Maison Francis KurkdjianIf Frenchman Francis Kurkdjian has his way fragrance would subtly permeate every aspect of our daily lives. This master perfumer has worked for more than 15 years consulting with big perfume manufacturers to create the cash cow of most designer brands: their fragrances. From Armani to Dior, Lanvin to Narciso Rodriguez, this Coty perfume award-winner and a recipient of...

Possibly the most anticipated chick flick of the summer, Eat, Pray, Love is the film adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s wildly popular, true story of her journey of marvel and discovery within that takes this writer around the globe in a moving adventure that has captivated millions of readers. Inspired by the movie’s premise, Lev Glazman, Fresh co-founder and fragrance designer, ...

If you haven’t heard, Sprinkles has come to Houston. The very first cupcake bakery created anywhere, this Beverly Hills export bakes up some of the moistest, yummiest cupcakes you’ll find — sweet treats that even inspire lines around the block in some locations. With a celebrity following that includes boldfaced names such as Tom Cruise, Rhianna and Jessica Alba, Sprinkles ow...

She warned us what to do–and more importantly– what not to do to look old before our time in How to Not Look Old (Springboard Press, 2009), now style expert Charla Krupp is back with sage advice on a subject women of every age can heed: How to Never Look Fat Again (Springboard Press, 2010, $26.99). Not a diet book (though Krupp’s a huge proponent of a healthy one coupled ...

I’m not sure if possessing a mirror with four times magnification (or God forbid ten!) is a blessing or a curse, nonetheless, every morning like a lot of people, after I shower I’m face to face with a looking glass than bares all. Luckily, I’m a beauty junkie who realized a long time ago that to carry off my preferred daytime “natural look” actually requires a l...

Executive chef Aaron Neeley at the Hotel ZaZa has just put out his new spring menu and there isn’t a new addition I wouldn’t highly recommend. Well thought out, and executed, Neeley has taken on classic dishes and given them a contemporary, yet playful tweak. On staff since the museum district hotel’s opening four years ago, Neeley was elevated within the last year and a ha...

It seems like the American way–everyone’s struggling to keep up with the proverbial Joneses. If you’ve ever found yourself tempted by the notion when you see the fun new flick, THE JONESES you won’t want so much as keep up with these wealthy, pretty, seemingly perfect neighbors, as you’ll want to BE them. Demi Moore and David Duchovny star as Kate and Steve Jone...

Spring is finally here. The azaleas are in bloom, the tulips are poised to pop up shortly, while those luscious paper-like peonies arrive in flower shops in mere weeks. All of which has me contemplating spring fragrances. I adore wearing and collecting perfume, deciding each morning what scent suits me that day. The bottles often allure me, but, of course, it’s what’s inside that...

Calling all Anglophiles. If you’re mad about all things British and have a passion for the finer tastes in life, you’ll want to peruse the Central Market cheese aisle and take home a few new Juliet Harbutt British cheese selections.   Who pray tell is Juliet Harbutt? She’s only the author of World Cheese Book (DK Publishing, October 2009, $25) and the creator of ...

When my dear friend and Studio Communications PR wiz Gail Rubin called and told me that Lonny magazine (www.lonnymag.com), that new design webazine everyone is chattering about, had requested to shoot my home, I was beyond flattered. When she asked me if I could have it camera ready in eight days–panic set in.  All those updates I had planned to do over the next year or so, had...