As many stories do, this one begins with a journey—a forty-minute trip west to the small Texas town of Sealy, where the land is mostly undeveloped and the sky is big and free. Down back roads and across train tracks, there waits a mattress factory. It looms large, tall and white against the Texas sky, with more than one hundred years of memories housed within its wooden walls.
Meeting Brock Wagner at Saint Arnold Brewing Company feels like meeting a kid in a candy store. Never mind that Wagner founded the company 24 years ago and can be found working long hours most days—you get the sense that he’s just as excited to be there as the legions of fans that show up for twice-daily (thrice on Saturday) guided tours. Wagner’s enthusiasm, his belief in what he’s doing, is what allowed Saint Arnold to survive as the first microbrewery in Texas, long before craft beer was even a gleam in the average consumer’s eye. You can taste it in the beers that he and his team create, from the Amber Ale that started it all to more recent efforts, like a collaboration with local James Beard Award-winning chef Hugo Ortega.
Odds are, you haven’t met Elaine Turner, the Houston designer and philanthropist who’s reshaping the retail landscape with her fashion and lifestyle brand. But step into one of her eight eponymous storefronts, and you’ll get a pretty good idea of what she’s about—gorgeous, glam, and community-oriented, each Elaine Turner space sparkles with the personality and passion of their founder.
Everyone wants to have it all—a happy family and fulfilling professional life—all with plenty of time to explore Instagram, of course. It turns out that Houston-based interior designer, Lacey Michalek, is winning in all categories. With a beautiful family and successful business to her name, the entrepreneur is flying high with a diverse slew of projects and more opportunities on the horizon. Meet the principal of Lacey Michalek Interiors—whether you’re in the market for a design professional or are an aspiring designer yourself, you’ll love getting to know this Houston entrepreneur.
Some things you have to see to believe.
Today, Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta debuts his legacy mixed-use luxury development, The Post Oak at Uptown Houston. Primely located on 10 acres of gorgeous, oak-studded grounds, the 38-story tower is an instant must-visit for global luxury travelers and discerning Houstonians.
Founded by Denis and Karen Boulle in 1983, de Boulle Diamond & Jewelry continues a legacy of craftsmanship rooted in family history. 18th-century French artisan André-Charles Boulle completed royal commissions for the likes of Henri IV and Louis XV; today, the de Boulle Collection™ of fine jewelry offers meticulously handcrafted, unique masterpieces to modern royalty — discerning clientele.
It began in 1998, when Paul Petronella’s parents opened a restaurant and named it Paulie’s. 20 years later, the Italian eatery is a local superstar — still family-owned, still home to some of the best food in town.
Award-winning bakeshop CRAVE lives up to its name. This local spot’s high-quality, small-batch cupcakes and treats are some of the most popular in town, and one taste will tell you why—they always leave you wanting more.
To celebrate the season, CRAVE is offering limited-time holiday items and packages that are the perfect gift or personal indulgence. Now through December 24th, place your order for festive sweets, ranging from their beloved cupcakes, iconic Gingerbread Man cookies, peppermint bark, frosted sugar and snickerdoodle cookies, bars, fudge brownies, breads, Holiday Spice coffee, doggie treats, and more.
There’s a secret sauce bubbling in the Houston restaurant world, a differentiator which sets it apart from the glitzy kitchens of New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles.
The hidden ingredient?
“I think, without any doubt, it’s the diversity,” says chef Hugo Ortega, the 2017 James Beard Award-winning chef who rules the city’s enviable culinary scene.
“It WORKED!”
Rachel Lindsay, the Texas-born stunner who stole America’s heart on the most recent season of ABC’s hit reality series The Bachelorette, has an enthusiastic answer for anyone wondering why reality television was the right place to find love.