed in days of yore, the chuck wagon. An army surplus wagon turned mobile kitchen, Goodnight’s original innovation housed cast-iron kettles, Dutch ovens and coffee.

Today, food trucks have upgraded from pioneer provisions to gourmet grub and entrepreneurs are focusing on a different type of expansion, the transition from truck to brick-and-mortar.

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“There are pros and cons to both; each has its own set of problems and triumphs,” says Amalia Pferd, co-owner and chef at Good Dog Houston. Though she now operates a storefront, Pferd praises the camaraderie of the food truck community as “what makes being a trucker awesome.”

While modern food trucks may be more novelty than necessity, there is still one common theme for cowboys and chefs alike: hard work.

“It’s a lot of fun but very labor intensive; more so than a brick-and-mortar,” explains Ariana Espinoza, co-owner of MAM’s House of Ice, who recently expanded into a permanent space in the Heights this past December. “A storefront gives you more room, it’s less reliant on weather, and

provides longer hours and a more established reputation for your business.”

Laurel Keith of What’s Up Cupcake? adds that the city’s parking limits can interfere with accessibility, causing confusion for diners.

“We know cupcake lovers are out there,” she says, “it’s just hard for them to find us.” Keith now operates a brick-and-mortar companion to the cupcake trailer and also a smaller box truck.

Before opening Eastsie Boys Cafe in 2013, owners Ryan Soroka, Matt Marcus and Alex Vassilakidis cooked on a small, 36-inch grill in their “intergalactic food truck,” a converted trailer purchased on craigslist.

“Ultimately, it was the three of us running that day in and day out,” Soroka recalls. “We had to hire and train staff, and that was a new shock to us, a new challenge.”

In addition to staffing the café, Soroka says he relied on friends and family to help remodel the new location. The intergalactic food truck still has plenty of mileage left and can be rented out for private catering events.

“We saw that we could grow out of the food truck and we wanted to take advantage of that,” says Soroka. “It’s eclectic, it’s different, but we love it.”

MARK LIPCZYNSKI

The Eatsie Boys food truck (above) now offers its signature dishes and more at its brick-and-mortar location on Montrose.

Jeff Kaplan, owner of New Living and the Green Painter, in his store on Kirby.

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BY BRUCE FARR PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK LIPCZYNSKI

jeff kaplan wears a lot of hats: businessman, activist, environmentalist, civic leader.

But the one he dons with the most conviction these days is “social entrepreneur.”

It’s a label—and an idea— that is entering the national discussion with considerable speed. Loosely defined, social entrepreneurs are agents of change, albeit ones writ large. They identify areas that may be mired in indifference or ignorance—like education, health, the environment and poverty—and then, with uncommon zeal, make things happen to effect change in those areas.

One of the chief ways they do so is by creating organizations that can advance their cause(s), establishing them either as not-for-profits or strictly as companies. But whatever the means or the medium, the underlying goal is to dramatically alter the way people perceive a particular issue or idea, and by doing so, change the status quo.

This description fits Jeff Kaplan to a “T.”

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FORWARD THINKER

On paper, Kaplan, who’s 34 and a native Houstonian, has a résumé that reads like a never-ending news crawl at the bottom of a TV broadcast. Here are just a few highlights: At 21, he founded the Urban Land Institute’s national Young Leaders Program. He was a co-founder of Wulfe Urban, an urban development consulting and brokerage team. Then, in late 2007, he started New Living, a green building and home store that became the first certified retail-based B Corp—short for “Benefit Corporation”—in the U.S. He’s also served on a long list of local development boards and committees, including a stint as chair of the Sustainability for the Houston District Council of the Urban Land Institute; and he’s lent his hand to the development of several socially impactful businesses, among them Caroline Collective, The Green Painter, Trentino Gelato and others.

Underlying all his accomplishments, Kaplan’s passion for his hometown comes through loud and clear.

“Everyone has some place they call home and get passionate about; Houston’s always moved me in that way,” he says.

HOMES AS HEALERS

Just out of his teens, Kaplan wasted no time in finding ways to help his native city. He was something of a prodigy in the way he grasped—at a very early age—the nature of social change and how it gets done. He says he initially tried his hand at numerous entrepreneurial projects, but they left him feeling cold.

“When it was just about making money, I didn’t feel right, so I realized that I was passionate about the idea of using business to do ‘good,’ ” he explains. “Establishing a B corp as we have done is a revolutionary way of looking at the role of business. It’s a way of communicating to our community and our customers that we are putting our values front and center. What that means to us, is that just as important as making money is the idea of looking at what sort of impact—economic and environmental—we’re having on our community.”

Kaplan’s journey to this realization began very close to home.

Raised by a single mother who is now disabled, he says that a few years ago, with her in mind, he was researching how to construct a facility for disabled people that would link a variety of necessary services for them—medical, social and otherwise—and do so in a healthy environment.

“I was doing a lot of research on how many chemicals and other things are used in building materials, and looking at alternatives to that—like natural building techniques—trying to understand how to create an environment in which, essentially, buildings can heal,” Kaplan explains. “And what happened is that I became convinced from this research that homes can heal, and I understood how the ‘built environment’ could become a force for that healing.”

FOOD MOVEMENT AS A MODEL

Kaplan says he compares changes in people’s awareness of healthy choices in the built environment with the dramatic changes that 52

bayou city m ag a z i n e March/April/May 2014

Bayou City recently sat down with Jeff Kaplan to discuss his suggestions for becoming more sustainably oriented in our daily lives. Some of his responses might surprise you.

Q: WHAT ARE A FEW CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF THE THINGS PEOPLE CAN DO TO BECOME MORE “SUSTAINABLY CONSCIENTIOUS?” HOW CAN WE DECREASE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT?

A:

The first thing I would tell people is, “Don’t buy anything.” As odd as that might sound, I would tell people to look at what they need, and then think about finding a way that would allow them not to buy it—use their hands, or whatever it takes.

At New Living, we offer workshops where you can show up virtually any night of the week, and for $35 you can take a piece of furniture from your grandma’s attic, or something you found for free on the side of the road, and you can strip it down and refinish it to bring it back to life. We call it “finishing school.” Just show up, bring your girlfriend or boyfriend and a bottle wine. It’s a great time—very social.”

Q: WHAT ABOUT PRODUCTS THAT ARE

FOCUSED ON OUR HEALTH?

A:

Focus on controlled exposures: things that you have to do once. For example, buying an air filtration system, a water filtration system or an organic mattress—I think these are the three most important things that we sell. If you want to make the biggest impact on improving the quality of your health, I think that buying one or all of those things will have tremendous impact.

It’s all about, again, controlled exposure. You’re in your home and, in a major way, you’ve corrected the issue of “off-gassing.” It’s something, as I said, that you do one time and you’re done.

Q: HOW DO YOU KEEP IT ALL IN PERSPECTIVE?

A:

The showroom at New Living is filled to the brim with sustainable furnishings and building material, and upcycled home accessories.

Well, the thing is just to be more balanced. It’s easy to go crazy when you hear about all these [hazardous] things, and we don’t want to scare our customers; we want to inspire them to live the best lives that they can and be healthier.

