Paper City Article

Cozy Up With an Old Flame

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 01:52:46 GMT

Some pine for grouse season or tulip season %26mdash; but me, I await fireside season. If the weather doesn%26rsquo;t cooperate in Texas, I%26rsquo;ll take frosty sabbaticals east to do nothing more than sit before a roaring, fragrant blaze, read and sip. One of the best is the Taj Boston, an old-world 1927 hotel at Arlington and Newbury streets, overlooking the Public Garden, with 44 suites with fireplaces and a Fireplace Butler. From October to April, choose your wood, then shop Newbury, Chestnut and Charles streets (don%26rsquo;t miss E.R. Butler, J. McLaughlin) and return to your bespoke fire. Fireside Suites from $455 per night, with the second night 50 percent off. Reservations 877.482.5267; tajhotels.com/boston.

Happy (and High-Style) Trails

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:41:51 GMT

There%26rsquo;s a new way to do Cedar Creek %26mdash; and it means donning your finest ranch hat. The 505 Ranch Club on Cedar Creek Lake (named for its 505 lush, wooded acres, natch) offers a posh lakefront address with rustic, home-on-the-range surrounds: stocked fishing ponds, a polo field, trails galore and round-the-clock ranch hands. Bring your own builder %26mdash; there are more than 30 lots primed and ready for constructing your gated escape. (Our dream dwelling? A Rem Koolhaas cabin under 505%26rsquo;s ancient oaks, filled with travertine floors and taxidermy.) Residents have all-access to the Adirondack-style clubhouse, featuring a full-service kitchen, game room, infinity pool, fire pit and private beach. And don%26rsquo;t forget to bring your thoroughbred: The Ranch Club offers leasable equestrian stables fit for the next Secretariat. 505 Ranch Club on Cedar Creek Lake, 101 This Way (in Mabank, Texas), 903.887.3000; 505ranch.com.

Image: 505 Clubhouse. Photo by Phil Huber.

That Little Blue Box

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:20:29 GMT

Does your heart skip a beat at the sight of Tiffany %26amp; Co.%26rsquo;s little blue box? If so, then it might just leap from your chest when you check into the new Tiffany suite at The St. Regis New York. The sparkling, 1,700-square-foot suite %26mdash; designed in conjunction with Tiffany%26rsquo;s design director emeritus, John Loring %26mdash; features that famous blue hue, along with white wedding-cake molding in the dining room (as well as a crystal chandelier and a dining table groaning with a Tiffany %26amp; Co. china service for 10) and a neutral palette of whites, beiges, grays and silver throughout. Floor-to-ceiling windows grant guests a sparkling 14th-floor view of Fifth Avenue and Central Park. Wouldn%26rsquo;t Holly Go-Lightly love to throw a f%26ecirc;te in this swank aerie? We think so. Rates from $8,500; stregis.com/newyork.

Two for the Road

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 04:51:31 GMT

It might not have been Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn in a Mercedes roadster in the South of France, but PaperCity%26rsquo;s visual arts editor Catherine D. Anspon and photographer Jenny Antill made for a fashionable pilgrimage to the Texas Hill Country. Four hundred miles and 54 hours later %26mdash; after stops in Kyle, Driftwood and overnights in historic Wimberley %26mdash; the duo returned with this charming guide to the heart of central Texas.

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Elliot, Pete and Ashton Anton

Take the Plunge %26mdash; Blue Hole: Among today%26rsquo;s top five sustainable projects under the guise of the National Park Service, the historic Blue Hole reopened this June, a shining example of public funding and private philanthropy coming together to raise more than $7.4 million to acquire, preserve, revitalize and tweak this beautiful spot fed by the natural springs of Cypress Creek. An enticing destination for generations since the Dobie family opened it to the public in the 1920s, this oasis of water and green a short stroll from Wimberley%26rsquo;s town square is considered the most beautiful swimming hole in Texas. Cypress trees strung with Spanish moss and rope swings for kids shade its banks. Jump-started by the initiative of Peter Way of Houston and the nonprofit Friends of Blue Hole led by executive director/former Wimberley mayor Steve Klepfer, the redux by national landscape architects Design Workshop features a master plan for Blue Holes%26rsquo; 126 acres %26mdash; picnic grounds, hiking trails, an amphitheater and on a nearby hillside, coming this fall, tennis courts and soccer fields. Blue Hole Lane, off Old Kyle Road near junction of FM 3237, 512.847.0025 (City Hall, for off-season group reservations); friendsofbluehole.org.

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Avant-Garde Architecture %26mdash; The Plant at Kyle: We motored over to Kyle, 15 minutes from Wimberley, then headed down a long and winding country road towards a monument to sustainability, recycled buildings and living on the land, as well as one of the signature projects that launched Lake/Flato Architects and ushered in a new era in Texas architecture. The Plant at Kyle (aka the Carraro Residence after its original owners, Francine and Henry Carraro) was erected in 1989 from 1920s-era sheds from the Alamo Cement plant in San Antonio. This hidden Hill Country landmark is now co-owned by museum director/curator Dana Friis-Hansen; his partner, IT guru Mark Holzbach; and Austin Realtor Carrie Bills. The trio rents out the AIA lauded and nationally published industrial structure-turned-dwelling %26mdash; sited on 17 Hill Country acres %26mdash; for weddings, parties and tribes who want to bunk in cutting-edge style while cozying up to Mother Nature. For inquiries, 512.689.6777; theplantatkyle.com.

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Becky Jordan

Take Class %26mdash; Heart of Texas Yoga: For extended stays in Wimberley, do your downward- facing dogs with Becky Jordan, a master with nearly 20 years%26rsquo; expertise in Hatha yoga. Edging the main square, this upstairs neighbor of D Berman Gallery is a serene space with calming views of the treescape and Cypress Creek. 111 Old Kyle Road, Suite 200, Wimberley, 512.663.4278; heartoftexasyoga.com.

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George Krause

Studio Krause: We had to come to the Hill Country to meet the founder of the photography department at the University of Houston and one of the most acclaimed lensmen of our time, George Krause. This senior grand master, Prix de Rome winner and a Texas Artist of the Year %26mdash; who has published major books and created some of the 20th century%26rsquo;s most memorable images %26mdash; is in the collection of MoMA, MFAH, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Biblioth%26egrave;que Nationale in Paris. In Wimberley, we perused his studio and home (stay tuned for our future Nest feature, chez Krause, in a fall issue) and admired two of his most inventive series: startling life-size sculptures of saints, alongside his %26ldquo;Sfumato%26rdquo; portraits, again life-size, this time of nudes haloed by orbs of light, all available through the artist%26rsquo;s web of galleries: Harris Gallery (Houston), Photographs Do Not Bend Gallery (Dallas) and in downtown Wimberley at D Berman Gallery (read on). For more, georgekrause.com.

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John Lichtenberger, Damian Mandola

Trattoria Lisina: Damian Mandola%26rsquo;s retirement plans morphed into this astonishing new endeavor where the Texas Wine Country meets Tuscany. In this grand restaurant, vistas of rolling hills laced with vineyards offer an idyllic backdrop for Italian gastronomic marvels (osso buco, anyone?) by chef John Lichtenberger, a transplant from Manhattan whose previous stints include a toque turn at Le Bernardin. Culinary offerings include pasta hand-rolled by Lichtenberger%26rsquo;s wife, Carla; vintages imported from Italy; acres of prosciutto di Parma; classic pizze (which were packed up and sent with us for our tour at The Plant); and refreshing homemade gelati and sorbeti. Unwind the big unwind in this Driftwood epicurean experience on the way to Wimberley. 13308 FM 150 West, Driftwood, 512.894.3111; trattorialisina.com.

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Duchman Family Winery: Who knew that the biggest winery devoted to Texas vintages is in Driftwood. Stroll past a bocce ball court and down a flower-strewn pathway steps from Trattoria Lisina to reach the Italian villa-esque limestone building that%26rsquo;s HQ for this million-dollar family-owned operation. We peeked at the barrels, vats and bottling operation, and are yearning to return for a tasting tour where cheese boards and charcuterie are paired with the Duchmans%26rsquo; acclaimed Sangiovese, Dolcetto, Aglianico and Vermentino. 13308 FM 150 West, Driftwood, 512.858.1470; duchmanfamilywinery.com.

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Michele McCullough

Sip! on the Square/Wimberley Cafe: What%26rsquo;s a small town without a java joint. Enter 20-something Michele McCullough, who left a marketing career to take up shop and open Sip! Her charming down-home destination on the Wimberley Square buys its beans from Anderson%26rsquo;s Coffee in Austin and makes a mean cappuccino, augmented by tea and sweets. Head next door and get a burger or comfort food, seven days a week, from Michele%26rsquo;s folks, Robin and Mac McCullough, at the Wimberley Cafe. Sip!, 101-C Wimberley Square, Wimberley, 817.733.5771; siponthesquare.com. Wimberley Cafe, 101-A Wimberley
Square, Wimberley, 512-847.3333; wimberleycafe.com.

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The Leaning Pear: We bid Wimberley goodbye with a lunch of BBLT (the extra B is for %26ldquo;brie%26rdquo;) and roasted poblano pimento cheese sandwiches and limeade under the leafy patio of this lovely gathering spot that was opened by Rachel and Matthew Buchanan. One of the town%26rsquo;s most frequented dining establishments, Leaning Pear has attracted a Hill Country following for serving locally inspired cuisine sourced from nearby farmers, ranchers and culinary artisans. 111 River Road, Wimberley, 512.847.7327; leaningpear.com.

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The Inn Above Onion Creek: In terms of lodging, it%26rsquo;s hard to beat the vibe, beauty and sweeping views of this special 88-acre B%26amp;B that%26rsquo;s a blend of rustic authenticity with log furnishings made on premises, melded with luxurious accommodations, a reverence for wildlife, and an inspiring naturescape. Innkeepers Janie and John Orr have created an aerie where cottages and a wing of spacious suites encircle a main two-story lodge resembling a classic dog trot, with porches overlooking a stunning hillside. This inn%26rsquo;s perfect blend of camaraderie and privacy is highlighted by the charming dining room, where breakfast and dinner (included with your room) showcase local ingredients served at precise times; a stay here promises to reset anyone%26rsquo;s city clock (and even comes with a bouquet of flowers). The Inn Above Onion Creek Rates from $199. 4444 West FM 150, Kyle, 512.268.1617; innaboveonioncreek.com.

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Lynn Gallimore, McKay Otto

Sinya: Now, this is special %26mdash; Sinya, an eco-luxury tented, singular suite that embraces safari chic and nature consciousness. Located five miles from downtown Wimberley on the ridge above Lone Man Creek, this astounding canvas aerie provides a romantic setting or a recharge for a creative type. The vision of Lynn Gallimore, it%26rsquo;s environmentally focused with cotton-bamboo bedding, chemical-free bath products for a soak in a scented milk bath in a century-old, claw-footed tub, and art by McKay Otto. Hike a steep trail down to the creek below, plunge in then search for Indian artifacts on your way back up. Rates from $235. Deer Lake Estates, Wimberley, 713.502.3997; hillcountrysinya.com.

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Tami Corbett

Broken Arrow Rock Shop: Located in downtown Wimberley for more than half a century, this endearing rock shop is now on its third set of owners, Tami Corbett and Terri Edwards. Most often Corbett holds court, telling us she never met a rock she didn%26rsquo;t love. Peruse beautiful specimens from all corners of the globe, from watermelon tourmaline to rare green-hued moldavite, the product of a meteor collision 15 million years ago, which is said to produce vibrational energy intense enough to open chakras. Our finds:%26nbsp; A miniature amethyst pyramid, a luminous chunk of rose quartz and a tiny specimen of octahedral fluorite. Even a kid could be entertained at Broken Arrow, given $10 to spend, and come home with a treasure and a lesson on geology. 13904 Ranch Road 12 (just off the Square), Wimberley, 512.847.2282.

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Amy Reynolds

Climb On!: For lip balms, nothing beats Climb On!, developed by engaging siblings Amy and Polly Reynolds. Geared originally for mountain climbers (which is Amy%26rsquo;s passion) and formulated by Polly, a medical transcriptionist with talent for aromatherapy, the brand has boomed since it was launched in Boulder, Colorado, in 1997. Boasting a thriving online business and stocked by eco-retailers and grocers Whole Foods Market, Central Market, Whole Earth Provisions Co. and REI, the pair%26rsquo;s pure, chemical-free and biodegradable lotions, creams and potions are packed with nature-infused ingredients, from essential oil of peppermint to witch hazel, sweet orange, vetiver and mimosa wax. Drop by (footsteps from Sip!), and chances are you%26rsquo;ll find one of the sisters, who will offer samples and give tips for preserving hands, lips and skin, without forsaking sailing, fishing, rock climbing or getting down to business in your garden. 101-G Wimberley Square, Wimberley, 877.966.2600; climbonproducts.com.

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David Berman

D Berman Gallery: Austin%26rsquo;s original and most respected gallery, owner/director David Berman relocated in March 2011 after growing tired of the commute (he and his wife, painter Ellen Berman, have called Wimberley home for more than a decade.) Now tourists and town types can wander in and encounter important Texas contemporary art, including stars of his stable collagist Lance Letscher, whom Berman discovered; the aforementioned photo master George Krause; lenslady Laura Pickett Calfee of the compelling still lifes; and (shown with Berman in his portrait) strange amalgamations that resonate with history by Uncommon Objects%26rsquo; owner Steve Wiman of Austin. 111 Old Kyle Road, Suite 100, Wimberley, 512.847.3200; dbermangallery.com.

The Old Mill Store: Animals of metal and whimsy by Hill Country talents Benge Elliott and folk meister Lloyd Burns share space with robust, ranch-worthy recycled railwood furniture (custom orders available), lamps and mirrors at this ample shop that%26rsquo;s one of the anchors of the town square. Co-owners Randa Ryan and former mayor/civic leader Steve Klepfer preside. This retailers%26rsquo; name is a reference to the village of Wimberley%26rsquo;s early days as a 19th-century nexus for saw and gristmill operations %26mdash;%26nbsp; originally called Wimberley%26rsquo;s Mill, it was named in the 1870s after leading citizen Pleasant Wimberley. On the Square, Wimberley, 512.847.3068; oldmillstore.com.

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Temple Wynne

River House: Dallas doyenne Temple Wynne relocated to Wimberley in 2004 and created River House as a home-furnishings mecca for the Hill Country. With its prime site on the Square, River House is a best bet for hostess gifts, from soaps to stationery. We loved the woven glass earrings by Houston artist Susan Plum, who%26rsquo;s inspired by the Mayan cosmology; vibrant majolica Gorky Pottery, a revival of the traditional artform imported from the father-son workshop in Guanajuato, Mexico; and Dallas photographer David H. Gibson%26rsquo;s contemplative black-and-white prints of nature, including those snapped along Cypress Creek. 104 Wimberley Square, Wimberley, 512.847.7009; riverhousewimberley.com.

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Lisa Kiefer

Star Antique: Horror vacui and antiquing collide at Lisa Kiefer%26rsquo;s amazing amalgamation of the curious and collectible. Chandeliers, stacks and stacks of porcelain plates, all manner of bric-a-brac, tiny tin birds, hobnail milk glass and whatnots galore are poised to lend the patina of the past. 301 River Road, Wimberley, 512.847.9970; starantique.com.

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Ulli Johnston

The Wild West Store: Our downtown Wimberley jaunt began with the celebrated Ulli Johnston, a German lass with an uncanny ability to glance at your feet, then within two tries match you with your dream boot %26mdash; one that will be unrivaled for comfort, attitude and style. Since 1993, Ulli and husband Bill have curated The Wild West to be more than a vintage boot shop, but an homage to the beautiful, handmade and classic Western bootwear of the 1930s on, from Lucchese and Lama to the now-shuttered Texas Imperial Boot Company of the 1950s/1960s. While they stock exotics from anteater and bullfrog that soar to four figures, many of their 500-plus inventory are in the $200 to $300 range. Ulla waxes, %26ldquo;For hats, you%26rsquo;re on your own, but I%26rsquo;m the boot whisperer,%26rdquo; and reveals she%26rsquo;s even coaxed Jimmy Buffett to shed his flip-flops for a pair. Old Towne Plaza, 13709 Ranch Road 12 (just off the Square), Wimberley, 512.847.1219; koolboots.com.
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Adieu, Wimberley. We%26rsquo;ll be back %26mdash; soon.

