Paper City Article

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.

%26nbsp;

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.

%26nbsp;

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

%26nbsp;

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

%26nbsp;

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

%26nbsp;

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.

%26nbsp;

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?

%26nbsp;

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.

%26nbsp;

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

%26nbsp;

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.

%26nbsp;

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.

%26nbsp;

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

%26nbsp;

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).

%26nbsp;

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.

%26nbsp;

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