But there are so many scary things out there, and, unless we want to go live on an island somewhere and abandon Houston, we have to be balanced and do the best we can. We have to be smart.

We have to be realistic with our expectations and realize that we don’t have to do everything at once.

It takes time. Not going crazy or overboard is an important thing.

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Local craftspeople and homeowners can work in an onsite workshop to build, refinish or restore furniture.

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+ scan this page scan this page with Layar for more from Jeff Kaplan.

have occurred in the food movement over the past few years.

“It’s taken a generation to change people’s dietary mindset, to bring them to an understanding of trying to eat more healthily,” he notes. “I mean, that many years ago, who knew about organic food?”

He says he had been observing the food movement for some time before he recognized that people were beginning to get it— starting to think more critically about where their food was sourced from and what they were putting into their bodies.

“There’s not a community or movement around the idea of healthy homes like there is around food today,” Kaplan explains.

“What we’re on a mission to do is to educate our community that it’s not just about food—in fact, all these other things in their home matter just as much, if not more.”

PROMOTING ‘NEW LIVING’

Finding a way to incubate a market for clean local production and a corresponding community education was a goal that led to Kaplan’s launching New Living, a green-building and home store that specializes in sustainable furnishings, air- and water-quality systems, building materials and design.

If New Living has one common denominator among all its products and services, Kaplan says that they are all “contributing to a healthier environment—it’s all ‘green chemistry’ and about bringing nature home.”

The popularity of the store and its concept has done much to elevate Kaplan’s reputation as a young mover and shaker in the city.

But the store, Kaplan is quick to point out, is really a means to a loftier end.

“We’re much more than just a furniture store—it’s really about being part of a movement. I truly believe that, over time, people have forgotten how to use their hands, although they want to.

Here in Houston, we’re a port city with an abundance of natural resources and we’re finding ways to make things here [at New Living] that are competitive with big-box stores.”

At the store, local craftspeople work in an artisan-quality workshop on the premises to build tables, mattresses and other furniture items using locally sourced, chemical-free raw materials. At designated times, customers can even come in and use the workshop to refinish, restore or create pieces of their own. Kaplan says his goal with the store is to put half of its expenses directly back into the hands of local community artisans and materials suppliers.

“But,” he cautions, “one of our biggest challenges is to educate our community to understand that we are actually making these products here. It’s a concept that they’re not conditioned to understand.”

The goal, Kaplan adds, is to create a direct market between local retailers and the producers—local artisans. “So that there’s no one in the middle,” he says.

Asked to describe some of the ways that New Living is sharpening its focus on sustainability, Kaplan says that one of the most important is sourcing materials from within Houston itself.

“It’s building a table from trees that were clear-cut, or furniture out of fallen timber,” he says, adding that all the wood used for production and manufacturing in the store is indigenous from within 200 miles of Houston. “Or, it’s reclaimed from old warehouse buildings that have been razed. The most sustainable thing you can do is to build using wood from trees that are at the end of their lives— they’re trees that the earth has literally given you.”

Kaplan believes the importance of giving his customers the opportunity to increase the quality of their lives, especially if they’ve had health issues.

“I know it might be a weird thing to say, but we want to change the world, and that’s one of the reasons why we’ve started a business,” he says. bayoucitymagazine.com

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E TYL S E IF U L O Y BA THE

MODER EAT L IKE PASS

B Y HOLLY BERETTO, BRUCE FARR, LIBBY INGRASSIA, MICHELLE JACOBY AND JESSICA MEBANE P H O T O G R A P H Y B Y MARK LIPCZYNSKI

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GE A M N I R E MOD

BARBERY

IS BIG By the looks of the latest fashion magazines and big-screen blockbusters (“American Hustle,” anyone?), beards and ’staches are back with a vengeance. But how long they’re here, who’s to say?

A visit to Salon & Barber at Traci Scott on West Gray will tell you that despite what the Hollywood boys are doing, the Bayou Man is all about a clean shave. Owner Traci Duff’s antique barber tool collection and turn-ofthe-century photo of a mustachioed Victorian gentleman positing the question, “When was the last time you had a proper shave?” convinced us we were on the right track.

If the old fashion trope, “everything old is new again,” ever had more resonance than it does now, stepping into her salon’s oh-so masculine barber and shave area (with impeccable shoe shine service offered by her and fellow barber David Anthony, we might add) will give one a strong sense of old-world charm polished up with modern expertise.

When Duff and Anthony initially decided to get the requisite barber’s licenses necessary to give straight-razor shaves and such, they struck out for a European adventure and visited dark-leather appointed barber shops in London, Rome and Paris. After painstaking research—and one very instructive, steeped-in-ritual shave experience for Anthony from world-famous Italian barbiere Silvano—they returned home to take the 58

bayou city m ag a z i n e March/April/May 2014

KNOW YOUR SHAVE

Not all shaves are created equally. Traci Duff takes you around the world with her menu of straight-razor shaves.

THE TEXAN

“A hot foam straight razor shave, in and out the door quickly!”

THE PARISIAN

“...a scalp massage and haircut, paired with a luxurious straight razor shave and hot towel spa facial.”

THE BRIT

“...a fragrant straight razor shave with a hot towel facial, hand/arm massage and sideburn/neck trim.”

THE ITALIAN

“A classic straight razor shave with brush and hot towels.”

Houston male beauty scene by storm, one close shave at a time.

“I think I’ve always liked facial hair on a guy. I don’t know if it’s because my father always sported it or what, but we’re seeing lots of businessmen and sporty guys alike coming in with major beards,” Duff says.

“We’ve really tried to give our clientele a feel for what a good wet or straight-razor shave should be. And it’s so relaxing that we’ve had a few guys fall asleep while we’re giving the hot towel facials.”

A client can choose from the Texan, Italian, British or Parisian shaves, and will feel refreshed, as well as exquisitely manicured. Both the British and Parisian options include a hand/arm massage, and prices range from $25 (Texan) to $100 (Parisian). While this experience may represent more of a splurge than a weekly ritual opportunity for some, Duff and Anthony try to educate all bearded and mustachioed clientele about good beard maintenance.

“Rule No. 1 that we picked up on our travels is to shave with the grain. Aside from that, you need a brush and beard conditioner,” asserts Duff. “I’ve been telling guys who don’t want to have a go at their own mugs with a straight razor to leave that to us, and just maintain things with a double, not triple or four-bladed, razor in between salon visits.” -JM

A MAN AND HIS BOOTS

: FACIAL HAIR :

ONE BAYOU MAN’S PERSPECTIVE

The long and short of It, in the words of TRACI DUFF

Since opening Salon & Barber at Traci Scott, owner Traci Duff has learned a thing or two about beards and mustaches, especially what looks today’s Houston man is sporting.

As told by Walter Pye Walter Pye knows a thing or two about boots. As chief executive officer of Pinto Ranch, and before that, as CEO and buyer for his family’s eponymous retail company,, he is an experienced merchandiser and buyer, and has a national reputation as a respected merchant and businessman. Who better to tell us about that special relationship between a man and his boots? Here’s what he had to say.

“Wearing cowboy boots is a way of life that has grown from the early days of our Texas history.

We’ve grown up with it, especially in Houston. Houston has more of a western feel, even more so than Dallas and other large Texas cities. Ranching and rodeoing is ingrained in our culture. It’s a true American lifestyle and Houston has really embraced it.