Loading Up on Sides and Sights Along the Way: Take the Luling exit on I-10 West, and you'll see the city's watermelon-shaped water tower (which is only appropriate, as the Luling Watermelon Thump festival comes around every June). We stopped for lunch at City Market (633 E. Davis St., Luling, 830.875.3848) along Luling%26rsquo;s main drag, where we entered as novices and left feeling ready to blog for roadfood.com. (We got the tip for this establishment, which is along the Texas BBQ Trail, by dialing art scribe and pal Kelly Klaasmeyer, who asked her husband, noted foodie/writer Robb Walsh.) Best bets are the sausage, efficiently served up on butcher paper, accompanied by potato salad and sweet tea %26mdash; a bargain for less than $10, including tip. (Be sure to ask for white bread to mop up the sauce.) Also, check out the farmers%26rsquo; market across the square and the now-shuttered Rock-A-Bye Motel %26mdash; an ode to lost Americana, crumbling yet emitting a faded glory. The next stop? A monument to baked goods and Pop Art, The Texas Pie Company in Kyle (202 W. Center, 512.268.5885; texaspiecompany.com), whose mammoth signage of an oozing slice of cherry pie lives up to its larger-than-life billing. Inside, a panoply of pies, augmented by sandwiches, are served to go or to be consumed in the%26nbsp; quaint cafe. (Since they were out of peach, we picked up toothsome dense fudge pecan as a gift instead.)

Sea to See

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 03:12:09 GMT

From East to West Beach, the Strand to the Seawall, Gaido%26rsquo;s to the Galvez, the fabled classics to the sleek and new, here is your guide to all things Galveston.

WHERE TO EAT

Bistro LeCroy
2021 Strand
409.762.4200
This Strand-area Cajun hot spot is in full swing after an extensive remodel.

The Black Pearl
23rd %26amp; Market St.
409.762.7299
This downtown oyster bar, newly opened by restaurateur Rudy Betancourt, has an extensive menu ranging from seafood to rib-eyes and pork chops.

Cafe Michael Burger
11150 Termini San Luis Pass Road
409.740.3639
Best burgers at the beach. Wash them down with a cold German brew.

DiBella%26rsquo;s Italian Restaurant
1902 31st St.
409.763.9036
Locals keep this casual Italian kitchen crowded on Friday nights.

Eatcetera
408 25th St.
409.762.0803
eatcetera.net
Head downtown for gourmet sandwiches, paninis and salads.
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Fish Tales
2502 Seawall Blvd.
409.762.8545
fishtalesgalveston.com
After you catch some rays on the beach, grab a bite at this beachfront seafood stop. It%26rsquo;s the best spot to watch the Fourth of July fireworks %26mdash; if you can get there early enough to reserve a table.

Gaido%26rsquo;s
3802 Seawall Blvd.
409.762.9625
gaidosofgalveston.com
An Island institution serving up surf-side seafood since 1911.

Gumbo Bar
2105 Postoffice St.
409.744.8626
True to its name, the Gumbo Bar offers delicious Cajun cuisine, complemented by an impressive beer and wine list.

The Lunchbox Cafe
213 23rd St.
409.770.0044
thelunchboxcafegalveston.com
Has your lunchbox ever looked this good? Fresh ingredients hand-picked from the farmers%26rsquo; market come together to create an international menu of sandwiches and salads.

Mosquito Cafe
628 14th St.
409.763.1010
mosquitocafe.com
Tucked away in the historic East End, this cafe is a must for trendy salads, sandwiches and pasta. Save room for dessert: The lemonade cake is to die for.
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901 Postoffice
901 Postoffice St.
409.762.1111
This new culinary-fusion restaurant is located in a historic home with a covered salon and back patio.

Olympia Grill at Pier 21
21st %26amp; Harborside Dr.
409.765.0021
olympiapier21.com
This stylish dining spot serves Gulf Coast seafood and an excellent harbor view. (For Greek dishes, visit sister property Olympia Grill on the Seawall, 4908 Seawall Boulevard.)

PattyCakes Bakery
704 14th St.
409.762.2537
pattycakesgalveston.com
A sweet new creation by the brains behind the popular Mosquito Cafe, PattyCakes serves breakfast and lunch, along with French bread and a whole array of fantastic pastries.

Rudy %26amp; Paco
2028 Postoffice St.
409.762.3696
Leave the flip-flops and shorts at the beach house when dining at this Latin-inspired seafood and steak house.

Shearn%26rsquo;s Restaurant
7 Hope Blvd.
409.741.8484
moodygardenshotel.com
Grab dinner or just a drink at this top-floor restaurant for spectacular views of the pyramids of Moody Gardens and the sunset.

Shrimp n Stuff
34th Blvd. at Ave. O
409.763.2805
shrimpnstuff.com
A local favorite for more than 30 years, this Galveston institution has been recommended by Zagat%26rsquo;s Restaurant Survey.

ShyKatZ Deli %26amp; Bakery
1528 Ave L
409.770.0500
shykatzdeli.com
ShyKatZ uses old family recipes to create a scrumptious breakfast and lunch menu.

The Sunflower Bakery and Caf%26eacute;
512 14th St.
409.763.5500
thesunflowerbakeryandcafe.com
This sweet bakery, housed in a historic building on the East End, serves savory soups and sandwiches for lunch and Sunflower%26rsquo;s famous Belgian waffles for brunch. Check the Web site for delicious Saturday dinner specials.

Willie G%26rsquo;s
2100 Harbor Side
409.762.3030
williegs.com/galveston
This steak-and-seafood spot on the harbor side of the island has a whole new look. The remodeled contemporary interior offers great views of the ships rolling in.

FOR SIPPING COCKTAILS

Bar None at Diamond Beach
10327 FM 3005
832.573.6456
diamondbeachgalveston.com
Sleek and modern, Bar None is in the elegant Diamond Beach mid-rise on West Beach.

Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe
413 20th St.
409.762.9199
oldquarteracousticcafe.com
Cut loose with a Lone Star to live music at the Old Quarter, which is reminiscent of Austin in the %26rsquo;60s and %26rsquo;70s.

The Poop Deck
2928 Seawall Blvd.
409.763.9151
This legendary biker pub has a full bar, televised sports and a deck overlooking the Gulf.

Rooftop Terrace at The Tremont House
2300 Ship%26rsquo;s Mechanic Row
409.763.0300
wyndhamtremonthouse.com
This hot spot on the roof of the historic Strand-area hotel debuts a new look this summer, with a lounge-like atmosphere. Enjoy a cool cocktail and a view of downtown at the only rooftop bar in town.

Sonny%26rsquo;s Place
1206 19th St.
409.763.9602
Head to this dive to enjoy a cold mug of root beer and the best chili dogs in town.

21
2102 Postoffice St.
409.762.2101
You%26rsquo;ll find plenty of cocktails and a cover band every weekend at this hip downtown bar.

WHERE TO BOOK A NIGHT

Hotel Galvez
2024 Seawall Blvd.
409.765.7721
wyndham.com/hotels/GLSHG/main.wnt
Dubbed %26ldquo;The Queen of the Gulf%26rdquo; when it debuted in 1911, this historic property just completed the final phase of a stunning renovation in celebration of its 100th year. Centennial festivities occur every month this year. Stick around on Sunday for a spectacular brunch at Bernardo%26rsquo;s.

San Luis Resort
5222 Seawall Blvd.
409.744.1500
sanluisresort.com
This 30-acre luxury resort has multiple fine-dining options, bars, spa, tennis courts and the best pool experience on the island, H2O.

The Tremont House
2300 Ship%26rsquo;s Mechanic Row
409.763.0300
wyndhamtremonthouse.com
This historic downtown European-style hotel, just steps from the Strand, recently reopened after an extensive renovation post-Hurricane Ike.
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FOR LONGER THAN A NIGHT

Beachtown
630 Beachtown Dr.
409.762.2222
beachtowngalveston.com
This charming residential beach village, reminiscent of Seaside, leases several of its properties. Contact the sales office for more details.

Diamond Beach
10327 FM 3005
409.744.3020
diamondbeachgalveston.com
This elegant West Beach mid-rise residential property has a spa and Bar None, Galveston%26rsquo;s first beach bar. However, if you%26rsquo;re longing for the magnificent outdoor lazy-river pools and the only indoor pool of its kind (designed with inspiration from Turkish baths), you%26rsquo;ll need To own a condo %26mdash; or at least rent one.

Palisade Palms
801 E. Beach Dr.
409.974.4635
palisadepalms.com
This luxury high-rise twin-tower property on East Beach has condos for lease on a weekly basis, starting at $1,850 a week. Choose from six floor plans and gain access to the resort-style amenities, including beautiful pools, tennis court, bicycles and a private boardwalk to the beach.

Sand N%26rsquo; Sea Properties
4127 Pirates Beach
409.797.5500
sandnsea.com
Sand N%26rsquo; Sea leases beach houses for a week, weekend or month, with properties ranging from luxury three-story houses on the beach to more modest abodes along the canals.

SHOPPING

Bogan Gallery
2217 Postoffice St.
409.765.1711
bogangallery.com
Arts maven Susie Bogan curates an eclectic panoply of Texas greats. Best bets: painter Kelly Alison, whose canvases are populated with ab ex avians; Pop woodworker Chris Hedrick; and Martha Terrill of the exquisite medievalist mixed medias.

Buchanan Gallery
220 25th St.
409.763.8683
buchanangallery.com
This art gallery is an island favorite, representing emerging and mid-career artists from the Gulf Coast region.
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Col. Bubbies
2202 Strand St.
409.762.7397
colbubbie.com
Even non-military buffs will get a kick perusing these extensive racks of wartime memorabilia, all for sale.

Collectors Gallery
2222 Postoffice St.
409.750.0092
Shopping for the person who has everything? Check out Collectors Gallery, with 52 booths carrying everything from antiques to art to furnishings.

Couteux Couture
2021 Strand
409.763.3000
Own a piece of Galveston history and look fabulous doing so! This former upscale women%26rsquo;s store reopened after Ike to incorporate one-of-a-kind vintage clothing and accessories in its repertoire.

The Frog at Home
2701 Broadway
409.762.3764
frogathome.com
The popular Houston home store also has a showroom in Galveston, where you can shop for unique home furnishings, window treatments, rugs and art to fill your weekend retreat.

Galveston Art %26amp; Frames
1126 19th St.
409.762.3628
Wonderful old posters and vintage prints of Galveston.

Hamrock Interiors
2120 Postoffice St.
409.766.7030
hamrock-interiors.com
Designer Tim Hamrock has fashioned home interiors all over the world. His interior design
firm maintains this 2,000-square-foot showroom filled with furnishings and accessories.
Open to the public.

Head to Footsies
2211 Strand
409.762.2727
stores.headtofootsies.com
Head to Footsies for everything from everyday casual to evening attire and shoes.

Hendley Market
2010 Strand
409.762.2610
hendleymarket.com
A mainstay on the Strand for more than 30 years. Pick up trinkets and gifts inspired by the Victorian surroundings, as well as antique medical instruments, vintage books, and nativities and santons from around the globe.

La King%26rsquo;s Confectionery
2323 Strand
409.762.6100
Stop in for a milkshake at the 1920s soda fountain. On your way out, handpick a selection of divinity, pecan pralines, fudge or La King%26rsquo;s famous saltwater taffy, all made in-house on vintage equipment.

Murdoch%26rsquo;s Bathhouse
2215 Seawall Blvd.
409.762.7478
Galveston%26rsquo;s most historic shop for souvenir shirts and seashells was back up and running only a year after Ike reduced it to a stack of wood pilings.

PeckArts Gallery
2208 Postoffice St.
409.621.1500
peckarts.com
Located at the entrance to Urban Lofts, this charming gallery is home to nationally exhibited Jennifer Peck%26rsquo;s droll painted and collaged panels that offer an ode to the pleasures of island life.

Ren%26eacute; Wiley Studio Gallery
2128 Postoffice St.
409.750.9077
renewileyart.com
Stop by this art gallery for one of artist Dale Hooks%26rsquo; bowls carved from %26ldquo;Ike Wood,%26rdquo; which is what the locals dub the 10,000-plus
trees cut down after the hurricane.
%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;
Robyn Pandolph Design Studio
2214 Postoffice St.
409.765.5772
robynpandolph.com
This sweet shop stocks quilter and designer Robyn Pandolph%26rsquo;s fabric collections, Lisa Stickley bags, Indian sari quilts, home decor books, dishes, antlers and more.

The Style Co.
701 14th St.
409.750.8842
Chic and edgy, this new addition to the East End carries contemporary fashion for the modern local.

Tangerine Boutique
515 25th St.
409.763.7113
Tangerine Boutique caters to locals and weekenders with a variety of name brands and a cool California vibe. Jeans, dresses and accessories make this a one-stop beach shop.

Tina%26rsquo;s
2326 Strand
409.762.6816
tinasonthestrand.com
Don%26rsquo;t let the name change fool you: This eclectic shop, formerly called Maggie%26rsquo;s, still carries covetable bath products, clothing and gifts.

Vic%26rsquo;s Estate and Fine Jewelry
2413 Market St.
409.762.5792
vicsjewelry.com
Shop for vintage jewelry and antique silver at Vic%26rsquo;s, a Galveston tradition for more than 80 years.

The Witchery
2116 Postoffice St.
409.515.0669
witcheryonline.com
This magical boutique sells books, gifts and potions pertaining to the metaphysical.

SPAS

Chocolate Spa at Diamond Beach
10327 FM 3005
409.740.2462
diamondbeachgalveston.com
The 4,000-square-foot luxury Chocolate Spa at Diamond Beach is a full-service day spa with indoor hot therapy pool, aromatherapy, mani-pedis, facials and more.

The Spa at Hotel Galvez
2024 Seawall Blvd.
409.515.2100
thespaatthehotelgalvez.com
This luxe spa alone %26mdash; with its top-notch treatments, vichy shower and relaxation room %26mdash; is worth a drive to the Island.

Spa San Luis
5222 Seawall Blvd.
409.744.1500
sanluisresort.com
Massage, buff and polish your worries away at the%26nbsp; full-service spa at the posh San Luis Resort.

SIGHTS TO SEE

1892 Bishop%26rsquo;s Palace
1402 Broadway
409.762.2475
galvestonhistory.org
The ch%26acirc;teauesque home of railroad magnate Walter Gresham, completed in 1892, is open for private and public tours. Don%26rsquo;t miss the one-of-a-kind finds in
the gift shop.

The Elissa
Texas Seaport Museum
Harborside Dr.
409.763.1877
galvestonhistory.org
Restored to her former glory, this three-masted barque speaks to Galveston%26rsquo;s port-ly past. Tour the decks, then visit the adjoining museum to learn about the sailing ship%26rsquo;s past and her amazing rescue from a scrapyard.

Galveston Arts Center
2501 Market
409.763.2403
contemporaryartgalveston.org
In temporary digs at the former Maceo%26rsquo;s Spice %26amp; Import, GAC is raising funds for its return to the landmark 1878 First National Bank Building. Attend its Sunset Buffet Sunday, May 15, at a private home, to support the Center%26rsquo;s programming. Tickets or donations, alex@galvestonartscenter.org.

Galveston Railroad Museum
2602 Santa Fe Place
409.765.5700
galvestonrrmuseum.com
The largest railroad museum in the Southwest reopened in March for the first time since Ike destroyed it in 2008. Explore railcars and the original Santa Fe Union Station waiting room. The fully interactive museum also boasts the largest collection of railroad dining ware
in the States.

The Grand 1894 Opera House
2020 Postoffice St.
409.763.7173
thegrand.com
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, this beautifully restored theater sets the stage for a lively arts season. This month, the schedule includes A Conversation with Shirley MacLaine (May 1), Steve Tyrell in concert (May 6 %26ndash; 7) and the return of the percussive phenomenon Stomp (May 13 %26ndash; 15).

Hall of History at the Hotel Galvez
2024 Seawall Blvd.
409.765.7721
Peruse the intricate history of
both Galveston Island and the Hotel Galvez. Exhibitions are free to the public.

Lone Star Flight Museum
2002 Terminal Dr.
409.740.7722
lsfm.org
Now boarding %26mdash; no, literally: Not only does this museum provide public viewing of a wonderful collection of all things aeronautical, but it boasts vintage bomber planes you can both pilot and fly in.

Moody Mansion
2618 Broadway
409.762.7668
moodymansion.org
The 1895 homestead of the Moody family. A 20-room tour of the towering structure reveals the home life of a powerful Texas family (namesake of nearby Moody Gardens).

Rosenberg Library
2310 Sealy St.
409.763.8854
rosenberg-library.org
This spectacular library, which houses the Galveston Archives, is in the final phase of its largest renovation in the library%26rsquo;s history. The 107-year-old library is set
to have new walls, floors,
windows, lighting fixtures and
air conditioning.

FUN FOR KIDS

25th Annual AIA SandCastle Competition
June 4, 8:30 am to 5 pm
Galveston East Beach%26nbsp;
1923 Boddeker
aiasandcastle.com
Giant sandcastles and sculptures %26hellip; need we say more? The Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects puts its best to the test as more than 60 teams of architects, designers and engineers compete for the Gold Bucket Award in one of the world%26rsquo;s largest sandcastle competitions.

Galveston Duck Tours
2500 Seawall Blvd.
409.621.4771
galvestonducks.com
Treat the kiddos to a tour of
Galveston on The Duck. Destinations include Offatt%26rsquo;s Bayou, the Seawall and drive-bys of the Island%26rsquo;s 1900s mansions, Strand shopping district and the %26ldquo;Silk Stockings%26rdquo; historical homes district.

Moody Gardens
One Hope Blvd.
800.582.4673
moodygardens.com
This Island attraction is mega-fun. Following a $25 million renovation, the Rainforest Pyramid reopens
this month, revealing a brand-
new interactive exhibit.
Where else can you visit a rainforest, an aquarium and
see an IMAX film, all in one day?
%26nbsp;
Rainforest Cafe
5310 Seawall Blvd.
409.744.6000
rainforestcafe.com
What child doesn%26rsquo;t cheer for Rainforest Cafe? The Galveston outpost is next door to the
San Luis Resort.

Schlitterbahn
2026 Lockheed St.
409.770.9283
schlitterbahn.com/gal
Daring speeds, slides, endless rivers, uphill water coasters and waves for surfing and splashing.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Fort Crockett Park
Funded by Kroger and Sun Chips, this exciting new urban park will be located on Seawall Boulevard. Set to open mid-summer 2011.
Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier
Combining the Santa Monica Pier and his own Kemah Boardwalk, Tilman Fertitta of Landry%26rsquo;s, Inc., is creating Galveston Island%26rsquo;s Historic Pleasure Pier. The nostalgically themed amusement park will take the place of the old Flagship Hotel%26rsquo;s pier, which was damaged by Ike.

Disney Cruises to Sail out of Galveston
Beginning September 2012,
the ship Disney Magic will set
sail for the Caribbean from Galveston%26rsquo;s own harbor. Book
your trip today at dclnews.com.

FOR A BEACH PAD OF YOUR OWN

Beachtown
630 Beachtown Dr.
409.762.2222
beachtowngalveston.com
This charming residential community on East Beach is redolent of Seaside, Florida, and architecturally follows that classic coastal vernacular. There are several villages with fabulous homes, and a Beach Club is planned. Town homes and lofts are above the general store, market, creamery, restaurants and coffee shops.
%26nbsp;
Diamond Beach
10327 FM 3005
409.744.3020
diamondbeachgalveston.com
This elegant mid-rise has 22 floor plans and 120 beach-view homes on West Beach, behind the Galveston Seawall. Amenities: private beach, outdoor river-like pool, Turkish bath%26ndash;inspired indoor pool, day spa, private movie theater, teen and children%26rsquo;s rooms, fitness center and concierge.

Palisade Palms
801 East Beach Dr.
409.497.4115
palisadepalms.com
This luxury high-rise twin-tower property on East Beach has 288 homes and is the first residential high-rise to be built on the beach in more than five years. Amenities: infinity pool, tennis court, game and media lounge, roof terrace and a private boardwalk to the beach.

Palatial Fantasies, Suite Dreams

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 02:24:10 GMT

%26hellip;and we%26rsquo;ve been bunking at a maharaja%26rsquo;s palace in glittering Jaipur, the Nizams%26rsquo; grand digs in Hyderabad and Bonaparte splendor in Paris. We can%26rsquo;t wait to snooze at a chic new Mayfair bolt-hole designed by Thierry Despont and take polo lessons at Coworth Park, the new country-house hotel near Ascot resplendent with an equestrian center. Tally-ho!

45 Park Lane%26nbsp; (London): We%26rsquo;ve always loved staying at The Dorchester hotel in London, with its leafy views over Hyde Park. Best of all is its exciting proximity to the exclusive shops in Mayfair, including Heywood Hill bookshop nearby on Curzon Street. (Think Nancy Mitford %26mdash; she used to work there.) Now 45 Park Lane, The Dorchester%26rsquo;s super-chic younger sister hotel, is scheduled to open this summer. The petite and ultra-private hotel has 45 guestrooms and the first Wolfgang Puck restaurant in Europe. Located just steps from The Dorchester, guests have access to the spa there, as well as all services. The new property is contemporary in style, with decor by designer Thierry Despont. The building%26rsquo;s concrete-clad fa%26ccedil;ade has been revamped to incorporate special eco-friendly %26ldquo;fins%26rdquo; that diminish solar gain, significantly reducing power required to run the air-conditioning system. Call for rates. Information 45parklane.com.

Coworth Park (Ascot, Berkshire): The first luxury country-house hotel from Dorchester Collection opened last September adjacent to Ascot and close to Windsor Great Park %26mdash; an easy drive from London. Coworth Park, set among 240 acres of Berkshire countryside, is the only hotel in the UK to have its own polo fields (horses are available for guests to ride). We love the Georgian architecture and gracious English-country-style rooms (there are 70 rooms) with a modern air. Coworth also offers special programs for children, and the handsome renovated Barn is a favorite of families. Three restaurants reign, all overseen by Michelin-starred chef John Campbell. Guests can ride in the equestrian center, and there%26rsquo;s an indoor pool and special access to neighboring Wentworth Club%26rsquo;s champion golf courses. Rates from $385. Information coworthpark.com.

Taj Falaknuma Palace (Hyderabad, India): India%26rsquo;s Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces has added a superbly restored Indian palace to its luxury portfolio. Newly splendid after 10 years of artistic renovation, the 1894 Taj Falaknuma (%26ldquo;Mirror of the Sky%26rdquo;) Palace opened in November, and it%26rsquo;s now the lavish palace destination for south-central India. Guests live the regal life of the ruling Nizams, reposing in elegant suites, reading in the tuberose-scented Ladies Gossip Room next to the library on chartreuse silk jacquard-tufted settees and sipping Assam tea in the Jade Room with its gilded ceiling and lavish custom-woven silk jacquard curtains. Seated in an antique rosewood chair with a view of 32 acres of cascading gardens, a pampered guest daydreams. Glorious. The white marble palace (think Palladio) was built to impress visiting royalty %26mdash; King Edward VIII, the crown prince of Germany and Russia%26rsquo;s Tsar Nicholas II were all here. Generations of Nizams passed it down like a precious jewel. To know: The Nizams owned the famed Golconda diamond mines, so guests can hope that a diamond or two lurks in a wardrobe drawer. Baroque-inspired spaces with museum-quality furnishings, Belgian tapestries, French brocades and Venetian chandeliers are a rich feast for guests. As well, every tech update is featured in the 45 Palace Rooms and 15 suites, gracefully hidden. (Hyderabad is also home to Cyberabad, the Indian headquarters for Google and Microsoft.) A private tour with the Palace historian ends at the Palace Library, a teak-and rosewood room of rare books that was inspired by the one at Windsor Castle. Our favorite check-ins: the Grand Presidential Suites, once the private chambers of the Nizam. Services of a personal butler included. The hotel%26rsquo;s worldly executive chef, Ashfer Biju, studied at the culinary academy in Napa Valley and crafts fresh and light Indian-inspired cuisine that reflects his travels and would easily garner three Michelin stars. On the belvedere, traditional Hyderabad musicians in orange turbans play flutes as guests sip after-dinner drinks. For late-night frolic, there is the veddy-veddy English Billiards Room, with the Nizam%26rsquo;s bespoke billiards table and an adjoining room for cards and chess. Spa, swimming pool %26hellip; You%26rsquo;ll never want to leave. Best time to visit: October through March. Rates from $747. Information tajhotels.com.

Shangri-La Hotel Paris: We%26rsquo;ve waited breathlessly for the Shangri-La to open in Paris. For four years, Hong Kong%26ndash;based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has busily restored every inch of the handsome Beaux-Arts building near the Trocadero. Finally the doors have opened, and the opulent interiors sparkle and dazzle with gilt and bronze and crystal galore. This is just the turn-of-the-century French grandeur we%26rsquo;ve been missing, now that the formerly palatial Hotel Meurice and Royal Monceau hotel have been Philippe Starck-ified. Built in 1896 as the home of Prince Roland Bonaparte (the grandnephew of Napoleon Bonaparte), the 81-suite Shangri-La Hotel Paris is situated in the elegant 16th arrondissement, steps from the Mus%26eacute;e Guimet (Asian art) and minutes from avenue Montaigne boutiques. In fact, it%26rsquo;s amidst one of the highest concentrations of museums in Europe. Best of all, it offers breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower and Seine River, Les Invalides, the Louvre and Montmartre. Paris is at your feet. Classical architect Richard Martinet perfected the historic and ultra-luxe architectural detail of rooms and suites. Interiors, both modern and classical, are by interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon. Every room, door placement and furniture arrangement was blessed with the imprimatur of a feng shui grand master. Shangri-La %26mdash; the largest luxury hotel in Paris %26mdash; offers guests the chance to revel in a historically unique setting, surrounded by a secluded garden reinvented by landscape designer Louis Benech that makes the hotel a truly private retreat. Favorite suite: the Imp%26eacute;riale, formerly the apartment of Roland Bonaparte, with Directoire-style furnishings %26mdash; divine. Divine details: three restaurants, including one with Asian cuisine, a pool and spa. Rates from $1,072. Information shangri-la.com.

Rambagh Palace (Jaipur, India): The Rambagh Palace has long been one of our favorite palace hotels %26mdash; we visit once or twice a year, always with great anticipation. It%26rsquo;s the real thing: In 1925, this 1835 property was the Maharaja of Jaipur%26rsquo;s country estate, and the royal family lived here until 1957. Today the luxury of these world-class luxury accommodations is even more enveloping, romantic and palatial, thanks to a total redesign that combines timeless Rajasthani style and spirit with a splash of glamour and grandeur. The suites have been reconfigured to allow for more space and light. The rooms %26mdash; many with Anglo-Indian hand-carved four-poster beds, traditional maharaja portraits, lavish textiles and marble baths %26mdash; are both a fantasy and a delight. We adore the Historical Suites, with their spacious, ultra-private terraces overlooking the fountains and beautifully maintained gardens. Dreamiest of all is the new spa, with its Art Deco%26ndash;style indoor swimming pool (so romantic at night) and tented retreats. Rambagh Palace highlights:%26nbsp; shopping for diamond rings and emerald necklaces after dinner at the hotel%26rsquo;s Gem Palace shop and stocking up our library at N.K. Jain%26rsquo;s bookshop, with its ultra-rare and out-of-print volumes and essential references on Indian palaces and interiors, textiles and Raj history, plus stacks of William Dalrymple%26rsquo;s must-have books on India. Snoozing in the maharani%26rsquo;s romantic bedroom? It%26rsquo;s possible at this fabled luxury hotel. The viceroy, Jackie Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth, and lords and ladies of the British Raj all visited in the days of the maharajahs. Nowadays, you%26rsquo;re likely to encounter Dame Judi Dench, Daniel Craig, Bollywood actors or Dev Patel and Freida Pinto (the lovebirds of Slumdog Millionaire) %26mdash; all recent stars we spied. To take a break from the maharani%26rsquo;s suite, we wander in the gardens, where bluebirds and white peacocks preen and strut in the morning dew. Or take one of the royal family%26rsquo;s rare vintage cars (our favorite: the maharani%26rsquo;s 1937 Daimler) to go shopping at Johari Bazaar. Best time to visit: October through March. Rates from $814. Information tajhotels.com.

%26nbsp;

Here’s Looking at You, Hotel Galvez

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 03:48:40 GMT

The date: June 10, 1911. Businessmen pooled their resources to create a symbol of Galveston%26rsquo;s resilience following the Great Storm of 1900 and opened the Hotel Galvez. Now, 100 years later, the hotel once again steps up its game with an $11 million renovation, complete with updated guest rooms and a brand-new outdoor space, Centennial Green. The hotel has been celebrating all year with monthly events that are open to the public. This month, bathing beauties will descend upon Galveston%26rsquo;s shores for a Centennial Salute to Hotel Galvez%26rsquo;s vintage swimsuit competition (Saturday, May 21, 2 pm). Next month, check out the 100th Anniversary Celebration Weekend (Friday through Sunday, June 10 through 12), with activities ranging from flamenco dancers to live entertainment and fireworks over the Gulf of Mexico. Brush up on your history beforehand with Hotel Galvez: Queen of the Gulf by Gary Cartwright (Mitchell Historic Properties, $39.95), a 131-page book perfect for your coffee table, available at the Hotel Galvez gift shop; hotelgalvez100.com.

Home as Castle

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 03:52:37 GMT

Perhaps the most popular happening along this coastal retreat is the annual Historic Homes Tour, a preservation-centered fund-raiser now in its 37th year, benefitting the Galveston Historical Foundation. Held over two consecutive weekends in May, the trek peers into nine privately owned mansions and cottages ranging in age from 87 to 140 years old. May 7 and 8, May 14 and 15, 10 am to 6 pm; tickets $20 in advance, $25 during tour weekends; galvestonhistory.org.

Image: Joseph Goldstein House, 1898, at 1815 Sealy

Architectural Accolades

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 03:49:57 GMT

It%26rsquo;s rare, if not unprecedented, for a contemporary community to be included in a historical home tour. Until Beachtown, that is. Galveston%26rsquo;s master-planned collection of charming coastal villages %26mdash; designed by Duany Plater-Zyberk %26amp; Company, famed for planning Seaside, Florida %26mdash; is a nationally touted and shining example of the American architectural movement known as New Urbanism. This spring, Beachtown is once again featured on the Galveston Historical Foundation%26rsquo;s Historic Homes Tour. Included are newly completed Townhomes and Lofts for Beachtown%26rsquo;s Town Center, which are distinguished by nods to Galveston%26rsquo;s rich architectural heritage including coastal vernacular, Victorian and Greek Revival styles, exemplified by elements such as pleasing porches and decks, pitched roofs and simple, straightforward and strategically sound materials. Galveston Historical Foundation director Dwayne Jones states, %26ldquo;Beachtown is an exceptional new development that uses traditional island building forms as the basis of its design syntax. The developers and architects show a special sensitivity to our environment and history, making it a natural addition to our 37th annual homes tour.%26rdquo; May 7 and 8, May 14 and 15; galvestonhistory.org.

Image: Beachtown

Walk This Way

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 03:51:09 GMT

All collectors have Galveston on their radar when the perennially popular ArtWalk unfurls every four to six weeks, organized by the Galveston Arts Center. A 20-year tradition that has swelled to 16 venues, galleries to other walls, the ArtWalk centers around the Strand, Postoffice and neighboring streets. Eagle-eyed curator Clint Willour always organizes a stellar show at GAC; make the Center your stop this month because of Galveston artist Ann Wood%26rsquo;s solo, %26ldquo;Garnish,%26rdquo; which serves up a buoyant take on nature brimming with
sexy, molten surfaces (GAC, 2501 Market St. at 25th, through June 5), followed by Saturday, June 11%26rsquo;s ArtWalk. Info contemporaryartgalveston.org.

Image: Ann Wood%26rsquo;s Layer Cake (detail), 2011, at Galveston Arts Center

Dallas, Well-Done

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:10:32 GMT

Essential Dallas

Drive twisty, tree-lined Turtle Creek Boulevard, where mid-century apartment towers meet elegant mansions %26hellip; Take in the Calder show at the Nasher, the African masks at the DMA, and the corals and crystals at the Crow Collection, all walking-distance neighbors in the downtown Arts District %26hellip; Work off those brisket tacos on the multi-mile Katy Trail, a gorgeous walking/biking path that winds through urbane Dallas %26hellip; Catch a show at the Winspear (Sir Norman Foster designed it) and the Wyly (that one is by Rem Koolhaas) %26hellip; Stroll the grassy knoll %26hellip; Hop over the Trinity River and explore the super-charming Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff, loaded with one-off shops and stylish little eateries %26hellip; Do the 29-minute drive to Fort Worth, where you%26rsquo;ll find amazing museums (the Kimbell, the Modern), Sundance Square (the hub of Cowtown%26rsquo;s downtown culture, and ESPN%26rsquo;s broadcast center for the big game) and the wild-west Stockyards %26hellip; See Tom Landry%26rsquo;s fedoras (his personal collections are on view through February 6) and fine Deco architecture at Fair Park, the world%26rsquo;s largest site of 1930s exhibition buildings %26hellip; Barhop via vintage trolley through Uptown %26hellip; And, go ahead, dare to order that second Mambo Taxi margarita at Mi Cocina.