Growing up, my high school basketball team wore jeans, a white shirt and boots to events and functions. It was like our second uniform. Back then, boys emulated their fathers and grandfathers. If a boy’s dad wore boots, he’d wear them, too. Fathers would even pass down their boots to their sons and so on. We’ve had customers bring in boots that have been handed down from generation to generation to be resoled. You can do that with a good pair of handmade boots.

I P E R S O N A L LY L I K E A

People have a misconception that boots are uncomfortable, but if you find the right fit, you’re set.

You’ll get the best fit from a pair of handmade Western boots. There’s a big difference between these boots and machine-made boots. Western boots have thicker soles made of leather. They’re also made without nails. You’re basically walking on an inch of leather.

BIT OF SCRUFF,

S O M E T H I N G A L I T T L E LO N G E R T H A N A 5 O ’ C L O C K S H A D O W, BUT WE ’RE ALSO SEEING BOTH

Because boots were meant to be worn all day working on the ranch, they were handmade with care. But even though they’ve made the transition from the ranch to the board room, wearing boots is still a western tradition that the real Houston man will keep alive for generations to come.”

BUSINESSMEN AND CASUAL GUYS

S P O RT F U L L- O N LU M B E R JAC K

V E R S I O N S T H AT W H E N PROPERLY MANICURED,

LO O K G R E AT. S O U L PAT C H E S ARE STILL IN, BUT NOT THE

LO N G S I D E B U R N S . I T ’ S A

PINTO RANCH

FINE LINE BETWEEN A COOL BEARD AND ’70S REFUGEE.

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59

MO

AG N IM DER

DO wear the occasional T-shirt for casual events.

After all, the Bayou City is sub-tropical for most of the year.

DO consider investing in a classic watch even though you’re blissfully wedded to your smartphone; it’s what gentlemen do to show off their manly wrists when a lady asks the time.

DO wear a great buttondown that signals your appreciation for the resurgence of preppy cool.

DO invest in a tuxedo, says Murry Penner of M Penner.

Particularly in Houston with all the black-tie charity events and so many people active in raising money for great causes, you have to have a great-fitting tuxedo.

DO update your wardrobe regularly and try something different, agree both Penner and Hite. Penner suggests brown shoes and belt with a navy suit or a pocket square any time you put on a tie for a dash of individualism. Hite sees men trying a bow tie or a dressier knit shirt—even one with a collar that you can pair with a tie and jacket.

DO wear nice, not grungy, athletic shoes on occasion to set off a baggycut pair of trousers and good shirt. It says your style is edgy and youthful without getting all fashion victim-y about it.

E

FASHION

DOS AND

DON’TS We hate to be the bearers of bad tidings, but there are more than a few fashion faux pas out there. To help fashion-conscious Bayou Men stay clear of the worst examples and find their way into the best looks, here are some tips. -LI, JM

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DON’T buy anything so small that it looks like you rifled through your niece’s jewelry box, especially since Dick Hite of Norton Ditto says that larger faces on watches are definitely on trend.

DON’T let that T-shirt be anything rumpled, holey or overly lascivious.

DON’T wear one that’s oversized or poorly fitted.

DON’T (ever) wear that Ed Hardy-inspired, scrolland-skull embellished long-sleeved shirt thing again. Ever.

DON’T wear those extrapointy, scuffed ostrich boots in “silver-dollar gray” from the back of your closet with a suit because it’s rodeo season and you’re in Texas. J.R. Ewing is dead, God rest his soul, and you’re living in one of the fashion meccas of the world, cowpoke. Update your style, polish your boots and dress accordingly.

DON’T let different mean sloppy, says Penner. No torn jeans, nothing too baggy or too long.

... AS LONG AS I GOT MY SUIT AND TIE

: CUSTOMIZE IT : Customization represents probably the biggest trend in menswear. Murry Penner, co-owner of M Penner, says that “made to measure” clothing—suits and shirts that are completely personalized for a customer, but based on an existing pattern—is a huge part of their business. And while they’ve been focused on it for years, it’s the fastest growing part of the menswear business because it gives consumers the chance to get exactly what they want, something Penner feels the independent-minded Bayou Man particularly likes.

“Every detail is customizable, from picking their own fabric to how the pockets are done, and that’s how the men want to dress,” he says.

“Suits, shirts, formal tails, even shoes can be made to measure so that the customer can be an individual. It fits Houston to do business that way: From the beginning, Houston has been a can-do, entrepreneurial, individual city and it makes sense that the men like their clothes, their cars, their business the way they want it.”

Of course, choosing to go custom or made-tomeasure is also about the fit, vital when shopping for suits and shirts.

“Proper fit makes a huge difference and it’s often difficult or impossible to achieve that in off-the-rack clothing,” says David Hamilton, coowner of Hamilton Shirts. “Well made, custom shirts will last for years and be the most frequently worn items in your closet.”

As the saying goes, the clothes make the man.

And style is form of communication.

“Having a sense of personal style is a way of representing that you know and are comfortable with yourself,” Hamilton says. -LI

The face is handled. You’ve got your boots.

So, let’s talk wardrobe.

It’s a bit unwieldy during certain seasons and humidity levels to break out the wool suits every day, but most guys here don’t let that limit their day-to-day panache. Take a brisk walk around downtown on any given weekday, and you’ll definitely feel the resurgence of crisp elegance over hipster-centric throwaway looks.

If Tom Ford’s 2014 menswear collection were any indication, we’d be seeing lots of whites and outrageous colors in men’s fashion. But more than likely, your average Bayou Man will wear a more low-key version than Ford’s hot pink shawl-collared blazer with matching pants. Still, double-breasted jackets are back…as long as it’s comfortable.

Then we’ll see a sexy profile of exquisitely tailored shirts and torso-skimming vests over cuffed and single-pleat trousers.

“Both major and boutique firms are going back to suits or blazers, sport coats,” says Dick Hite, principle owner and CEO of Norton Ditto. “And as long as the weight is right—8½ to 9 ounces—wool suits or jackets can be year-round. Another suit that has been

really popular for the southern gentleman is a light tan suit.”

Murry Penner, co-owner of M Penner agrees. “Men are wearing suits again—not just young guys, but men of all ages.”

He suggests that the trend toward softer constructed jackets offers a fusion of dress clothing and sportswear, and is very popular.

Because comfort is important to the customers, it’s also a primary criterion for what they show in the store, says Penner.

“Slimmer silhouettes, shorter jackets and trimmer pants are the trend, and a lot of Houston men are starting to adopt that as long as it’s still comfortable.”

Any good start to one’s personal style revamp should, however, include a great shirt. And while the classic shirt is, well, a classic, there are always new trends in men’s shirts.

“A more tailored fit has been trending for a while now and that looks to continue,” says David Hamilton, co-owner of Hamilton Shirts in Houston. “Today’s men are also looking for a softer, more relaxed style, as well as prints and color in patterns.” -LI, MJ, JM

“Juice it up,” says Hite. Try a bow tie or wear some of the purple that’s popular in shirts and ties. “People have bought a lot of solid suits in the past few years because they weren’t wearing as many suits and [solid suits] are more versatile.