Image: Katy Trail

If You Have One Free Afternoon%26hellip;

The Wyly. Photo by Iwan Baan.

The Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, 2400 Flora St., 214.978.2800; attpac.org
The Trammell and Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art, 2010 Flora St., 214.979.6430; crowcollection.com
%26nbsp;

Photo courtesy Dallas Museum of Art

Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood, 214.922.1200; dallasmuseumofart.org
Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St., 214.670.3600; dallassymphony.com
%26nbsp;

Image: Nasher Sculpture Center

Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora St., 214.242.5100; nashersculpturecenter.org
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, 8525 Garland Road, 214.515.6500; dallasarboretum.org
Dealey Plaza, 411 Elm St., 214.747.6660; jfk.org
%26nbsp;

Image: The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth. Photo by Robert LaPrelle.

The Sixth Floor Museum at Kimbell Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., 817.332.8451; kimbellart.org
African American Museum Dallas, 3536 Grand Ave., 214.565.9026; aamdallas.org
Dallas Firefighter%26rsquo;s Museum, 3801 Parry Ave., 214.821.1500; dallasfiremuseum.com
%26nbsp;

Image: The Winspear. Photo by Tim Hursley.

The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora St., 214.443.1000; dallasopera.org
Meadows Museum, 5900 Bishop Blvd., 214.768.2516; smu.edu/meadowsmuseum

%26nbsp;
image: The Modern. Photo by David Woo.

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell St., 817.738.9215; themodern.org
Fair Park, 1300 Robert B. Cullum Blvd. at Grand, 214.670.8400; fairpark.org
Victory Park, Victory Park Lane at Olive St.; victorypark.com

%26nbsp;

The Road to Retail Nirvana Starts Here

Images: Highland Park Village; Harry Winston

%26bull;Highland Park Village
It is, by far, the hometown hub of Dallas%26rsquo; A-list %26mdash; who have come to shop, eat, meet and greet here since 1931, all in the luxe surrounds of red-tile-roofed Mediterranean architecture. It boasts Chanel, Herm%26egrave;s, Christian Louboutin, Harry Winston, Jimmy Choo, Cole Haan and a passel of other top-notch shops, plus restaurants, a newly renovated movie palace, even a camera shop that%26rsquo;s been selling lenses and Leicas since 1941. Corner of Preston Road and Mockingbird Lane; hpvillage.com.

Image: NorthPark Center. Photo by Jim Dine.
%26nbsp;
%26bull;NorthPark Center
Think of it as a frappe of fashion, food, art and architecture. Translation? More than 235 restaurants and shops %26mdash; Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York, Bulgari, Roberto Cavalli, Cartier, David Yurman, Gregory%26rsquo;s, Cole Haan, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany %26amp; Co., Valentino, Tod%26rsquo;s, Versace %26mdash; all surrounded by one family%26rsquo;s to-die-for art collection, from Warhol and Moore to Stella and Lichtenstein. 8687 N. Central Expwy. (corner of N. Central Expwy. and Northwest Hwy.), 214.361.6345; northparkcenter.com.

%26bull;Neiman Marcus Downtown
It%26rsquo;s a must-do Dallas nexus of style and lore %26mdash; this is the company, after all, that gave the world his-and-hers camels (and hot-air balloons) via its over-the-top Christmas catalogs. Go for NM%26rsquo;s inventive windows along Main, Commerce and Ervay streets; stay for The Zodiac bistro%26rsquo;s famous popovers with strawberry butter. 1812 Main St. (corner of Main and Commerce streets), 214.741.6911; neimanmarcus.com.
%26nbsp;
%26bull;Galleria Dallas
The glimmer here isn%26rsquo;t just coming from the 200-plus stores: This slice of retail and restaurant heaven boasts a sparkling indoor ice rink %26mdash; just the thing for cooling off after a round of speed-shopping through the Galleria%26rsquo;s three glam-packed levels, including anchors Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom, plus Fa%26ccedil;onnable, Coach, L%26rsquo;Occitane, Michael Kors and local jewelry gem Ylang 23. 13350 Dallas Pkwy., 972.702.7100; galleriadallas.com.

%26bull;Grange Hall/Urban Flower
Curious vases? Edgy accessories? Just you wait %26mdash; and it%26rsquo;s all cleverly arrayed in this shotgun space packed with everything from the magnificent to the macabre. Horn jewelry, antler fragments, skull motifs, ethereal figurines: Anything goes at Grange Hall. 4445 Travis St., 214.443.0600; urbanflowergrangehall.com.

Image: Forty Five Ten. Photo by Steve Wrubel.

%26bull;Forty Five Ten
Vogue and The New York Times are mad for the place %26mdash; as are Lucky, InStyle and Elle Decor. You will be, too: It%26rsquo;s Dallas%26rsquo; veritable ground zero of modern fashion, for men and women on a first-name basis with fashion: Dries, Viktor, Rolf, Azzedine, Yigal, Narciso, et al. Your home can dress as smartly, too: There are gorgeous books, unusual candles and knickknacks of enlightened leanings. 4510 McKinney Ave., 214.559.4510; fortyfiveten.com.

%26bull;Stanley Korshak
On any given day, the driveway in front of this glamorous Crescent Court department store is speckled with Bentleys and Benzes (the big ones). Enough said. From an in-store Brunello Cucinelli boutique to a to-die-for jewelry department (sparkly pieces come by way of Ashley Pittman, Ted Muehling, Rachelle Dauphinee and many more), this Dallas shopping icon is not to be missed. 500 Crescent Ct., 214.871.3600; stanleykorshak.com.

%26bull;V.O.D.
%26hellip; where Isabel Marant meets LD Tuttle, and where Alexander Wang shares rack space with Jenni Kayne. (Yes, this is the place for ahead-of-trend fashion insiders.) Be sure and meet the cool-chick owners behind this Victory Park gem, Jackie Bolin and Liz Thompson, whose spot-on fashion sense takes them around the globe %26mdash; think fashion weeks in Paris, New York, even Istanbul. 2418 Victory Park Lane, 214.754.0644; vodboutique.com.

%26bull;The Plaza at Preston Center
A can%26rsquo;t-miss mix of local shops and restaurants, all with singular style, including Tootsies, Matthew Trent, Bachendorf%26rsquo;s, Calypso St. Barth, Taco Diner and R + D Kitchen (yummy comfort food, and the best modernist restaurant interior in town). 8311 Preston Center Plaza Dr., 469.232.0000; theplazaatprestoncenter.com.

More Great Shops:%26nbsp;

Allan Knight, 150 Turtle Creek Blvd., (214) 741-2227; allanknightasso.com
Bachendorf%26rsquo;s, 8400 Preston Rd., 214.692.8400; Galleria Dallas, 972.392.9900; 7401 Lonestar Dr., Plano, 972.596.2090; bachendorfs.com
B. Gover Limited Home, 1436 Slocum St., 214.571.9675
Calypso St. Barth, 4040 Villanova Dr., 214.750.0261; calypsostbarth.com
Century Modern, 2928 Main St., 214.651.9200; centurymodern.com
Ceylon et Cie, 1319 Dragon St., 214.742.7632; ceylonetcie.com
Champagne%26rsquo;s Luxe, 5201 W. Lovers Lane, 214.352.7777; champagnesluxe.com
Clotheshorse Anonymous, 11661 Preston Rd., 972.233.7005; clotheshorseanonymous.com
Collage 20th Century Classics, 1300 N. Riverfront Blvd., 214.828.9888; collageclassics.com
Deboulle, 6821 Preston Rd., 214.522.2400; deboulle.com
Debris Antiques, 1209 Slocum St., 214.752.8855; debrisantiques.com
Elements/Elle by Elements, 4400 Lovers Ln., 214.987.0837; elementsclothing.com
Jan Showers %26amp; Associates, 13008 Slocum St., 214.747.5252; janshowers.com
L. Bartlett, 3699 McKinney Ave., 214.521.3500; lbartlett.com
Lombardo Custom Apparel, 17604 N. Dallas Parkway, 214.265.8488; lombardocustomapparel.com
L%26rsquo;Optique of Dallas, 11930 Preston Rd., 972.934.2020
Lost Antiques and Found Antiques, 1201 N. Industrial Blvd., 214.741.4411 and 1225 N. Industrial Blvd., 214.741.5533, respectively; dallas-antiques.com
Matthew Trent, 4015 Villanova Dr., 800.292.6842; matthewtrent.com
Markham Fine Jewelry, 8355 Gaylord Parkway, Frisco, 214.705.9913; markhamfinejewelers.com
Marnie Rocks, 8413 Preston Center Plaza Dr., 214.369.1200; marnierocks.com
Martin Lawrence Gallery, Galleria Dallas, 972.716.5335
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, 4519 McKinney Ave., 214.753.8700; mganbw.com
The Mews, 1708 Market Center Blvd., 214.748.9070; themewsantiques.com
Nest, 4524 McKinney Ave., 214.373.4444; nestdallas.com
Scoop NYC, 44 Highland Park Village, 214.521.1900; scoopnyc.com
Scott + Cooner, 1617 HiLine Dr., 214.748.9838; scottcooner.com
Studio Sebastian, 6730 Snider Plaza, 214.360.9001; studiosebastian.com
Smink Modern Living, 5370 W. Lovers Ln., 214.350.0542; sminkinc.com
Tootsies, 8300 Preston Rd., 214.696.3339; tootsies.com
William Noble Rare Jewels and Noble Boutique, 100 Highland Park Village #370, 214.526.123; williamnoble.com
Wisteria Outlet, 6500 Cedar Springs Rd., 214.350.3115; wisteriaoutlet.com
Ylang23, Galleria Dallas, 972.980.6423; ylang23.com%26nbsp;

Image: Palm Restaurant

Dine Finely: Your Guide to Gastronomic Bliss

Steak
%26bull;Al Biernat%26rsquo;s: Want to talk Big Game with Jerry Jones? He%26rsquo;s likely dining here %26mdash; with Dallas%26rsquo; other high rollers, who come for the perfect primes, rib-eyes, kobes and filets. The valet frenzy here is like a scene from Dallas. Just with better cars. 4217 Oak Lawn Ave., 214.219.2201; albiernats.com. More magnificent steaks: Bob%26rsquo;s, Nick %26amp; Sam%26rsquo;s, The Place at Perry%26rsquo;s, Old Warsaw, Eddie V%26rsquo;s, III Forks, Capital Grille, Dallas Chop House.

Image: Arcodoro %26amp; Pomodoro. Photo by Raul Santillan.

Italian
%26bull;Arcodoro %26amp; Pomodoro: It%26rsquo;s a trip to Sardinia, no passport required. Order all the carpaccios and risottos %26mdash; and several glasses of owner Efisio Farris%26rsquo; private-label prosecco. Oh, and the puff pastries filled with sweet cheese. 100 Crescent Court, 214.871.1924; arcodoro.com. Other intriguing Italian: Adelmo%26rsquo;s, Nonna, Avanti, Villa-O, Patrizio%26rsquo;s, Ristorante Nicola.

Image: Villa-O

Seafood
%26bull;Caf%26eacute; Pacific: Take note of the Rolls-Royces and Maybachs queued up out front. What%26rsquo;s inside is as good: a Dallas power-dining institution %26mdash; decorated with marble, mahogany and brass %26mdash; where the seriously A-list have been elbowing in for 30-plus years, for onion-crusted sea bass, lobster-tail trios and roasted-corn snappers. 24 Highland Park Village, 214.526.1170; cafepacificdallas.com. Other scrumptious seafood: Ocean Prime, Oceanaire, S.%26amp;D. Oyster Company, Truluck%26rsquo;s, Chamberlain%26rsquo;s Fish Market.

Image: Fin Sushi. Photo by Jonathan Zizzo.

Sushi
%26bull;Shinsei: What happens when the foodie wives of two of Dallas%26rsquo; top chefs get together and open a dark and design-y sushi joint? Dallas%26rsquo; smart set shows up. Every night. The sushi is sublime (think snow crab, salmon roe, quail egg), and the alternative fare is as clever (jalape%26ntilde;o peppers stuffed with coconut chicken, honey-hoisin baby-back ribs). 7713 Inwood Road, 214.352.0005; shinseirestaurant.com. Other chic sushi: Kenichi, Yutaka, Teppo,Tei Tei Robata, Steel, Little Katana, Sushi Axiom, Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck, Nobu, Fin Sushi.

Pizza
%26bull;Fireside Pies: Locals jam up here for wood-fired pizzas with a flair for the creative: Goat cheese, sopressata salami, roasted pi%26ntilde;on nuts and truffle oil are just a few of the impressive ingredients piled on these pies. 2820 N. Henderson Ave., 214.370.3916; 5717 Legacy Dr., Plano, 972.398.2700; 2949 Crockett, Fort Worth, 817.769.3590; firesidepies.com. Other perfect pizza: Coal Vines, Campana, Sfuzzi, Olivella%26rsquo;s, Eno%26rsquo;s, Penne Pomodoro, Campisi%26rsquo;s.

Image: Nick %26amp; Sam's

Tex-Mex
%26bull;Mi Cocina: A-types frequent this Tex-Mex mecca for its high-energy atmosphere, bountiful chips, free-flowing salsa, Mama%26rsquo;s Chicken con Hongos (our pick) and, of course, the ever-potent Mambo Taxi margaritas, swirled with secret sangria. 3699 McKinney Ave., 469.533.5663; 77 Highland Park Village, 214.521.6426; more locations at mcrowd.com. Other Tex-Mex musts: Javier%26rsquo;s, Ojeda%26rsquo;s, Herrera%26rsquo;s, Taco Diner, Mattito%26rsquo;s, Urban Taco, Trece, Gloria%26rsquo;s.

Mediterranean
%26bull;Samar by Stephan Pyles: You%26rsquo;ll find dishes from Spain, India and the Eastern Mediterranean at this Arts District haunt. Feeling particularly adventurous? There%26rsquo;s a private hookah lounge. 2100 Ross Ave., 214.922.9922; samarrestaurant.com. Other fusion fare: Medina, Cafe Izmir, Caf%26eacute; Istanbul, Ziziki%26rsquo;s, Kavala, Ali Baba.

Image: Fearing's. Photo by Mark Wieland.

Contemporary American
%26bull;Fearing%26rsquo;s: Dallasites know that when it comes to gourmet comfort food, it%26rsquo;s all about chef Dean Fearing and his namesake restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas. Sip a Gin Bramble at the famous Rattlesnake Bar, then mosey to the restaurant for a wood-grilled %26lsquo;D1%26rsquo; glazed beef tenderloin with six-year-aged cheddar macaroni. All the while, keep your eyes peeled: Dallas%26rsquo; boldface names oft frequent this spot. 2121 McKinney Ave., 214.922.4848; fearingsrestaurant.com. Other American winners: Salum, Parigi, Bolla, Local, Dragonfly at Hotel ZaZa.

Image: Abacus

Eternally, Exquisitely Dallas
%26bull;The Mansion Restaurant at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek: The grande dame of Dallas dining %26mdash; in gorgeous new clothes. Inside this 1925 Italian Renaissance manse, chef Bruno Davaillon wows with simple, fresh, divine cuisine that is a sensory match for the stunning main room, where a sculpted ceiling meets modern art. 2821 Turtle Creek Blvd., 214.443.4747; mansiononturtlecreek.com. Other grand greats: The French Room, Abacus, Stephan Pyles, Rise No. 1.

Latin
%26bull;La Duni Latin Caf%26eacute;: A family-owned Dallas must-do, serving up delish European and Latin American dishes, clever cocktails and plenty of espresso and hot chocolate drinks to keep you lively (and warm). 4620 McKinney Ave., 214.520.7300; La Duni Latin Kitchen %26amp; Baking Studio, 4264 Oak Lawn Ave., 214.520.6888; La Duni Latin Kitchen %26amp; Coffee Studio at NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central Expwy, 214.987.2260; laduni.com.

BBQ
%26bull;Sonny Bryan%26rsquo;s Smokehouse: Legendary brisket, homemade barbeque sauce and onion rings that garner their own accolades. Bring bibs. 2202 Inwood Road, 214.357.7120; sonnybryans.com. Other brag-worthy BBQ: Peggy Sue BBQ, Baker%26rsquo;s Ribs, Sammy%26rsquo;s Bar B Que, Dickey%26rsquo;s Barbecue Pit.

Image: La Fiorentina. Photo by Kevin Marple.

Multi-Multicultural
%26bull;Restaurateur Alberto Lombardi holds the map of a worldly mix of culinary tastes. Start with tapas at his Spanish eatery Sangr%26iacute;a Tapas Y Bar [4524 Cole Ave., 214.520.4863]. For dinner en fran%26ccedil;ais, get thee to Toulouse Caf%26eacute; and Bar [3314 Knox St., 214.520.8999] for bouillabaisse and frog legs %26agrave; la provencal. Should you seek scampi tagliolini or a rich risotto, tap into Taverna Pizzeria Risotteria [3210 Armstrong Ave., 214.520.9933], and for a hearty Fiorentina Porterhouse (not for the weak of appetite), reserve a table at La Fiorentina [4501 Cole Ave., 972.528.6170]. The best part? All are within walking distance of each other, tucked into the quaint Knox-Travis neighborhood. lombardifamilyconcepts.com.

Image: Maple and Motor. Photo by George Fiala.

More Great Dining:

Alma, 2822 N. Henderson Ave., 214.827.2820
Antonio Ristorante, 4985 Addison Circle, 972.458.1010; antonioristorante.com
Arthur%26rsquo;s Prime Steaks and Seafood, 15175 Quorum Dr., 972.385.0800; arthursdallas.com
Artizone, artizone.com
Asian Mint, 4246 Oak Lawn Ave., 214.219.6468; asianmint.com
Bailey%26rsquo;s Prime Plus, 8160 Park Lane, 214.750.8100; 2901 Crockett St., Fort Worth, 817.870.1100; baileysprimeplus.com
Bandito%26rsquo;s Tex-Mex Cantina, 6615 Snider Plaza, 214.750.6100; banditos-dallas.com
Bob%26rsquo;s Steak %26amp; Chop House, 4300 Lemmon Ave., 214.528.9446; bobs-steakandchop.com
Bolsa, 614 W. Davis St. (in Oak Cliff), 214.367.9367; bolsadallas.com
Brackets Dallas, 5330 E. Mockingbird Lane, 214.823.0123; bracketsdallas.com
Breadwinners Cafe and Bakery, 3301 McKinney Ave., 214.754.4940; 5560 W. Lovers Lane, 214.754.4940; 4021 Preston Rd., Plano, 972.312.9300; breadwinnerscafe.com
Brownstone, 840 Currie St., Fort Worth, 817.332.1555; brownstonerestaurants.com
Bubba%26rsquo;s Cooks Country, 6617 Hillcrest Rd., 214.373.6527; babeschicken.com
The Capital Grille, 500 Crescent Court, 214.303.0500; thecapitalgrille.com
Celebrity Caf%26eacute; %26amp; Bakery, 65 Highland Park Village, 214.528.6612; 10720 Preston Rd., 214.373.0783; enjoycelebrity.com
Central 214, 5680 N. Central Expressway, 214.443.9339; central214.com
Chocolate Secrets, 3926 Oak Lawn Ave., 214.252.9801; chocolatesecrets.net
Coal Vines, 2404 Cedar Springs Rd., 214.855.4999; coalvines.com
Cool River Caf%26eacute;, 1045 Hidden Ridge, 972.871.8881; coolrivercafe.com
The Common Table, 2917 Fairmount St., 214.880.7414; thecommontable.com
Cr%26uacute; A Wine Bar, 3699 McKinney Ave., 214.526.9463; 7201 Bishop Rd., Plano, 972.312.9463; cruawinebar.com
Dallas Chop House, 1717 Main St., 214.736.7300; dallaschophouse.com
Dallas Fish Market, 1501 Main St., 214.744.3474; dallasfishmarket.com
Dish, 4123 Cedar Springs Rd., 214.522.3474; dish-dallas.com
Dive Coastal Cuisine, 3404 Rankin St., 214.891.1700; dive-dallas.com
Eatzi%26rsquo;s Market %26amp; Bakery, 3403 Oak Lawn Av., 214.526.1515; 5600 W. Lovers Lane, 214.358.3100; eatzis.com
Eddie V%26rsquo;s Prime Seafood, 4023 Oak Lawn Ave., 214.890.1500; eddiev.com
Empire Baking Company, 5450 W. Lovers Ln., 214.350.0007; 5614 E. University Blvd., 214.373.3838; empirebaking.com
Fernando%26rsquo;s Mexican Cuisine, 4347 W. Northwest Hwy., 214.351.9010; fernandosmexicancuisine.com
Ferrari%26rsquo;s Italian Villa, 1200 William D. Tate, Grapevine, 817.251.2525; ferrarisrestaurant.com
Fin Sushi Lounge, 4123 Cedar Springs Rd., 214.443.9366; finsushidallas.com%26nbsp;
The Fish Restaurant %26amp; Sushi Bar, 3636 McKinney Ave., 214.522.0071; fishhouston.com
Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck, 300 Reunion Blvd., 214.741.5560; wolfgangpuck.com
Grace, 777 Main St., Fort Worth, 817.877.3388; gracefortworth.com
Green Room, 2715 Elm St., 214.744.7666; greenroomdallas.com
Gui Korean Japanese Bistro %26amp; Bar, 2719 McKinney Ave., 214.597.5616
Hibiscus, 2927 N. Henderson Ave., 214.827.2927; hibiscusdallas.com
Hillstone, 8300 A Preston Rd., 214.691.8991; hillstone.com
Horne %26amp; Dekker, 2323 N. Henderson Ave., 214.821.9333; horneanddekker.com
Iron Cactus Mexican Grill %26amp; Margarita Bar, 1520 Main St., 214.749.4766; ironcactus.com
II Brothers, 8308 Preston Rd., 972.712.8308; iibrothers.com
Jasper%26rsquo;s, 7161 Bishop Rd., Plano, 469.229.9111; jaspers-restaurant.com
Javier%26rsquo;s Gourmet Mexicano, 4912 Cole Ave., 214.521.4211; javiers.net
Kenichi, 2400 Victory Park Lane, 214.871.8883; kenichidallas.com
Kenny%26rsquo;s Wood Fired Grill, 5000 Beltline Rd., 972.392.9663; kennyswoodfiredgrill.com
Komali, 4152 Cole Ave., 214.252.0200; komalirestaurant.com
Kozy Kitchen, 4433 McKinney Ave., 214.219.5044; twigproductive.com/kozy
Lemon Bar, 3699 McKinney Ave., 214.443.6043; thelemonbar.net
Little Katana, 4527 Travis St., 214.443.9600; littlekatana.com
Local, 2936 Elm St., 214.752.7500; localdallas.com
Loft 610, 5760 State Highway 121, Plano, 972.377.2500; loft610.com/plano
Lombardi%26rsquo;s Cibus, NorthPark Center, 214.692.0001; cibusdallas.com
Lumi Empanada %26amp; Dumpling Kitchen, 3407 McKinney Ave., 214.979.2424; lumikitchen.com
Maple and Motor, 4810 Maple Ave., 214.522.4400; mapleandmotor.com
Mattito%26rsquo;s, 3011 Routh St., 214.526.8181; mattitos.com
The Mercury, 11909 Preston Road, 972.960.7774; mcrowd.com
Mi Piaci, 14854 Montfort Dr., 972.934.8424; mipiaci-dallas.com
Neighborhood Services, 5027 W. Lovers Lane, 214.350.5027; Bar %26amp; Grill, 10720 Preston Rd. 214.368.1101; Tavern, 2405 N. Henderson Ave., 214.827.2405; neighborhoodservicesdallas.com
Peggy Sue BBQ, 6600 Snider Plaza, 214.987.9188; peggysuebbq.com
The Rattlesnake Bar [at Fearing%26rsquo;s], 2121 McKinney Ave., 214.922.4848; fearingsrestaurant.com
Nick and Sam%26rsquo;s Grill, 2816 Fairmount St., 214.303.1880; nick-samsgrill.com
Nick and Sam%26rsquo;s, 3008 Maple Ave., 214.871.7444; nick-sams.com
NM Fashion Cafe at Neiman Marcus, 1525 Commerce St., 214.573.8250; neimanmarcus.com
Nobu Dallas, 400 Crescent Court, 214.252.7000; noburestaurants.com
Nonna, 4115 Lomo Alto, 214.521.1800; nonnadallas.com
Nosh, 4216 Oak Lawn Ave., 214.528.9400; nosheurobistro.com
Ocean Prime, 2101 Cedar Springs Rd., 214.965.0440; oceanprimedallas.com
Ojeda%26rsquo;s Mexican Restaurant, 4617 Maple Ave., 214.528.8383; ojedasdallas.com
Palm Restaurant, 701 Ross Ave., 214.698.0470; thepalm.com
Palomino Restaurant %26amp; Bar, 500 Crescent Court, 214.999.1222; palomino.com
Park Restaurant, Bar %26amp; Garden, 1921 Henderson Ave., 214.824.3343; parkhenderson.com
Patrizio%26rsquo;s, 25 Highland Park Village, 214.522.7878; 1900 Preston Rd., Plano, 972.964.2200; 2932 Crockett St., Fort Worth, 817.698.0003; patrizios.net
Penne Pomodoro, 6815 Snider Plaza, 214.373.9911; pennepomodoro.com
Preston%26rsquo;s, 8411 Preston Rd., 214.691.7763; prestonsdallas.com
R + D Kitchen, 8300 Preston Center Plaza, 214.890.7900; hillstone.com
Rathbun%26rsquo;s Blue Plate Kitchen, 6130 Luther Lane, 214.890.1103; kentrathbun.com
Reata, 310 Houston St., Fort Worth, 817.336.1009; reata.net
Ristorante Nicola, 8111 Preston Rd., 214.379.1111; nicoladallas.com
Saint Ann Restaurant and Bar, 2501 N. Harwood St., 214.782.9807; saintanndallas.com
Salum, 4152 Cole Ave., 214.252.9604; salumrestaurant.com
Seasons 52, 7300 Lone Star Dr., Plano, 972.312.8852; seasons52.com
Sfuzzi, 2533 McKinney Ave., 214.953.0300; sfuzziuptown.com
Shuck N Jive, 401 W. President George Bush Freeway, Richardson, 469.916.4912; shucknjive.com
Smoke at The Belmont Hotel, 901 Fort Worth Ave., 214.393.4141; smokerestaurant.com
So7 Bistro, 2401 West 7th St., Fort Worth, 817.878.4311; so7bistro.com
Stephan Pyles, 1807 Ross Ave., Suite 200, 214.580.7000; stephanpyles.com
Sushi Axiom, 2323 N. Henderson Ave., 214.828.2288; sushiaxiom.net
Sushi Star, 5956 Royal Lane, 214.692.8989
T Room at Forty Five Ten, 4510 McKinney Ave., 214.559.2332; fortyfiveten.com
Taco Diner, 3699 McKinney Ave., 214.521.3669; 4011 Villanova, 214.696.4944; mcrowd.com
Taverna, 3210 Armstrong Ave., 214.520.9933; tavernabylombardi.com
Tei Tei Robata Bar, 2906 N. Henderson Ave., 214.828.2400; teiteirobata.com
Teppo Yakitori %26amp; Sushi Bar, 2014 Greenville Ave., 214.826.8989; teppo.com
Tillman%26rsquo;s Roadhouse, 324 W. Seventh St. (in Oak Cliff), 214.942.0988; 2933 Crockett St., Fort Worth, 817.850.9255; tillmansroadhouse.com
Trece Mexican Kitchen %26amp; Tequila Lounge, 4513 Travis St., 214.780.1900; trecerestaurant.com
Truluck%26rsquo;s, 2401 McKinney Ave., 214.220.2401; trulucks.com
Urban Taco, 3411 McKinney Ave., 214.922.7080; 5331 E. Mockingbird Lane, 214.823.4723; urban-taco.com
Victory Tavern, 2501 N. Houston St., 214.432.1900; victorytavern.com
Villa-O, 4514 Travis St., 214.780.1880; villaorestaurant.com
The Zodiac, 1618 Main St., 214.573.5800; neimanmarcus.com

%26nbsp;

A Wild Trio

Mon, 29 Nov 2010 01:14:56 GMT

Ever so often, we have the urge to participate in a wild rumpus. (And we don%26rsquo;t mean imbibing Dom with our favorite socials on the town.) So, just how should one satisfy the desire to be where the wild things are? Three ways. First is the Giants of the Savanna exhibit at the Dallas Zoo, where lions, elephants, cheetahs and giraffes roam in an 11-acre, African-inspired habitat. Then, for those who prefer oceans to deserts, there%26rsquo;s the upcoming Sea Life Aquarium at Grapevine Mills. Set to open next summer, the interactive, 45,000-square-foot space will contain more than 30 marine-life displays, including a tropical ocean tank with a walk-through, underwater tunnel, plus displays of freshwater and coastal creatures who make Texas home. Another new sea-scene? The Dallas Zoo%26rsquo;s Children%26rsquo;s Aquarium at Fair Park where turtles, clown fish, sea stars, jellyfish and other oceanic animals inhabit interactive exhibits and touch pools inside Fair Park%26rsquo;s historic Art Deco building. We%26rsquo;re sure Jacques Cousteau would approve.

Image: Gentle giants: Elephants on display at the Dallas Zoo%26rsquo;s Giants of the Savanna.

India Ink

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 04:37:59 GMT

Gems and saris, palace lodging and lassis, this fall is a great time to trek (and we use the term loosely) through magical India. Make a longish stopover in Jaipur for some of the chicest shopping, following the jodhpurs of PaperCity%26#8217;s fashion director Kate Allen Stukenberg as she journeys from New Delhi to Mumbai.

%26nbsp;

Oberoi Rajvilas
A destination unto itself, the Oberoi Rajvilas is set amidst 32 acres of landscaped gardens with pavilions and reflection pools. Stay in one of the carefully appointed rooms, royal tents or luxury villas, the latter of which include a private pool. Rates and reservations, oberoihotels.com.

Roopraj Durries, Jodhpur
About a 40-minute drive outside Jodhpur, down a long dirt road and past several villages, you%26#8217;ll find Roopraj Prajapati inside his stylish hut (solar-powered, no less), where he and his family hand-loom fine cotton, silk and wool durries that are to die for. He%26#8217;ll have a few finished pieces for you to choose from, but it%26#8217;s best to arrive with an idea of size and thread color, and with pictures of the rug design you%26#8217;re envisioning. The process takes about three months, and Roopraj will ship it to your home. rooprajdurry.com.

%26nbsp;

Taj Rambagh Palace
The first heritage hotel in India, Rambagh Palace was built in 1835 on a modest scale for the queen%26#8217;s favorite handmaiden, Kesar Badaran, then later refurbished as a royal guesthouse and hunting lodge. In 1925, Rambagh was converted into a palace and became the residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur. It%26#8217;s worth visiting for a drink or dinner even if you%26#8217;re not staying there. Rates and reservations, tajhotels.com.

Yellow Tree Caf%26#233;, Mumbai
New friends we made on our travels introduced us to this hip restaurant, tucked away in the upscale suburban neighborhood of Bandra. Yellow Tree serves an excellent mix of Mediterranean, Italian and Continental food, which can be hard to come by while traveling through many of the smaller towns in India. 33, Ambedkar Road junction, Bandra West.

%26nbsp;

Good Earth, Mumbai %26amp; Delhi
This must be where stylish Indian brides register for their weddings. From luxury linens to china, crystal and silver, this chic home boutique carries it all. We stocked up on block-print quilts, duvets and pillows. goodearthindia.com.

Love Lacs
Visit the wholesale bangle and Indian costume jewelry shops located in Jaipur%26#8217;s old city on Maniharon Ka Rasta, near the Tripolia Bazar, to find the coveted lac bangles and colorful enamel Indian earrings at bargain prices.%26nbsp; %26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; %26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; Hot, Indeed%26nbsp; Chic boutique Hot Pink carries edited collections by many of India%26#8217;s top luxury designers, plus a variety of great Indian-inspired gifts. Narain Niwas Palace, Narain Singh Road, Jaipur, 302004; hotpinkindia.com.

%26nbsp;

Veda, New Delhi
The over-the-top baroque decor of this Connaught Place Indian restaurant, lounge and bar includes oversized Venetian mirrors layered over mirrored walls with gold-leaf accents, black-leather Winchester-style sofas and domed ceilings embellished with the kri ka kaam, a special Indian art that uses glasswork from the arid regions of Rajasthan. Menu and location, vedarestaurants.com.