But now it’s important to add some stripes, checks, shirts with color.”

NORTON DITTO

Houston haberdashers say that custom fit is what the Bayou Man wants.

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MAN U O BAY A E LIK EAT

BEYOND

“It may make you think of a great beef stew or a pot roast, but it’s got so much more flavor than either of those,” Bryant says. “And all the comfort you remember from those dishes is still there.”

Someone else doing a great take on Grandma’s comfort food is chef Brandi Key, whose Spaghetti Carbonara over at Coppa Osteria in Rice Village is a thing of beauty. She keeps the rich, white Parmesan cream sauce, but swaps out crunchy bacon for tangy, savory, chopped salumi, then adds in black pepper and parsley. The whole thing is tossed with an egg yolk tableside, making for a cool presentation and promising you’ll come away with a new take on Italian food.

Still craving something smoky and down-home? You want the sliced brisket barbecue at the Carriage House Café. Slow smoked for 16 hours, with a terrific “dew” around the edges, it scores big points for its flavor and unpretentious presentation.

And if all that isn’t enough to get you out of your comfort zone, remember, the 20-ounce Game Day Cut of prime rib at Laurenzo’s is a thing of beauty. -HB

STEAK AND POTATOES Move over, steak and potatoes. If you’re looking for comfort food, it’s time to go outside the box. Yes, you’ll still get those rich flavors and filling dishes that remind you of the best home cooking. But before you order another New York strip, consider these options.

The short rib that chef Kevin Bryant is serving up at Eleven XI is tailor-made to hit all the guy taste buds.

Served “caveman style,” it’s a nine-inch beef rib on the bone and arrives at your table looking like something out of “The Flintstones.”

“This is what we call a ‘wow’ plate,” says Bryant. “When it comes to your table, other people look at it and go, ‘What’s that?’ It’s a really great dish.”

Slow braised for 12 hours and laced with Dublin’s Black Cherry Cola syrup, the massive meal comes with grilled asparagus and sautéed oyster mushrooms. Bryant says it’s like grandma’s cooking, with its own twist.

: HUNGRY FOR MORE : Any Bayou Man worth his weight in salt will have no problem polishing off chef Kevin Bryant’s beef rib dish. In fact, he may be left hungry for more. If so, Bryant offers up his recipe for a baby back rib sandwich. Bon appétit!

1 full rack of ribs, smoked until fork tender 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce 4 slices horseradish Cheddar cheese 2 cups homemade or store-bought coleslaw Bread of your choice (jalapeño Cheddar roll recommended)

Pull all the meat from the ribs and add to a hot sauté pan with the barbecue sauce. While mixture is heating, lightly warm your bread in a 450-degree oven. Remove bread from oven. Place a light layer of coleslaw on the bread and top it with the hot rib meat. Place the horseradish cheese on top of the meat and return to the oven until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven, grab a knife and fork, and dive in!

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KEVIN BRYANT

Executive chef, Eleven XI

BRANDI KEY

Executive chef, Coppa Osteria

WHERE Cocktails and Whiskey

MEET For the Bayou Man, it’s not only about beer. Sure, he knows his brew. But give him the chance and he’ll tell you a thing or two about cocktails, as well. Case in point: the craft cocktail.

If you think the days of craft cocktails are over, think again. While the high-sugar, girly drinks have gone out of fashion, in their place come more masculine, savory libations, manly enough for even the guyest of guys to pony up to the bar and order them. More often than not, these drinks are crafted with whiskey, something with so much guy street cred, no one ordering one could ever be accused of getting in touch with his feminine side.

“Drinking whiskey is a manly thing to do,” says Curtis Childress, bar manager at Rosemont Social Club. “And it’s been like that throughout history. Think about cowboy movies; they were always drinking whiskey, and when I was growing up we thought that was cool.”

Childress opened Rosemont nine months ago, and one of the drinks out of the gate was the Kentucky Mule, a remix of the classic Moscow Mule and described by Childress as what would happen if a Moscow Mule and a mint julep got together and had a kid.

“I love this because it’s simple,” he says.

“This is a really accessible cocktail, and the flavors work so well together.” -HB

KENTUCKY MULE

Blend 1.5 ounces of rye whiskey or bourbon with 1 ounce of juice, half an ounce of turbinado syrup and a small handful of mint.

Shake and strain into a glass, and top with 1.5 ounces of ginger beer.

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BAYO KE A I L EAT

N U MA

THE GRILL ALTERNATIVE: CRAWFISH BOIL

SALUTE TO THE CHEF Maybe you like watching Andrew Zimmern eat all those bizarre foods and seeing Anthony Bourdain trek off to parts unknown. But, deep down, you know you want to be the guy in the kitchen, putting it all together like some Iron Chef rock star. Where do you start?

Head back to class. At Culinary Institute LeNotre, the Chef’s Club weekend courses allow you to create multi-course meals, while the associate’s degree programs and diploma coursework are designed to put graduates into a kitchen, armed with the culinary arts skills necessary for a professional setting.

Jan Robertson, who’s in charge of the Chef’s Club, says that each of those courses are stand-alone and provide a taste of how classical training works.

“We usually have between seven and 15 people to a class, so there’s a lot of individual attention,” she says, adding that a bonus to taking the courses is that it gives you an idea of what being in a professional kitchen is like.

“In our current regular degree programs, we have several people from our Chef’s Club who’ve enrolled and decided to do this for a living,” says Robertson. -HB

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When you think of kicking back in the backyard with some buddies, you might immediately think barbecue. While grilling out is always in style, right now is peak season for crawfish.

Greg Drouin, aka the Crawfish Man (thecrawfishman.com), says he’s been around mudbugs his

whole life. Growing up in south Louisiana, he says crawfish boils were a regular thing. When he came to Houston in the mid1990s, he brought his crawfishboil hosting talents with him and he’s spent the last two decades running events for organizations and individuals who want a little

taste of his slice of Louisiana.

“Having a crawfish boil is all about socializing,” he says. “It’s different from a barbecue. With a crawfish boil, you eat a little, you drink some beer, you hang out and you eat a little more.

There’s no such thing as one serving time.”

Jim Gossen, chairman of Sysco Louisiana Foods, agrees: “There’s something primitive about it, eating with your hands, the ritual of making the crawfish.”

Gossen came to Houston in 1975 and opened a string of restaurants, including Willie

G’s (now part of Landry’s) and Magnolia Bar & Grill, where he hosted regular crawfish boils on the restaurant’s porch. At one point, he estimates they were going through nearly 7,000 pounds of crawfish each week.

Both Gossen and Drouin have been involved with the annual Crawfish Festival in Spring, and they say hosting a boil of your own is pretty easy. Boil crawfish, serve up potatoes and corn, and open up a cold beer. If that’s not your style, Drouin says you can always call him. -HB

: CRAWFISH BOIL 101 : Perfect a do-it-yourself, back yard boil

WHILE ALL CRAWFISH BOILS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL, THE PREMISE IS JUST ABOUT THE SAME. GREG DROUIN, OWNER OF THE THE CRAWFISH MAN CATERING COMPANY, SHARES HIS MUDBUG KNOW-HOW WITH THIS RECIPE: Fill an 80-quart pot about halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add one 4 ½-pound bag of Louisiana Seasoning.