%26nbsp;

The Gem Palace
In Jaipur, make a beeline to The Gem Palace. This historic jewelry boutique was established in 1852 by the Kasliwal family, who for more than eight generations had the distinction of being court jewelers to Moghul emperors. Today they offer gems including rubies, diamonds, emeralds, peridots, citrines and aquamarines, cut and set into collections ranging from traditional Indian to Victorian, as well as an assortment of contemporary styles. For years, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has commissioned The Gem Palace to create special pieces highlighting the jewels and techniques of ancient time periods in Egypt, Greece and Rome. Mirza Ismail Road, Jaipur, 302001; gempalacejaipur.com.

%26nbsp;

Anokhi
This retail chain can be found throughout India, but the Jaipur location is one of the largest %26#8212; no surprise, considering the company was founded in the Pink City. You%26#8217;ll find colorful and stylish hand-block print textiles in everything from bathrobes and tunics to scarves and bedspreads. Make time for French-press coffee and cupcakes at Anokhi Caf%26#233;, located on the same floor. Locations, anokhi.com.%26nbsp;

Amrapali
This jewelry shop has multiple locations throughout Rajasthan, but you can only make a bargain at the Jaipur shop on Panch Batti, as their other locations are fixed-price boutiques. Best-known for silver, Amrapali also carries a variety of gold collections, both contemporary and traditional Indian pieces. Locations, amrapalijewels.com.

%26nbsp;

Wrap Star
Scarves worn over the head and neck are a great alternative to a hat midday, when the Indian sun truly starts to heat up. Pack one for the trip and pick up a few along the way at the many block-print textile shops throughout town.

Day Break

Take a break from shopping and refresh with a lassi. Note, the real Lassiwala is on your left, next to the alleyway, and boasts %26#8220;Since 1944%26#8221;; imitators are to the right as you face it. It is the undisputed best spot for the famous creamy Indian yogurt drink. Lassiwala 3i2, Mirza Ismail%26nbsp; Road, Jaipur 302001.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Worth the Trip

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 03:07:25 GMT

Laurann Claridge journeys down Highway 290 to discover the intimacy and charm, not to mention the Dr Pepper%26#8211;braised Berkshire pork belly, of The Inn at Dos Brisas.

%26nbsp;

Gourmand guides that help the food-obsessed navigate the hautest culinary terrain in Europe and beyond bestow star ratings on only a handful of destinations deemed to have %26#8220;exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.%26#8221; But who says you have to leave the country to find a heightened dining experience with luxury hotel accommodations under the same roof? Simply motor an hour down Highway 290 to The Inn at Dos Brisas, where visionary dot-com mogul Doug Bosch and his wife, Jennifer, have created a destination as renowned for its stunning landscape as for its thoughtful cuisine, in the same manner as the revered Inn at Little Washington and Blackberry Farm in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Originally created as a weekend refuge for family and friends, the 313-acre property and Inn, after 10 years and millions of dollars invested in its lavish infrastructure, now boasts Relais %26amp; Ch%26#226;teaux status, as well as a Forbes Five-Star rating. %26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Image: Laurann Claridge

%26nbsp;

Upon entering the gates and crunching down the gravel drive, views of pallid ponds, grazing horses and foals greet you. Gently rolling hills give way to a manicured rose garden and a cool, infinity-edged pool. And then there%26#8217;s the chef-driven food %26#8230; Chef Jason Robinson has manned the range here for the last five years. His menu of American cuisine is driven by French technique with an Asian spark %26#8212; dishes that are complex, layered and ingredient-driven. When you dine here after dark, you%26#8217;ll have a three-course seasonal menu ($85 a person; the house-made cheese course %26#8212; highly recommended %26#8212; is $15 extra). Options might include Dr Pepper%26#8211;braised Berkshire pork belly, apple pur%26#233;e and tiny glazed carrots, or a panko-crusted Chesapeake Bay soft-shell crab with spicy aioli and oba leaf touched with a lemongrass peanut emulsion. Place yourself in the chef%26#8217;s hands, and he%26#8217;ll spin out a grand eight-course menu %26#8212; a Garden Tasting of vegetables or a selection of carnivore-friendly dishes.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Robinson and new farm superintendent Doug Langum forage the greenhouse and gardens of this expansive ranch daily, choosing from 500 varieties of fruits and vegetables including 10 different sorts of hybrid eggplant, celeriac, boysenberries, asparagus, purple potatoes and more, all grown certified organic. Small wonder, then, that the next big roll-out chez Dos Brisas, according to proprietor and managing director Doug Bosch, is a high-end produce company that provides uncommonly pristine produce to the finest eateries in Houston. Meanwhile, Bosch plans to expand the number of casitas on the property to eight. %26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

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Image: Chef Jason Robinson

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The future of Dos Brisas%26#8217; expansion relies on an elaborate %26#8212; and green %26#8212; method of procuring energy. Each casita will be heated and cooled via a state-of-the-art geo-thermal system that converts energy from a new two-acre pond built for this purpose. The same geo-thermal system controls the growing environment for the organic seedlings in Los Brisas%26#8217; new 7,500-square-foot greenhouse. This system has the potential to revolutionize growing in the United States and is monitored closely by the agricultural industry.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

Ready to check into The Inn at Dos Brisas? Consider heading to Washington County midweek, as the nightly rates for a private casita drop from $780 to $480 Sunday through Thursday. Your stay includes breakfast, a three-course lunch and a personal golf cart waiting to whisk you around the property (when you%26#8217;re not traversing it on foot, horseback or mountain bike, that is). 9400 Champion Dr., Brenham, 972.277.7750; dosbrisas.com.

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Top image: Dos Brisas

Bottom image: Dos Brisas casita

Jungle Gem at the Houston Zoo

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:12:00 GMT

If you dream of Africa but couldn%26#8217;t squeeze a safari into your schedule this year, program your GPS for the Houston Zoo. Next month, phase one of The African Forest expansion %26#8212; the most ambitious project in the zoo%26#8217;s 88-year history %26#8212; opens. The immersive, 6.5-acre experience will capture the exoticism of western equatorial Africa, introducing the urban adventurer to chimpanzees, rhinos, antelope, ostriches and more through virtually invisible barriers. It all begins at a village trading outpost (we love the leaf-thatched huts), where you can sign up for guided tours and overnight camps, or gather %26#8216;round the fire pit for storytelling and educational programs. Then head into the wilderness, along winding paths where you%26#8217;ll commune with a colony of chimps, watch rhinos and kudu mingle in an open setting and get closer to giraffes than ever before in a new habitat that promises eye-to-eye viewing and even feeding opportunities. Now, that%26#8217;s what we call a zoo %26#8220;keeper.%26#8221; Opening December 10 to the general public (December 2 for members only). Information houstonzoo.org/africanforest.

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Image: Courtesy of the Houston Zoo.

Living Like Eloise

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 12:06:56 GMT

Author Kay Thompson%26#8217;s irrepressible Eloise took up residence at The Plaza in New York decades ago. Now the adventurous little heroine has a suite named after her %26#8212; decorated by none other than Betsey Johnson, the quirkiest designer on Seventh Avenue. Johnson is simply mad for all things pink, so it%26#8217;s no surprise that these 18th-floor lodgings are splashed in shocking shades of that hue, with girly rosebud prints and a jolt of black-and-white zebra-striped carpet. Hilary Knight%26#8217;s famous illustrations of little Miss Eloise grace the walls, while the precocious one%26#8217;s name is sprawled in neon lights above her big fluffy and oh-so-pink king-sized bed. Mummy and Daddy%26#8217;s optional adjoining room is much tamer but also quite plush (after all, this is the newly redesigned Plaza). While you%26#8217;re there, take afternoon tea at the storied Palm Court, where Eloise, Weenie and Skipperdee would surely approve of the kid-friendly mini grilled cheese sandwiches, warm scones and organic PB%26amp;J. Then send your little one to %26#8220;charm school%26#8221; in the Eloise Shop, where she can learn to dress, dine, write thank-you notes and pronounce %26#8220;s%26#8217;il vous plait.%26#8221; Rates from $995 ($2,045 for the adjoining parents%26#8217;/nanny bedroom as well) and include all sorts of Eloise-themed goodies, too. Information 888.240.7775; theplaza.com.

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Image: Eloise Suite at The Plaza

A Smashing Summer's Eve

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:42:16 GMT

Gentlemen broke out their whites and ladies swathed themselves in punches of color at Rosemarie and Matt Johnson's dinner party honoring old friends Nidhika and Pershant Mehta and new friends Melissa and Micheal Mithoff.

Matt Johnson%26#8217;s position with with Neos Energy brought the former New Yorkers to Houston about a year and a half ago. Since arriving, the stylish young couple has done good deeds by the dozen %26#8212; Texas Children's Hospital, UNICEF, The Children's Museum of Houston and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's Nidhika and Pershant Mehta Arts of India Gallery.

Rosemarie Johnson summoned A Fare Extraordinare to plan the party, telling the crew they had two weeks and she wanted something fabulous %26#8212; done, and done! Cue the transparent air-conditioned tent %26#8212; after all, hair simply can't fall to pieces when you've just come from Ceron.

The tent's interior was enveloped in white. Pink phalaenopsis and the music of DJ Sun added splashes of color and evoked Miami Beach 'round cocktail hour. Dinner was as diverse as the attendees: paella, short ribs, stuffed squash blossoms, grits with crab meat, strawberry salad, macaroons and saut%26#233;ed pears in chocolate.

The hostess was ravishing in her gossamer off-the-shoulder ensemble. A vision in a printed peacock-feather caftan, Nidhika Mehta was utterly chic; and Melissa Mithoff was simply stellar in her knee-length white chiffon shift dress. Other knockouts included Diane Lokey Farb in a patterned cocktail dress, with a playing card motif %26#8212; all aces, of course; and Debbie Festari dominated in a black-and-white bandage dress that felt just right. But, then again, so did the party.

Spa Rituals

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 02:00:44 GMT

Longing to make a healthful life change? Lake Austin Spa Resort has ushered in a new structured spa program called the Power of 7, designed to motivate you to put your own needs first %26#8212;%26nbsp;in luxurious surrounds, of course. You%26#8217;ll spend seven consecutive days working with Lake Austin%26#8217;s power team, from fitness trainers who assess your level of activity to a nutritionist who%26#8217;ll get real about what you%26#8217;re eating, in a program customized to your body, health and fitness goals. Kick-start your routine with unlimited fitness classes (why not try that Zumba class you%26#8217;ve been eyeing?) and three square meals of the most delicious spa food you can order in Texas. Mix in a massage or facial, and listen in on seminars about gardening, mediation, motivation, stress management and more. Lake Austin Spa Power Week, from $3,495 per person, 800.847.5637; lakeaustin.com.

Meanwhile, those yearning for a day-spa escape closer to home can check into the newly revamped Balance Urban Spa downtown at the Hotel Icon. This boutique spa is a hushed escape from the maddening city above %26#8212; where veteran spa manager Helen Flores-Voigt has added new treatments such as the moisture-building, acne- and hyper-pigmentation-solving Hydra Facial and the fragrant Cinnamon Delight Body Treatment, an exfoliation and massage in one. Or book the signature Balance massage that will make you melt into the table as every knot in your neck is slowly untied. Balance Spa, Hotel Icon, 220 Main St., 713.224.4266; hotelicon.com.

Sea to See

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 02:02:01 GMT

From East to West Beach, the Strand to the seawall, Col. Bubbies to Palisade Palms, Gaido%26#8217;s to the Galvez, the fabled classics to the sleek new spas, hotels, restaurants and residences, here is your go-to guide to all things Galveston.

WHERE TO EAT

Bistro LeCroy
2021 Strand
409.762.4200
This Strand-area Cajun hot spot is in full swing after an extensive remodel.

Cafe Michael Burger
11150 Termini San Luis Pass Road
409.740.3639
Best burgers at the beach. Wash them down with a cold German brew.

DiBella%26#8217;s Italian Restaurant
1902 31st St.
409.763.9036
Locals keep this casual Italian kitchen crowded on Friday nights.

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Fish Tales
2502 Seawall Blvd.
409.762.8545
After you catch some rays on the beach, grab a bite at this beachfront seafood stop. It%26#8217;s the best spot to watch the Fourth of July fireworks %26#8212; if you can get there early enough to reserve a table.

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Gaido%26#8217;s
3802 Seawall Blvd.
409.762.9625
gaidosofgalveston.com
An Island institution serving up surf-side seafood since 1911.

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Mosquito Cafe
628 14th St.
409.763.1010
mosquitocafe.com
Tucked away in Galveston%26#8217;s historic East End, this cafe is a must for trendy salads, sandwiches and pasta. Save room for dessert: The lemonade cake is to die for.

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901 Postoffice
901 Postoffice St.
409.762.1111
This newly opened culinary-fusion restaurant is located in a former historic home with a covered salon and back patio.

Olympia Grill at Pier 212
1st %26amp; Harborside
409.7665.0021
olympiagrill.net
This stylish dining spot serves up great Greek dishes and an excellent harbor view.

Rudy %26amp; Paco
2028 Postoffice St.
409.762.3696
Leave the flip-flops and shorts at the beach house when dining at this Latin-inspired seafood and steak house.

Shearn%26#8217;s Restaurant
7 Hope Blvd.409.741.8484
moodygardenshotel.com
Grab dinner or just a drink at this top-floor restaurant for spectacular views of the pyramids of Moody Gardens and the sunsets.

The Sunflower Bakery and Caf%26#233;
512 14th St.
409.763.5500
thesunflowerbakeryandcafe.com
This sweet bakery, housed in a historic building on the East End, also serves up savory soups and sandwiches for lunch and Sunflower%26#8217;s famous Belgian waffles for brunch. Check the Web site for the delicious Saturday dinner specials.

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Willie G%26#8217;s
2100 Harborside
409.762.3030
williegs.com/galveston
This steak-and-seafood spot on the harbor side of the island offers great views of the ships rolling in.

FOR SIPPING COCKTAILS

BarNone at Diamond Beach
10327 Termini-San Luis Pass Road
404.744.3020
diamondbeachgalveston.com
Sleek and modern, BarNone is in the elegant new East End Diamond Beach mid-rise.

Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe
413 20th St.
409.762.9199
oldquarteracousticcafe.com
Cut loose with a Lone Star to some live music at the Old Quarter, which is more than a little reminiscent of Austin in the %26#8217;60s and %26#8217;70s.

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The Poop Deck
2928 Seawall Blvd.
409.763.9151
This legendary biker pub features a full bar, televised sports and a deck overlooking the Gulf.

Rooftop Terrace at The Tremont House
2300 Ship%26#8217;s Mechanic Row
409.763.0300
wyndhamtremonthouse.com
Enjoy a cool cocktail and a view of downtown on the roof of this historic Strand-area hotel.

Sonny%26#8217;s Place
1206 19th St.
409.763.9602
Head to this dive to enjoy a cold mug of root beer and the best chili dogs in town.

21
2102 Postoffice St.
409.762.2101
You%26#8217;ll find plenty of cocktails and a cover band every weekend at this hip down-town bar.

WHERE TO BOOK A NIGHT

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Hotel Galvez
2024 Seawall Blvd.
409.765.7721
wyndham.com/hotels/glshg
Dubbed %26#8220;The Queen of the Gulf%26#8221; when it debuted in 1911, this historic property just completed the final phase of a renovation that included the refurbishment of 226 deluxe guest rooms and seven luxury suites. Stick around on Sunday for a spectacular brunch at Bernardo%26#8217;s.

San Luis Resort
5222 Seawall Blvd.
409.744.1500
sanluisresort.com
Talk about a destination that%26#8217;s hard to leave. This 30-acre luxury resort has multiple fine-dining options, bars, spa, tennis courts and the best pool experience on the island, H2O.

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The Tremont House
2300 Ship%26#8217;s Mechanic Row
409.763.0300
wyndhamtremonthouse.com
This historic downtown European-style hotel, just steps from the Strand district, recently reopened following an extensive renovation post-Hurricane Ike.

FOR LONGER THAN A NIGHT, TRY THESE

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Beachtown
1801 Seaside Dr.
409.762.2222
beachtowngalveston.com
This charming residential beach village, reminiscent of Seaside, leases several of its properties. Contact the sales office for more details.

Diamond Beach
10327 Termini-San Luis Pass Road
404.744.3020
diamondbeachgalveston.com
This elegant new East End mid-rise residential property has a spa and BarNone, Galveston%26#8217;s first beach bar, both open to the public. However, if you%26#8217;re longing for the magnificent outdoor pools, lazy river and the only indoor pool of its kind (designed with inspiration from the Turkish baths at the Danubius Hotel Gell%26#233;rt in Budapest), you%26#8217;ll have to own a condo %26#8212; or at least rent one. Summer rentals start at $300 per night with a two-night minimum.

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Palisade Palms
801 E. Beach Dr.
409.974.4635
palisadepalms.com
This new luxury high-rise twin-tower property on the East End has condos for lease on a weekly and monthly basis this summer season, starting at $1,800 a week. Choose from six floor plans and gain access to the resort-style amenities, including beautiful%26nbsp; pools, tennis and basketball courts, bicycles and a private boardwalk to the beach.%26nbsp;

Sand N%26#8217; Sea Properties
4127 Pirates Beach
409.797.5500
sandnsea.com
To lease a beach house for a week, weekend or month, Sand N%26#8217; Sea offers properties from luxury three-story houses on the beach to more modest ones along the canals.

SHOPPING

Buchanan Gallery
220 25th St.
409.763.8683
buchanangallery.com
This fine art gallery, an island favorite, represents emerging and mid-career artists from the Gulf Coast region.

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Col. Bubbies
202 Strand St.
409.762.7397
colbubbie.com
Even non-military buffs will get a kick perusing the extensive racks of wartime memorabilia, all for sale.

The Frog at Home
2701 Broadway
409.762.3764
frogathome.com
The popular Houston home store also has a showroom in Galveston, where you can shop for unique home furnishings, window treatments, rugs and art to fill your weekend retreat.

Galveston Art %26amp; Frames
1126 19th St.
409.762.3628
For%26nbsp; wonderful old posters and vintage prints of Galveston.

Hendley Market
2010 Strand
409.762.2610
hendleymarket.com
A mainstay on the Strand for more than 30 years. Pick up trinkets and gifts inspired by the Victorian surroundings, as well as antique medical instruments, vintage books, and nativities and santons from around the globe.

La King%26#8217;s Confectionery
2323 Strand
409.762.6100
Stop in for a milkshake at the shop%26#8217;s 1920s soda fountain. On your way out, indulge in a selection of divinity, pecan pralines, fudge or La King%26#8217;s famous saltwater taffy, all made in-house on vintage equipment.

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Murdoch%26#8217;s Bathhouse
2215 Seawall Blvd.
409.762.7478
Galveston%26#8217;s most historic shop for souvenir shirts and seashells was back up and running only a year after Hurricane Ike reduced it to a stack of wood pilings.

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Rene%26#8217; Wiley Studio Gallery
2128 Postoffiice St.
409.750.9077
renewileyart.com
Stop in this fine art gallery for one of artist Dale Hooks%26#8217; bowls carved from %26#8220;Ike Wood,%26#8221; which is what the locals dub the 10,000-plus trees cut down after Hurricane Ike.

Vic%26#8217;s Estate %26amp; Fine Jewelry
2413 Market St.
409.762.5792
vicsjewelry.com
Shop for vintage jewelry and antique silver at Vic%26#8217;s, a Galveston tradition for more than 75 years.

The Witchery
2116 Postoffice St.
409.515.0669
witcheryonline.com
This magical boutique sells books, gifts and potions pertaining to the metaphysical.

SPAS

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Chocolate Spa at Diamond Beach

10327 Termini-San Luis Pass Road

404.744.3020

diamondbeachgalveston.com

The 4,000-square-foot luxury Chocolate Spa at Diamond Beach is a full-service day spa with indoor hot therapy pool, aromatherapy, mani-pedis, facials and more.

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The Spa at Hotel Galvez

2024 Seawall Blvd.

409.515.2100

thespaatthehotelgalvez.com

This luxe spa alone %26#8212;%26nbsp;with its top-notch treatments, vichy shower and relaxation room %26#8212; is worth a drive to the Island.

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Spa San Luis

5222 Seawall Blvd.

409.744.1500

sanluisresort.com

Massage, buff and polish your worries away at this luxe, full-service spa at the posh San Luis Resort.

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SIGHTS TO SEE

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The Elissa

Texas Seaport Museum

Harborside Dr.

409.763.1877

galvestonhistory.org

Restored to her former glory, this three-masted barque speaks to Galveston%26#8217;s port-ly past. Tour the decks, then visit the adjoining museum to learn about the sailing ship%26#8217;s past and her amazing rescue from a scrapyard.

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Lone Star Flight Museum

2002 Terminal Dr.

409.740.7722

lsfm.org

Now boarding %26#8212;%26nbsp;no, literally: Not only does this museum provide public viewing of a wonderful collection of all things aeronautical, but it boasts vintage bomber planes you can both pilot and fly in.

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Rosenberg Library

2310 Sealy Ave.

409.763.8854

rosenberg-library.org

Spend hours combing through the Galveston Archives, which include an incredible postcard collection, old Galveston photographs, historic books and papers.

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FUN FOR KIDS

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Galveston Duck Tours

2500 Seawall Blvd.

409.621.4771

galvestonducks.com

Treat the kiddos to a tour of Galveston on The Duck. Destinations on The Duck include Offatt%26#8217;s Bayou, the Seawall and drive-bys of the Island%26#8217;s beautiful 1900s mansions, downtown Strand shopping district and the %26#8220;Silk Stockings%26#8221; historical homes district.

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Moody Gardens

One Hope Blvd.

800.582.4673

moodygardens.com

This island attraction is mega-fun. Where else can you visit a rainforest, an aquarium and see an IMAX film, all in one day?

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Rainforest Cafe

5310 Seawall Blvd.

409.744.6000

rainforestcafe.com

What child doesn%26#8217;t cheer for Rainforest Cafe? The Galveston outpost is located next door to the San Luis Resort.

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Schlitterbahn

2026 Lockheed St.

409.770.9283

schlitterbahn.com/gal

Daring speeds, slides, endless rivers, uphill water coasters and waves for surfing and splashing.%26nbsp;

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FOR A BEACH PAD OF YOUR OWN

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Beachtown

Developer: Tofigh Shirazi

Town Planner: Duany Plater-Zyberk and Co.(Seaside, Florida)

1801 Seaside Dr.

409.762.2222

beachtowngalveston.com

This charming residential community on East Beach is redolent of Seaside, Florida, and architecturally follows this classical coastal vernacular. There are several villages with fabulous homes, and a Beach Club is planned. Town homes and lofts are above the general store, market, creamery, restaurants and coffee shops, which are planned or under construction.

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Diamond Beach

Developer: Randall Davis

10327 Termini-San Luis Pass Road

404.744.3020

diamondbeachgalveston.com

This elegant new mid-rise has 22 floor plans and 120 beach-view homes on the West Beach seawall. Amenities: private beach, magnificent outdoor pools, a lazy river, Turkish bath%26#8211;inspired indoor pool, day spa, private movie theater, teen and children%26#8217;s rooms, fitness center and concierge.

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Palisade Palms

Developer: Falcon Group

801 East Beach Dr.

409.974.4635

palisadepalms.com

This new luxury high-rise twin-tower property on the East End has 288 homes and is the first residential high-rise to be built on the beach in 20 years. Amenities: infinity pool, tennis and basketball courts, game and media rooms, concierge and a private boardwalk to the beach.

Galveston's Historical and Art Revolution

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 01:30:02 GMT

Galveston%26#8217;s best-kept secret? Catherine D. Anspon discovers that contemporary art %26#8212; often important and world-class %26#8212; abounds in this seaside mecca. Mix in a rich brew of history, dating back to the Karankawa Indians %26#8230; the mythic landing of explorer Cabeza de Vaca in 1528 %26#8230; the island%26#8217;s naming in 1785 by Jos%26#233; de Evia for the then viceroy of Mexico, Bernardo de G%26#225;lvez %26#8230; the land%26#8217;s use as a pirate lair by Jean Laffite some decades later %26#8230; and its resurgence as the largest and most eminent city of Texas by 1870, which gave birth to its fabled, grand Victorian residences. And that%26#8217;s only the beginning. Here%26#8217;s the latest historical and art buzz about this singular seaside resort.

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Image left: Don Glentzer%26#8217;s "Seawall Characters: Bikini on Bike," 1996, at DesignWorks Gallery

Image middle: Don Glentzer%26#8217;s "Seawall Characters: Polka-dots," 1996, at DesignWorks Gallery

Image right: John C. Dyes%26#8217; "San Luis Pass," from the series %26#8220;Galveston Water,%26#8221; 1988/2008, at Buchanan Gallery

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Curator%26#8217;s Corner and Cover Girl
Artists and Galveston have always been intertwined, the former lured to the island by the presence of old cotton warehouses and other abundant commercial buildings that make for light-filled studios. Incontestably the most prominent in the last 40 years was late painter Joe Glasco (1925 %26#8211; 1996), who moved to Galveston in 1972 after a successful career in New York, including a 1952 MoMA exhibit with Rothko and Pollock. He took the Texas scene by storm with his ripped abstract canvases that earned him spots in the nationally touring mid-1980s exhibition %26#8220;Fresh Paint: The Houston School%26#8221; and in the 1991 Whitney Biennial. Glasco also influenced a generation of Gulf Coast artists, such as then Houston-based Julian Schnabel. Schnabel so respected the older artist that he cast him in several scenes in his film Basquiat and even dedicated the film to his memory after he passed away before its release.

Flash forward, and here are three contemporary talents who cast their eyes upon the island. These Texas photographers share a fascination with the place%26#8217;s coastline, people, history and sun-washed ambiance, continuing the tradition of Henri Cartier-Bresson, whose images for the classic 1966 volume The Galveston That Was set the gold standard for Gulf Coast subject matter. Mid-career master Ann Stautberg contributed the images that grace our cover (from top): 8-28-00, Tx Coast, #9, 2000, and 6-21-96, P.M., Tx Coast, 1997. She snapped them in Galveston in black-and-white film, then meticulously hand-painted each image with colored oils. This former island resident, now based in Houston (represented by Wade Wilson Art; works from $3,500), is internationally exhibited, from the Shanghai Museum of Art to the MFAH%26#8217;s Glassell School of Art. A 10-year retrospective of her work at the Galveston Arts Center in 2000 toured to four other venues statewide.

Another lensman with the island in his viewfinder is photographer Don Glentzer, represented in the permanent collections of the MFAH, the Houston Museum of Natural Science and The Witliff Collections at Texas State University %26#8211; San Marcos. His work has ranged from editorial projects for The New York Times Magazine and the Los Angeles Times Magazine to his 2008 volume on 50 rose species, Pink Ladies %26amp; Crimson Gents, co-authored with wife, writer Molly Glentzer. His series of saturated, almost hyperreal color portraits, made along the Seawall in the mid-1990s using an 8 x 10 view camera, captures an optimistic time and the beach babes and surfer dudes who inhabited it (through DesignWorks Gallery, Galveston, from $650).

Of a different nature entirely are the timeless black-and-white prints by Dickinson, Texas%26#8211;based John C. Dyes, recently on view at Buchanan Gallery as its FotoFest show. (The gallery also represents him, with his work beginning at $500 for silver gelatin prints.) Focused on the coastline and distilling it down to its essentials %26#8212; broad swaths of sea and sky %26#8212; the chemical engineer turned fine art photographer (who holds a BFA and MFA from, respectively, Rice and UH) created epic views of the island%26#8217;s %26#8220;Resplendent Shores.%26#8221;

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Image: Pottery by John Cowan

%26nbsp;

Claymation

You could say it%26#8217;s all in the family: We%26#8217;ve learned that the son of the late sporting master John P. Cowan %26#8212; whose watercolors rivaled Winslow Homer%26#8217;s %26#8212; is also an artist. John Cowan Jr. is enraptured not by painting, but by clay. Largely self-taught, the Texas native began throwing pots seven years ago and has now produced a body of work formed from Ohio and Georgia clays, ornamented by handmade glazes. The pitchers, teapots, plates and other vessels surprise with their dramatic constructivist shapes and droll detailing, including tiny pottery buttons. Now Cowan is moving from Tennessee back to Texas, relocating to Galveston this spring, where he plans to set up a new studio showcasing his way with clay. Information cowan_pottery@yahoo.com.

Best Volumes
Coming this summer and fall are two must-read books that unveil even more about this unique place%26#8217;s history and architecture, penned by a pair who know it well: Brian Davis and Denise Alexander of the Galveston Historical Foundation. Davis%26#8217; volume, "Lost Galveston" (set for a July 19 release), presents rare images of the city%26#8217;s lost buildings that have been demolished or destroyed by fire or natural disaster. Alexander%26#8217;s "Historic Downtown Galveston and Strand District" emphasizes culture, history, architecture and Galveston%26#8217;s founding citizens. Both by Arcadia Publishing, $21.99 each, at the Bishop%26#8217;s Palace and GHF on the Strand.

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Image: Galveston Arts Center

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Preservation Progress
All American eyes are on Galveston%26#8217;s endangered cast-iron buildings, with the most visible being the Galveston Arts Center on a prime corner of The Strand National Historic Landmark District. Happily, as reported on our cover, the GAC is on its way to being saved. Historic preservation consultant Steph McDougal reports, %26#8220;To date, we have raised about $1.6 million of the $3.2 million needed to complete the restoration of the 1878 First National Bank Building.%26#8221; The regal neoclassical brick edifice has been the Center%26#8217;s home since it was deeded to them in 1968 by the Junior League of Galveston County. While continuing to seek funding from various public and private sources, GAC%26#8217;s restoration and accessibility project is well underway, directed by architect David Watson (best known for his award-winning work on another pair of historic Galveston sites, the 1861 United States Customs House and the Garten Verein Pavilion). Assisted by structural engineer James Austin and cast-iron restoration specialist Doug McLean, Watson is working towards completion as soon as possible, with the date dependant on funding. The project received welcome news this past December: The Texas Historical Commission awarded the Galveston Arts Center a $30,000 grant towards installing a new handicapped-accessible elevator in the soon-to-be restored building (GAC was one of only nine THC grant recipients during the past two years).

Walk This Way
Get ready for the next monthly ArtWalk on Saturday, May 29. More than 15 galleries and spaces %26#8212; including restaurants, clubs and artists%26#8217; lofts %26#8212; will unveil paintings, sculpture, photography, jewelry and craft along Strand, Postoffice and neighboring streets, with most spaces open from 6 to 9 pm. The 20-year monthly tradition is organized by the Galveston Arts Center. And don%26#8217;t miss our fave, Buchanan Gallery, sited in an 1874 storefront at 220 25th Street, where owner/director Kathryn Buchanan currently showcases a duo who work in encaustic, Gwendolyn Plunkett and Deanna Wood (through May 22). Information buchanangallery.com, galvestonartscenter.org.

Inspiring Arches
Did you know about the seven significant architects who were tapped to transform downtown Galveston with a suite of beckoning arches? This innovative public art program that was initiated by native Dancie Ware%26nbsp; jump-started the island%26#8217;s revival.

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Image: Howard Sherman%26#8217;s E"ating Your Friction," 2008, at GAC in Exile 2

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Meanwhile %26#8230; A Must-See: Mr. Ab Ex

Galveston Arts Center in Exile 2 (2501 Market Street at 25th, 409.763.2403; galvestonartscenter.org) is mounting a buoyant show that salutes the grand tradition of abstract expressionism. Houston maestro Howard Sherman%26#8217;s fearless gestural paintings increasingly incorporate marker with acrylic. They hum with a frenetic energy and high-voltage palette, and often feature mad dashes of cartooning. %26#8220;Eating Your Friction%26#8221; reprises the artist%26#8217;s 2008 show for the Art Museum of Southeast Texas in Beaumont, then adds in recent canvases (through May 23).

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Home as Castle%26nbsp;

Perhaps the most popular happening along this coastal retreat is its annual Historic Homes Tour, a preservation-centered fund-raiser now in its 36th year, benefitting the Galveston Historical Foundation. Held over two consecutive weekends this month (May 1 %26#8211; 2, 8 %26#8211; 9, 10 am to 6 pm daily), the trek peers into 10 privately owned mansions and cottages. This year%26#8217;s theme: %26#8220;Going Green %26#8212;%26nbsp;What%26#8217;s Old Is New Again%26#8221; Tickets $20 in advance, $25 beginning May 1, through galvestonhistory.org and at all Galveston- and Houston-area Kroger Food Stores.