As it starts to dissolve, squeeze in fresh lemon juice to taste, along with 16 ounces of liquid crab boil and 1 pound of butter. (At this point, you can also add one whole onion, cut in halves, and cayenne pepper to taste.)

GREG DROUIN

“Having a crawfish boil is all about socializing.”

Bring to a second boil and allow the flavors to blend for 5 to 10 minutes.

Add in one 35-pound sack of crawfish (you may have to do it in batches) and cover, bringing to a final boil. Turn off the burner or remove the pot from heat and let sit for five minutes.

Remove crawfish from pot and transfer to an ice chest, sprinkle with seasoning to taste. The crawfish will keep for a few hours.

Serve with boiled corn on the cob and potatoes, and your beer of choice.

– Courtesy of Greg Drouin

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TS SUI R U P TE A N SIO PAS

T H E FA M I LY M A N

The redesigned TOYOTA HIGHLANDER has gone upscale for 2014, from its premium interior to its longer and wider, more chiseled exterior. Steering response is crisper, the cabin is much quieter and user-friendly, with storage space and technology galore. The standard configuration is seven passengers plus driver, so the Highlander can haul the kids, their friends and/or relatives. Or you can get captain’s chairs for the second row. The Hybrid version is rated at 28 mpg overall. The Highlander starts at around $29, 215; $47,300 for the hybrid.

DOG’S BEST FRIEND

SUBARU FORESTER is the Labrador retriever of cars: a dependable companion that’s ready and willing to go anywhere, anytime. It’s a “field dog” that we’ve taken out on trails you’d think are more suitable for Jeep Wranglers, while enjoying smooth jazz on the satellite radio. So it should gobble up Houston’s potholes with ease. Redesigned for the 2014 model year, this affordable beast (starts at around $22,000) gets up to 32 mpg on the highway and 24 around town.

LAP OF LUXURY

The AUDI A7 is the automotive equivalent of an Italian power suit. The clean, flowing lines of this coupe-like four-door are a visual treat. But it’s when you tickle the accelerator that its true character and athleticism are deliciously revealed. The A7 starts at $64,000. If you’ve got an extra $50K burning a hole in your portfolio, order yourself the over-the-top RS7 variant, a 560-horse work of art.

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HOW HE ROLLS Dressed, fed and into the vehicle. For the man behind the wheel, Jeff Yip, automotive journalist who’s written for the Houston Chronicle, Los Angeles Times and The New York Times, offers up his take on what the Bayou Man is driving.

bayou city m ag a z i n e March/April/May 2014

P I C K U P, T R I E D A N D T R U E

The new-for-2014 GMC SIERRA 1500 packs a combination punch of versatility, style, capability and civility. Then there’s the operating cost. The 4.3-liter V6 produces 305 lb.-ft. of torque, but has an EPA rating of 18/24 city/highway mpg. If you aren’t in a time bind, you might do well to check out GMC’s new mid-size 2015 Canyon when it arrives this fall.

Its 3.6-liter V6 will have close to the same power as the Sierra full-size, but just as important in urban settings, parking will be a whole lot easier.

SUPER HOT HYBRID

The gutsy TESLA MODEL S electrified the marketplace by proving that green cars needn’t be goofy.

Starting at $63,570 and built like tanks, Tesla’s sexy four-door offers blistering acceleration, especially with the performance package. Range anxiety hardly raises its head since the Tesla can go up to 300 miles per charge. The other charge? Zipping by gas stations with impunity because the Tesla S uses no gasoline and puts out no greenhouse gases.

MONEY IS NO OBJECT

The MERCEDES-BENZ SLS AMG GT FINAL EDITION is literally and figuratively the ultimate power statement. To mark the end of a magical era, this instant collectible will be limited to a run of 350 coupes (Gullwings) and roadsters. Stickering north of $220,000, those able to latch on to a Final Edition will need to be as well heeled as they are lucky. The car gets special aero touches, but will be powered by the standard 583-horsepower 6.3-liter hand-assembled V8.

WORKOUT WARRIOR : SLOW BURN : Why the Bayou Man “kneads” a good massage.

Following the rigor of sports activity, the Bayou Man views a massage as a necessary means to an end, the perfect way to bring everything back down to a resting pulse rate. And that’s true whether the sport in question is a brisk match of bocce ball, a bouldering adventure at the Hueco Tanks or anything in between.

Fortunately for all, as the masseuse’s art has evolved over the years, it’s been refined to the level of a science.

“Years ago, sports massage was reserved just for athletes,” says Patrick Jarvis, lead therapist at Massage Heights in Washington Heights. “That was when the average guy who wanted to play sports went out in the back yard and tossed a ball around with the kids or, at most, had a pickup basketball game with the guys down the street.”

Nowadays, Jarvis points out, men (and women) from all walks of life and professions push themselves to far greater tests of their mettle.

“They run marathons, they’re triathletes, they bike and do the MS 150. What you end up with is more so-called ‘average’ people being as wellconditioned as athletes and in need of sports massages. I’m doing massages today that I used to only do when I worked for the athletic department at a university,” Jarvis says.

Under the catchall rubric of “sports massage,” the treatment can get very specific and particular to the muscle group that the sport exercises, Jarvis explains.

If the Bayou Man does anything, he does it with conviction. Especially in situations when he’s pitting his prowess—his brain, might and muscle—against the elements. Never to be perfectly pinned down or typecast, there’s an entire spectrum of Bayou Man personas on the course, the field, the track or the gym.

Here are just a few.

The “to the limits” male specimen regu-

1 larly puts it all on the line. Every day, with merciless self-punishment, he’s busy doing wind sprints and hitting the hard bag, prepping for his next Tough Mudder competition.

If not that, then he’s investing every muscle and sinew into the newly legendary Spartan Race, about which its promoters say: “There’s a fire in everyone; they have it in them and they need an outlet to prove that they have that ‘Spartan spirit.’ ” Round out these two ultimate endurance tests with an Ironman competition or two, and you what we mean when we say that this category of Bayou Man knows no boundaries.

Next up are those who take it down

2 a notch—the man who might not be pushing himself to the absolute limits of his endurance, but who still risks hitting his own personal wall at a CrossFit gym or

as a boot camp competitor. CrossFit—a branded concept involving the holy trinity of movement, fitness and nutrition—has swept Houston and the country at large, making believers of the thousands of fitness disciples who sign up for the conditioning ride of their life. And a glance at the burgeoning bevy of fitness boot camps in the Houston area are testimony to the dedication with which the Bayou Man approaches his fitness.

Then there’s the old standby, the

3 Bayou Man whom we find religiously working it (and checking it) at the local LA Fitness or 24 Hour Fitness. Look around, the man we’re talking about will be the one who’s using the treadmill or elliptical machine to the limits, getting the most of his early-morning, pre-work workout or his after-work escape where he can sweat the day’s pressures away.

And let’s not forget the spiritual

4 side of the Bayou Man, the blissful zen practitioner who’s seeking his “chi” in intense meditation or a “Mayurasana” (peacock pose) or other impossibly difficult yoga posture. There’s nirvana out there, and the Bayou Man is determined to find it. -BF

CrossFit has swept the Bayou City, making a believer out of the Bayou Man, who signs up for the conditioning ride of his life.