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First Lady of Texas Politics

%26#8220;He was born with a silver foot in his mouth%26#8221; was an oft-quoted quip by one of the brightest and boldest of Texas politicians. That bon mot was uttered by Ann Richards, the late governor who often was called upon to orate at statewide and national conventions. Now meet the real Miz Richards %26#8212;%26nbsp;at least on stage %26#8212; in an engaging biographical work presented by The 1894 Grand Opera House. Emmy-winning actress Holland Taylor stars in the one-woman sketch Money, Marbles %26amp; Chalk, which she researched for three years to capture the cadence of the mythic queen of Texas politics. Friday through Sunday, May 14 through%26nbsp;16; information thegrand.com.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

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Sleeping in Style

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:32:18 GMT

She considers it the most glamorous hotel in the world and her home away from home. Come June, fashion designer Diane Von Furstenberg will put her design imprint on the famed Claridge%26#8217;s hotel. All of London will be chattering when Von Furstenberg installs her iconic prints, a dash of bold colors and original furniture pieces she%26#8217;s designed for a selection of rooms and suites at the Art Deco Mayfair landmark. Check in and check out her most exciting design task yet. Information claridges.co.uk.

Making Over the Mansion

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:19:39 GMT

Luxury's New Look
For months now, drills and saws have been some of the guests occupying the 127 rooms and 16 suites tucked in the historic Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek hotel, as this resplendent nest completes part deux of its makeover (the restaurant and bar redesign was completed in 2007). Only the most genteel construction workers must have checked in, as hardly a peep was heard, not a hammer sighted. Yet the exuberant redesign by San Francisco%26#8211;based firm BAMO is no modest makeover. BAMO project lead Michael Booth worked closely with Mansion owner Caroline Rose Hunt and daughter Laurie Sands Harrison to freshen and glisten while keeping the family%26#8217;s favorite historical notions in place.

The lobby began with a dazzling, hand-painted Chinese silk de Gournay wall covering, which took six months to complete. %26#8220;This is only the second time in my career I%26#8217;ve been fortunate enough to use a de Gournay wall covering, and it%26#8217;s worth every penny,%26#8221; says Booth. From there, he spun off with a sexy pair of swooping, William Switzer wingback chairs covered in chromium-yellow crocodile-embossed leather that flank the fireplace, and a set of Chinese red Moderne-ish chairs designed by John Boone with backs swathed in Fortuny. A John Boone%26#8211;designed circular %26#8220;sociable%26#8221; and curvy Michael Taylor sofas are glamorous perches for chatting. Throughout are contemporary works of art by Dallas-area artists including John Holt Smith, Joan Winter and David Dreyer, all curated by San Francisco%26#8211;based art consultant%26nbsp; Nancy Sweeney.

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The Promenade, which had always been used as a kind of innocuous walkway from the lobby to the bar, is papered in a Brunschwig %26amp; Fils trellis design %26#8220;which instantly made the space into a garden room with a likeness to the Billy Haines Garden Room, or perhaps the main living room at Winfield House %26#8212; the American Ambassador%26#8217;s residence in London,%26#8221; muses Booth.

Chef for a Day

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To complement its new look,the Mansion searched far and near for an executive chef who had as much panache as the trellis-patterned carpet punching up the lobby. I rang up the Mansion and asked if I could come and help prepare lunch with Michelin-star chef Bruno Davaillon, who hails from the Loire Valley of France and is fresh from a five-year tenure at Alain Ducasse%26#8217;s Mix at THEHotel in Las Vegas. They agreed %26#8212; and even had a personalized chef%26#8217;s coat waiting for me. %26#8220;We have tooo parteees tooday,%26#8221; said Chef Bruno, %26#8220;so you will zee quite a beet of ack-shawn.%26#8221; I tried hard to decipher his charming English, heavy on the French sounds, while tying my apron strings. One of his three trusty sous chefs, David Heyden, whizzed past us, yelling %26#8220;Let%26#8217;s get [table] 27 outta here!%26#8221; Heyden reached for the fleur de sel to sprinkle on a tuna Ni%26#231;oise salad (soon to be my future job) and a waiter swooped in and placed the dish on a silver tray. The kitchen had been bustling like this since the wee hours of the morning %26#8212; prep work for lunch begins daily at 7 am, with dinner machinations at 2 pm. Chef Bruno and the additional two sous, Jason Maddy and Richard Triptow, gave me a tour of the kitchen in hopes of easing me into their routine. %26#8220;I woood serve 400 to 500 guests on a weeekend,%26#8221; said chef Bruno of his Vegas days and nights. %26#8220;But here, I am more focused on each deesh, and perfecting za craft.%26#8221; (Translation: I%26#8217;d better pay attention to every grind of the pepper mill and every stacking of a salad.) While chiving the roasted beet and local goat cheese salad, Mansion general manager Duncan Graham buzzed into the kitchen to say hello in his cheery British accent, and to also fill me in on who was dining with us that day. %26#8220;I do believe your friend Kim Whitman is at the table,%26#8221; says Graham, speaking of Christine Handy%26#8217;s [insert a %26#8220;young number%26#8221; here] birthday celebration. Turns out, Miz Whitman wasn%26#8217;t my only friend at the table of 30-some-odd guests. Chef Bruno and I left our kitchen posts to greet their table, and I was introduced as his sous. Shock came first, then laughter when Amy Turner, Lisa Ogle, Mary Crosland, Catherine Colombo, Amy Ware, Leisa Street, Kim Gatlin, Lynn McBee, Tina Craig and others realized I was a Mansion employee only for the day. Then it was back to the kitchen and back to work: %26#8220;Wee are going to teeech you how to make a cone shape wiss ze sorbet,%26#8221; said Chef Bruno, handing me a frozen container of citrus sorbet and an iced-tea spoon. It seemed easy enough %26#8230; I failed miserably. On that certain busy Tuesday, if you dined on Mansion tortilla soup, I garnished it. If you ordered the bison tenderloin %26#8220;au poivre,%26#8221; I cut the filets. If you decided on the king crab and butternut squash soup, I filled and rolled the accompanying wonton. I also salted many of the entrees, so if your cuisine was overly brackish, please ring me with your complaints, and do let me know if you ended up with a lopsided ball of sorbet in your tropical Vacherin dessert.

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For more pictures, click on 'launch slideshow' above.

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Shhhhhh...

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:49:45 GMT

How on earth did they ever keep it quiet? Guests holed up at the luxe Mansion on Turtle Creek all these months never had a clue that behind the scenes of this posh place all the rooms and suites were quietly being renovated (and I mean it was hush, hush. The able crew and Mansion staff never made so much as a peep about the whole endeavor.)

The up-to-date facelift to each of the 143 rooms comes care of the lauded San Francisco design firm, Babey Moulton Jue %26amp; Booth. This month as they put the finale touches on the public spaces, readying for the big reveal the powers-to-be chez Turtle Creek have welcomed new chef Bruno Davaillon with open arms too.%26nbsp;

Davaillon is only the fourth toque in the history of the hotel to hold the honor of executive chef at the Mansion. He came by way of Alain Ducasse%26#8217;s restaurant Mix, awarded a Michelin Star in both 2008 and 2009 in New York. (Making Davaillon, incidentally, the only Michelin ranked chef to lead a kitchen in Dallas.) Born and trained in France, his approach is sophisticated yet creative and fun. Inspired dishes making their debut on his new dinner menu include: King Crab butternut squash soup, crispy spring roll and glazed chestnuts and shrimp cocktail with horseradish panna cotta and spicy tomato syrup.

You%26#8217;ll have to check it all out and see what we are all buzzing about. In the meantime, here%26#8217;s a peek at what you can expect to see and experience during your next stay.

Aloft Hotel

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:16:55 GMT

Keys to the Door: Starwood Hotels %26amp; Resorts.
Check in and check out: Think of this chic, urban loft%26#8211;style hotel in the Uptown/Galleria area%26nbsp; as a close cousin (we%26#8217;re talking blood relative) of the W Hotel brand %26#8212; you know, Starwood Hotels %26amp; Resort%26#8217;s wildly popular, modern answer to the boutique-hotel concept that began more than a decade ago. Recently opened and designed to appeal to the sophisticated, tech-savvy traveler who%26#8217;ve cut his or her teeth on democratic, high-style/low-cost design courtesy of IKEA, West Elm, Target and the like, Aloft%26#8217;s rates average $125 a night, bringing you covetable style and amply sized rooms at an affordable price. No poor relation, Aloft features renowned David Rockwell%26#8211;designed environs. Relax at Re:mix lobby %26#8212; socialization at a design-savvy level with a sunken living room, glass fireplace, patio, customized pool table, sip at the W XYZ bar; and refuel at the%26nbsp; 24/7 grab %26#8217;n go gourmet pantry. Other chic touches: Bliss products in the W.C. (a standard started by W); gratis Wi-Fi hotel wide; reasonable per-day parking rates ($10 self-park; $17 valet); the state-of-the-art Re:charge gym; the Splash indoor pool; and access to everywhere you need to be for business or pleasure. Aloft is even child- and pet-friendly, with amenities such as special beds, meals and toys provided for the littlest ones in your family, be they two-legged or four. 5415 Westheimer Road, 713.622.7010; alofthotels.com.

From Funeral Home to Foot Stomper

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:56:56 GMT

Watch out, Marfa: There%26#8217;s a new watering hole in town. (Well, sort of new.) Behold Padre%26#8217;s, a 100-year-old adobe %26#8212; past incarnations have been as a feed store, carriage shop and, yes, funeral home %26#8212; reborn as a no-attitude stop for libations and live music. From the long list of tequilas to the funeral-parlor pews to the fire pit outside, it%26#8217;s just the place to unwind after all that West Texas chow and Chinati. Cocktail chatter: Houston designer Marlys Tokerud designed the interiors with arches, exposed adobe and multihued tiles. 209 W. El Paso St., 432.729.4425; padresmarfa.com. Rob Brinkley

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Photo Julie Soefer

Checking into Houston's Hotel Sorella

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 05:12:45 GMT

The new Hotel Sorella at CityCentre in Houston catches your eye the moment you motor past its two-story floating staircase enclosed in glass. This sleek, Italianate, 244-room boutique hotel projects a sophisticated urban environs %26#8212; though truth be told, you%26#8217;re in the midst of suburban zip code 77024. Created by the Houston-based Valencia Group and designed by Gensler, with guest rooms conceived by Remedios Siembieda, this flagship Sorella property feels like a hybrid between a luxury hotel (without the steep tariff) and a mod motel (and we mean that as a compliment). It wasn%26#8217;t until I self-parked on the second floor of the convenient parking garage and slipped into the lobby, checked in and was whisked up to my spacious guest room that the appeal of its layout really sunk in. There is nothing more irksome, after all, than staying at a hotel on business and having to call valet services to fetch your car again and again. Another brilliant move: They%26#8217;ve done away with the typical hotel restaurant and replaced it with an array of wonderful CityCentre eateries, including new concepts such as Caf%26#233; Ros%26#233; and Bistro Alex (compliments of Alex Brennan-Martin) and imports such as the Asian-inspired Straits, seafood-centered Eddy V%26#8217;s, RA Sushi and sporty beer haven Yard House. There%26#8217;s a sharp-looking infinity pool and workout room within the hotel, and across the street is fitness palace Life Time Athletic Club, not to mention a movie theater a stone%26#8217;s throw away and a conference center that can seat up to 700. Guest rooms are outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, pressed high-thread-count linens, down bedding and laminate dark hardwoods that feel more sanitary than wall-to-wall carpet, and run through to the bath where they can be splashed with water from the walk-in rainhead shower without worry. Rates start at $189. 800 W. Sam Houston Parkway North, Houston, 713.973.1600; hotelsorella-citycentre.com. Laurann Claridge

Hotel Granduca

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:41:15 GMT

I finally get the Hotel Granduca. Being happily ensconced there for the past several weeks with my children, dog and husband (new house under renovation), I have had time to study it, and now I see what owner and developer Giorgio Borlenghi envisioned: a very old world luxurious hotel-villa, in the vein of a seaside or hillside Italian albergo, where Sophia and Gina might mingle with the Agnellis. Furnishings are in tapestries, silks and damasks, rooms are spacious and high-ceilinged, and twin coats-of-arms guard the lobby. The housekeeping ladies %26#8212; many could be my nonna %26#8212; wear traditional starched black uniforms, frilly white aprons and stiff caps. Relaxing one evening on the veranda overlooking the pool, cabanas and statuary, where a craggy slope to the Ligurian Sea wouldn%26#8217;t be unexpected, were international folk sipping prosecco and flinging accents about. The 123 suites in this boutique-hotel gem range from 425 to 2,100 square feet. The bar is charming, and a piano player or guitarist performs Thursday through Saturday. Ristorante Cavour is gently grand with draped tables puddling at your legs. I%26#8217;m innamorato. Rates from $195 to $2,400. 1080 Uptown Park Blvd., Houston, 713.418.1000; granducahouston.com.

Plaza Sweet

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:45:11 GMT

I%26#8217;ve been staying at The Plaza Hotel in New York, here and there, for many years: before the Trumps bought it in 1988, then after the Trump renovation and, most recently, after the newest three-year, $450 million redo by new owners El Ad Group and Kingdom Holdings. So it was with trepidation that I walked through the landmark lobby and %26#8230; sighed.%26nbsp;It was perfect. A sensitive renovation carved a portion of the hotel into luxury pieds-%26#224;-terre, magnificent in themselves, and retained the glamour of the hotel with 180 guest rooms and 102 suites in seven distinctive designs %26#8212; and the largest overall guest-room square footage of any NYC luxury hotel. The Plaza%26#8217;s general manager is none other than the charming Shane Krige, most recently the managing director of Dallas%26#8217; Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. Krige, who joined the hotel in 2007, helped shepherd the hotel through the transition with the Fairmont Hotels %26amp; Resorts management team. The Oak Room and Oak Bar (originally opened in 1945) retain their fabled interiors, but newness abounds with The Champagne Bar in the Lobby (prime for people-watching and armchair window shopping at adjacent Bergdorf Goodman), the mezzanine-level Rose Club and the reopening of the Palm Court. Large guest rooms have sumptuous baths, mosaic-tiled top to bottom, with Sherle Wagner sinks and fixtures, commodious showers and tubs. The new Shops at the Plaza consist of a Caudalie Spa, Fitness Center by Radu, Warren Tricomi Salon and a multitude of shops. Eloise, who has lived at the Plaza since 1955, has taken up residence again in the most grand, grand, grand way with an Eloise shop and a high-tea adventure. Reservations and information 888.240.7775; fairmont.com/theplaza.

Georgia on My Mind

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:16:13 GMT

Manhattan%26#8217;s Whitney Museum of American Art just opened with a wow, mounting %26#8220;Georgia O%26#8217;Keeffe: Abstraction.%26#8221; This blockbuster writes a new chapter in the annals of O%26#8217;Keeffe by presenting 130 of the late Santa Fe modernist%26#8217;s glorious paintings, drawings, watercolors and sculptures, plus Alfred Stieglitz%26#8217;s portrait photographs of his wife. In addition to her well-known Southwest subjects (animal skulls, adobe churches, the New Mexican landscape), zoomed-in views of blossoms and New York skyscrapers, the nonobjective also held O%26#8217;Keeffe%26#8217;s interest. By highlighting such early works as radical, nonrepresentational charcoal drawings from 1915 and canvases depicting curvaceous waves dated 1918, this exhibition resoundingly proves that the pioneering painter ranks among America%26#8217;s foremost 20th-century abstractionists. Through January 17, at the Whitney Museum of American Art, 945 Madison Ave., New York, 212.570.3600; whitney.org. Catherine D. Anspon

The Surrey Hotel

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:49:32 GMT

If you%26#8217;re jetting to Manhattan late this fall and longing for a posh new hotel, sidle toward The Surrey. Redesigned by Houston architect Lauren Rottet%26#8217;s acclaimed Rottet Studio, this Upper East Side Beaux Arts building with landmark status has been redressed top to bottom with a $60 million Chanel%26#8211;inspired wardrobe. (Naturally, Rottet credits Coco as her muse.) Play like the late, great Chanel holed up at the Ritz, and check into one of 190 guest salons, including 30 one-bedroom suites %26#8212; you may be inspired to take up residence, too. Daniel Boulud%26#8217;s eponymous Caf%26#233; Boulud is downstairs (talk about a fashionable canteen) and other indulgent features include the key-accessed rooftop garden with sweeping views of Central Park (where you can order a picnic of drinks and light meals chez Boulud) and a spa with treatments customized for each guest. Introductory rates $499 to $699. 20 E. 76th St., 800.978.7739; thesurreyhotel.com. Laurann Claridge