“If it’s a golfer, we’re going to want to work primarily on flexibility. If he tells me he’s going to be doing a triathlon, that lets me know I’m going to want to work his IT (iliotibial) band, quads, calves, his shoulders for the swimming portion of it. It just depends on what sport is involved and his level of engagement in it,” he says.

In sum, as the Bayou Man would certainly agree, if the investment in the sport is worth anything at all, it’s worth the price of a premiere massage. -BF

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PASS

IO

PUR NATE

SUIT

S

ON THE

Hunt 1986, the club has offered membership to men and women, inviting them 80 miles southwest to El Campo, where they’ll tramp about in a meticulously groomed, 20,000-acre wetlands tract. The spacious site invites a wide assortment of wild duck and geese species, and even some sandhill cranes that are fair game in Texas.

Todd Steele, who co-founded the club with his business partner Paul McDonald, says the lure of this experience is undeniable.

“It’s almost an addiction, when people get involved in this kind of hunting,” he says. “[Club members] come here, get up in the morning and it’s cold, the wind is howling, it’s wet. But they inevitably get pumped about duck hunting. It’s all about getting into the elements and down to Mother Nature.”

Steele points out that, unlike some hunting clubs where the game is farmed on the premises and set free just prior to the hunt, the game at his club is completely wild—migratory birds that fly south from Canada.

“We create the habitat that attracts them and they flock to it,” he says.

Some Bayou Men prefer scanning the horizon for clay pigeons to those fluttering on the wing. It’s all a matter of taste. In that regard, Houston’s American Shooting Center in George Bush Park has been a sport shooter’s paradise since 1989. Situated on 563 spacious acres, the club offers rifle and pistol range shooting with more than 200 positions, and—separately—skeet, trap and clay fields, all supported by quality staff. -BM

TODD STEELE

For many Bayou Men, the thrill of the hunt is one of the most irresistible experiences they can imagine. Some would argue that the hunting spirit is so deeply rooted in the human psyche that it’s aboriginal—primal. They say, we are gatherers, certainly, but also hunters.

Not every Bayou Man embraces hunting, but it is bigger than you may realize. If you don’t own your own lease, but still want to get in on the experience, here are some ideas.

In and around Houston, hunting bigger game isn’t a readily available option for most Bayou Men, but, fortunately, a handful of hunting clubs that offer their members a premiere waterfowl hunting experience are springing up in several locations. One of the longest-running clubs of this kind is the Thunderbird Hunting Club and Lodge. Since

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“It’s all about getting into the elements and down to Mother Nature.”

- Todd Steele

GET INVOLVED AT

pinoak.org

PRESENTED BY

H A R A S D O S CAVA L E I R O S AND

I R I S H DAY FA R M THE PIN OAK CHARITY HORSE SHOW PROCEEDS BENEFIT TEXAS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, RONALD MCDONALD FAMILY ROOMS AND CANDLELIGHTERS CHILDHOOD CANCER FAMILY ALLIANCE.

THE PIN OAK CHARITY HORSE SHOW IS A 501(C)3 NON-PROFIT ENTITY.

M ARCH 19 - M A R C H 3 0 , 2 0 1 4 G R E A T S O U T H W E S T E Q U E S T R I A N C E N T E R , K A T Y, T E X A S

STEP UP AND STEP OUT FOR CHILDREN T H A N K YO U T O O U R G E N E R O U S S P O N S O R S F O R M A K I N G T H I S E V E N T P O S S I B L E :

engage in bayou events

ARCHITECTS OF AIR

74 EXPERIENCE IT From neighborhood festivals to city-wide extravaganzas, discover the breadth of what you can see, do and experience in our Bayou City. For even more events and happenings, check the Bayou City Daily Doing calendar at bayoucitymagazine.com.

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engage

Downtown BOTTOMS UP

Season Sponsor

Montrose / Neartown EARTH WORKS

Ceramic artist V. Chin and painter David Connolly come together to present “Earth Works” at Archway Gallery through April 3. The artists’ works complement each other in their use of fluid glazes and subtle color harmonies. 2505

Celebrating all things whiskey, the Houston Whiskey Festival features a wide selection of blended Scotch and single malts, bourbon, rye, Irish, Japanese, Canadian and other craft-distilled whiskies. Enjoy gourmet hors d’oeuvres and bring your own cigars to enjoy in the festival cigar lounge.

Held March 15, the festival benefits the Santana Dotson Foundation. $65 and $125. 6 p.m. Julia Ideson Library, 500 McKinney St. 888-695-0888, houstonwhiskeyfestival.com

Photos by RichaRd teRmine

Dunlavy St. 713-522-2409, archwaygallery.com

hobby center

VISION OF LIGHT

Downtown AMERICAN DANCE In “SPA Presents Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater,”

call today for best seats! tickets start at only $24!

tuts.com 713.558.tuts pg

experience the talent of this renowned company. From contemporary favorites to beloved classics, these magnificent dancers offer something for every taste. Closing the program will be Ailey’s masterpiece “Revelations,” called “one of the great works of the human spirit”

by The New York Times. Two nights only, March 14-15. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana St. 713-2274772, spahouston.org

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bayou city m ag a z i n e March/April/May 2014

Events subject to change.

Back by popular demand, Britain’s Architects of Air returns to Discovery Green March 15-23 with a new interactive display. Inspired by the Lotus Temple in India, Miracoco is a monumental, inflatable structure made up of a maze of winding paths and soaring domes designed to generate a sense of wonder at the beauty of light and color. $10 to $25. 1500 McKinney. discoverygreen.com Katy

EQUESTRIAN EXTRAVAGANZA

The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, benefitting Texas Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald Family Rooms and the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance, takes place

ARCHWAY GALLERY | SOCIETY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS | ARCHITECTS OF AIR

may 6 – 18

Discovery Green

See equestrian performances in all their glory at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, March 19-30.

March 19-30. Events include the

Texas High Performance Series with multiple Grand Prix, hunter, jumper and Hunter Derby events, including the “Hatter Derby,” when lovely hat-wearing ladies may be selected to win a pair of Valobra earrings. Grand prix general admission tickets $10. Great Southwest Equestrian Center, 2501 South Mason Road, Katy. 713-621-6290, pinoak.org EaDo

URBAN MARKETPLACE

In the first of its four planned weekend markets this year, Watershed Market’s grand opening event Urban Elements: Sights, Sounds & Flavors in East

PIN OAK CHARITY HORSE SHOW

Downtown Houston brings vendors from across the city in transportation, innovation, art and fashion, food and drink, health and wellness, and home and garden to its location near the International Promenade. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on March 22-23, the market event will introduce the GLASIR ideology (Green, Local, Sustainable, Adaptable, Innovative, Reuse), showcase local entertainers and offer presentations and hands-on workshops in beekeeping, soldering and bike repair, among others.

R

Randall Murrow Photography Headshots Commercial Editorial Weddings

randallmurrow.com weddingsbyrandall.com 832.712.2230

2322 Polk. watershedmarket.com

Events subject to change.

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engage

Memorial Park ART ON THE BAYOU

More than 300 visual and performing artists will showcase their works at the Bayou City Art Festival from March 28-30 at Memorial Park. In addition to original art works, there will be a “creative zone” for children, art demonstrations, music and dance performances. Proceeds

benefit local nonprofits and community initiatives. $3 to T H E AVO N WA L K F O R B R E A S T C A N C E R

2 AMAZING DAYS. 39 LIFE-SAVING MILES.

$15. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parking available at Northwest Mall and Downtown Theater District. bayoucityartfestival.com

The spring Bayou City Art Festival returns to Memorial Park, March 28-30.

Hermann Park

HOUSTON APRIL 12-13

AVONWALK.ORG

REGISTER. VOLUNTEER. DONATE.

attend. 10 a.m. 6100 Hermann Park Drive. 713-524-5876, hermannpark.org

national sponsor

REMEMBER, EARLY DETECTION HELPS SAVE LIVES.

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bayou city m ag a z i n e March/April/May 2014

Events subject to change.

BAYOU CITY ARTS FESTIVAL

HIGH-FLYING FUN`

On March 29, kite lovers will enjoy a day of fun at the Hermann Park Kite Festival.

Family-friendly activities include kite-making, kiteflying competitions, food, music, kids’ play area and more. The South Houston Area Recreational Kiters will be onhand demonstrating trick kiteflying and showing off some of their biggest kites. Free to

Gen’s Antiques

Proud host of 1st Saturday Arts Market

Ars Lyrica Houston premieres Handel’s “Susanna” March 29-30 at the Hobby Center.

Downtown SEASON OF DISCOVERY

Grammy-nominated music ensemble Ars Lyrica Houston continues its 10th anniversary season with the Texas premiere of Handel’s “Susanna.” The oratorio, which performs March 29-30, stars mezzo-soprano Meg Bragle and the University of Houston Moores School of Music Concert Chorale along with soloists Melissa Givens, Timothy Jones, Abigail Levis, Brian Shircliffe and Zachary Averyt. The performance is conducted by Ars Lyrica founder and artistic director Matthew Dirst. $22 to $55. Hobby

Art Antiques Furniture Collectibles Home Decor

713-868-2368 540 W 19th St Houston, TX 77008

Center, 800 Bagby St. 713-3152525, arslyricahouston.org Museum District

PAINT AND PAPER

The Jung Center presents Geometry in Paint and Paper: Ebony Porter and Joan Son. The

ARS LYRICA HOUSTON

artists, both from Houston, share the gallery space for the month of April. Ebony Porter’s suite of dot paintings, “Calm West” focuses on the light, space and energy of the American west. Joan Son’s “Time Travelers” is inspired by paperdoll dresses. Opening reception, April 5, 5-7 p.m. Exhibit runs April 1-29 at the Jung Center, 5200 Montrose Blvd. 713-5248253, junghouston.org

Events subject to change.

bayoucitymagazine.com

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engage

2013-2014 SEASON EXPERIENCE IT. of Great Britain and Bob Boyett present

Downtown

City-wide

SMOOTH JAZZ

COLLABORATIVE ART

Legendary jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter comes to Houston on April 4 to celebrate Late Style for Da Camera’s 2013/2014 season. A member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and the Miles Davis Quintet before becoming a bandleader, Shorter composed such jazz standards as “Nefertiti,” “E.S.P.” and “Footprints.” $35 to $65. 8 p.m. Wortham Theater Center, 500 Texas Ave. 832-487-7000, houstonfirsttheaters.com

Based on the beloved novel by Michael Morpurgo • Adapted by Nick Stafford In association with the Tony Award®-winning Handspring Puppet Company

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MADE IN ITALY ExhibItalia organized by the Italian-American Chamber of Commerce of Texas and Unioncamere, will bring “made in Italy” to Houston. From high-end fashion and jewelry to furniture, food and technology, visitors can experience a bit of the Italian craftsmen’s desire to turn the mundane into a thing of beauty. The exhibit runs April 5-6 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Tickets $12

Winner!

2011 Tony Awards

Downtown

®

University of Houston’s Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts launches a new annual interdisciplinary arts festival, CounterCurrent. Running April 9-13, the festival comprises 12 performances, installations and experiences running across Houston in galleries, outdoor sites and non-traditional spaces.

Highlights of the show include Jonah Bokaer and Anthony McCall’s ECLIPSE, a dance/ installation that marries light and movement; Byron Au Yong and Susie Lee’s virtual piano ensemble, Concerto Houston; and Lagartijas Tiradas al Sol’s El Rumor, a documentary play. Free passes and a complete schedule at countercurrentfestival.org.

($9 presale). 1001 Avenida De Las Americas. 713-626-9393, exhibititalia.com VINE TIME

BON VOYAGE

On April 23, the Small Steps Wine Classic returns for its fifth year. Master Sommelier Guy Stout will participate in this wine and food pairing dinner benefiting Small Steps Nurturing Center, an early childhood program committed to serving economically atrisk children. The evening begins with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, followed by dinner and a wine presentation.

Sponsorships available. 6 p.m.

Archway Gallery presents

ON SALE NOW! MAY 27 – JUNE 1 • BroadwayAtTheHobbyCenter.com • 800.982.2787 Groups 10+ 888.451.5986 Due to the nature of live entertainment, dates, times, prices, shows, actors, venues and sales are subject to change without notice.

All tickets subject to convenience charges.

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bayou city m ag a z i n e March/April/May 2014

“Voyages (of the mind, and otherwise)” featuring

photographs by Fikry Botros.

The exhibition, which features photographs covering a range of real and imaginary voyages by the artist will be on view April 5 to May 2. The artist will be on hand to visit with guests during the exhibition opening reception on April 5 from 5 to 8 p.m. 2505 Dunlavy St. 713-5222409, archwaygallery.com

Events subject to change.

Bayou Club, 8550 Memorial Drive. ssnc.org

SMALL STEPS NURTURING CENTER

Memorial Montrose / Neartown

Bayou City’s new newsletter:

Sipping Bring your appetite to the Sugar Land Wine & Food Affair, being held April 23-27.

Sugar Land

FOODIE HEAVEN

The Sugar Land Wine & Food Affair runs April 23-27, bringing chefs from across the United States and Mexico to celebrate all things food and drink. The event will include tastings, a bartender’s challenge, beer, wine and tequila seminars, an outdoor beer garden, chef demonstrations, The Grand Tasting, Sip and Stroll, the Bistro Brunch and more. The event benefits a permanent scholarship endowment at the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management.

Tickets $40-175. 713-747-9463, sugarlandwineandfoodaffair.com Downtown PAGE TURNER

SUGAR LAND WINE & FOOD AFFAIR

Spend an evening with Maria and Neil Bush, and other members of the Bush family, at the Houston Celebration of Reading 20th Anniversary on April 24. The event will also honor 25th anniversary of the founding of the Barbara Bush Foundation, and will benefit the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Best-selling authors Eric Blehm, John Grisham and Walter Isaacson will be in attendance to share their works.

Individual tickets start at $150. 7 p.m. Hobby Center, 800 Bagby St. barbarabush.org

Events subject to change.

Introducing the newest Bayou City Daily newsletter, Sipping, with all you need to know to sip, swallow and quaff your way through Houston’s cool cocktails, craft beer and wine.

Sipping joins the family of Bayou City Daily newsletters: Monday Living - Embody the Bayou lifestyle.

Thursday Shopping - Follow sophisticated

Tuesday

trends and styles.

Doing - Find events and happenings

worth the time, money & outfit.

Friday Exploring - Find local gems for

Wednesday

your weekend jaunts.

Dining - Indulge with restaurant

news & experiences, plus tips, tricks and recipes.

Scan this page with Layar to get Bayou City’s Freebie guides to Houston’s Hidden Gem Restaurants and Best Jewelry Stores and become a Bayou City Daily subscriber.

Saturday Sipping - A guide to the coolest local

cocktails, craft beer and wine.

Experience it!

www.bayoucmag.com bayoucitymagazine.com

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engage

Museum District CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

Museum District

The Hermann Park Conservancy celebrates its centennial at Evening in the Park on April 25. Guests will enjoy strolling along the Jones Reflection Pool, dining beside McGovern Lake and dancing under the stars on Molly Ann Smith Plaza.

Individual tickets start at $500.

EVENING WITH A STAR “An Intimate Evening with Rita Moreno,” the Houston Arts

6:30 p.m. Hermann Park, 6100 Hermann Park Drive. 713-5245876, Ext. 334, hermannpark.org

Alliance’s inaugural fundraiser, features Broadway, film and television star Rita Moreno.

Winner of the entertainment industry’s “grand slam” of prestigious awards, Moreno is known for roles from “West Side Story” to “ The Electric Company.” The May 1 event benefits programs and services of the Houston Arts Alliance. Starting at $1,000 per couple. 6:30 p.m. Hotel ZaZa, 5701 Main St. 713-581-6118, houstonartsalliance.com Seabrook HAUTE WHEELS Held May 3-4, the Keels & Wheels Concours d’Elegance promises

GO GREEN On April 26, runners are invited to race in green6.2 featuring

a 10K course that begins at CityCentre, winds through surrounding neighborhoods, and ends at CityCentre. There will also be a kids 1K race and an awards ceremony. The race is a qualifier for the Chevron Houston Marathon. 7:45 a.m.

800 W. Sam Houston Parkway North. green62.com Downtown

HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY

bayou city m ag a z i ne March/April/May 2014

City-wide

SERENE OASIS

Explore 20 backyard ponds and water gardens across the city, open to the public on May 3-4. Presented by the Houston Pond Society and the Lone Star Koi Club, the

On April 29, the Brilliant Lecture Series brings Bette Midler, the divine Ms. M herself, to share experiences over 40 years of glamour, Grammys, Golden Globes, Emmys and more in Hollywood. 7 p.m.

Wortham Center, 500 Texas Ave. VIP dinner tickets available, 713-974-1335. Tickets and

Houston Pond & Water Garden Tour

information at 832-487-7041,

FOR MORE EVENTS: bayoucitynetwork.com/calendar

brilliantlectures.org

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$35 at the gate. Lakewood Yacht Club, 2425 NASA Parkway, Seabrook. keels-wheels.com

Events subject to change.

features self-guided tours of 300gallon goldfish puddles, multiple ponds connected by streams and waterfalls, tanks housing showquality koi and other ponds and landscapes. Tickets are $10 for both days. houstonpondsociety.org or lonestarkoi.com GREEN6.2

CityCentre

to be a weekend full of classic automobiles and boats, all on display at the Lakewood Yacht Club. Car and boat exhibitors (and spectators, too) come from all over the country to see the classics. Proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Harbor. $25 in advance,

Stop Go back before it’s too late....

Downloaded the Layar app!

Scan this page to see what AR can do to bring print to life.

THERE IS AMAZING (FREE) AUGMENTED REALITY ALL THROUGHOUT THIS ISSUE! SEE PAGE 08 FOR DETAILS

Experience it!

Friday, April 25 thru Sunday, May 4. Don’t miss your exclusive 10-day opportunity for incredible savings at Houston’s finest retailers and restaurants, all while benefitting the American Heart Association.

Visit ShopWithHeart.org to purchase your Card for a minimum donation of $40 and receive: • A 20% discount off regular prices at participating retailers.

• A free appetizer or dessert with purchase of an entrée at participating restaurants.

ONE CARD. 10 DAYS. COUNTLESS LIVES SAVED. ORDER YOUR SHOP WITH HEART CARD TODAY.

1085605_A05_ShoppingHeart_7_878x4_7261.indd 1

See the full list of participating merchants at ShopWithHeart. org, or purchase your Card at participating retailers starting April 10. It’s big savings, with a bigger benefit!

Generously underwritten by:

2/4/14 3:36 PM

bayoucitymagazine.com — 1001 Fannin Street, Suite 500, Houston, TX 77002

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scan this page to get social with us.

Signs of Springtime What says spring in the Bayou City to you?

W

e got some great cold winter this year, but spring is definitely springing in now. What lets you know spring has arrived in the Bayou City (besides turning on the AC)? A festival? A flower or tree? A tradition? Sounds like spring fashion (how can you tell the difference from the rest of the year?) and the rodeo may be the winners. Here are a few of the answers from our friends on Facebook and Twitter.

SPRING IN HOUSTON MEANS GARDENING AND PULLING OFF THE POOL COVERS! @GVBTexas

SLEEVELESS TOPS AND SANDALS

DINING

Angélique Jamail

DON’T FORGET

AL FRESCO AZALEAS! Gail McNeil Longoria

SPRING IN #HTX MEANS CRAWFISH, Y’ALL! AND WE CAN’T FORGET ABOUT #RODEOHOUSTON @GoodeCompany

ARTS FESTIVAL

We follow the hashtags #BayouIQ and #BayouCityMag on social media.

Alan Morlan

Lisa Acosta Buss

THE BAYOU CITY The Bayou City’s got questions and we know you’ve got answers. Join the conversation by sharing your answer to our next Bayou IQ question.

Where’s your favorite spot to be a tourist in our Bayou City?

Do you have any insider tips for tourist-ing in our town?

Submit your answers and we’ll publish the ones that inform or engage us (or just tickle our fancy).

MOSQUITOES!

Laurie Hatfield

CRAWFISH BOILS!!

Brooke Browning Persyn

DAFFODILS BLUEBONNETS! Laine Little

THOUGH THEY HAVEN’T BEEN AS PLENTIFUL THE PAST FEW YEARS.

Marcie Newton

THAT’S A NO-BRAINER! #SPRING FASHION AND @RODEOHOUSTON @MPennerHouston

A N D

F R O M

O U R

T E A M

SPRINGTIME IS RODEO TIME! Julie Osterman

TEXAS WILDFLOWERS, FLOWERING SPRING TREES: OF COURSE. DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME! Becky Davis

REDBUDS, CHERRY BLOSSOMS, PEAR, APPLE… Libby Ingrassia

Mark Standridge

WHEN MY GARDENS ARE BLOOMING AND DAYLIGHT SAVINGS HAS ARRIVED...SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!

Michelle Moore

We reserve the right to edit submissions for space and clarity. By submitting or tagging us, you give us permission to publish your answers.

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bayou city m ag a z i ne March/April/May 2014

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