The Heights ...more "quirky" than Montrose?!

Check out this post on The Heights being quirkier than Montrose.  While that is a big statement, it might be time for this not so new kid on the block to take down the champ. While Montrose will forever be, well, Montrose, The Heights is growing on even a staunch fan of Montrose such as myself. From the cool new wine bars, to the prevalence of historic bungalows, to cool festivals like "White Hot Night", there is something very cool, funky, fun, relaxing & endearing about The Heights.

Maybe THIS is why you're seeing many 20 somethings moving in, buying their first home, or starting families.  Either way, move over Montrose, because The Heights is (supposedly) the new king. True, or not, I do know it's here to stay.

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Houston's Nature scene gets an app.

If you like to explore the outdoors, but have absolutely no clue where to start, check out this article & new app called The Buffalo Bayou Guide! (seriously, the name says it all!)  So, there's no need for you to be all Christopher Columbus out there, or Lewis & Clark, just download the app & find out where all the parks are, learn cool facts, where there's a water fountain and more.

The article has links for downloading the app on to your iPhone or Android device & here is where you can learn more about the Buffalo Bayou Partnership.

So, get outside, find a cool new spot & explore our great city with friends and family!

Houston restaurants show out!

Traveling food blogger for Southern Living decided to put together a list of 100 Places to Eat Now, and five of Houston's top restaurants made it onto this list. Now, I personally would add about 95 more, but that's just me giving praise to all the great, diverse & flavorful restaurants we Houstonian's get to enjoy.  Here are her top 5 restaurants and her comments ....

(See Mrs. Cole's complete list of must try Southern restaurants.)

#3 BARBECUE Inn.

What to Order: Chicken-Fried Steak. At a place named Barbecue Inn, you’d expect to order a lot of, well, barbecue. But the cooks at this 1946 Houston landmark know their way around a fryer. They turn out some mean yardbird, but it’s the superb chicken-fried steak that gets my vote: cooked-to-order, crispy, meaty, and shrouded in a cloak of country gravy

***Check out the Houston CultureMap review here. 

#63 OXHEART

What to Order: Tasting Menu. Justin Yu’s Houston hot spot is a champion of casual dining. Guests retrieve their own silverware and cooks double as waitstaff. But his tasting menus inspire. He has elicited tears of rapture with his deceptively simple beet salad, dressed with lemon blossom vinegar, quinoa, and almonds.

***Check out the Houston CultureMap review here.

#71 PASS & Provisions

What to Order: Cresta di Gallo pasta with Hen of the Woods mushrooms, roasted yeast, and Parmesan

***Check out the menu for Pass here.

#74 REEF

What to Order: Roasted grouper with braised collards, pecan-shallot cracklins, and potlikker jus.

***Check out the Houston CultureMap review here.

#95 UNDERBELLY

What to Order: Korean Braised Goat and Dumplings. Without a doubt, Houston is the most interesting, far-ranging, delightful food city in the South—strike that, in America—right now. There’s a confluence of a post-Katrina Creole population, traditional Southern staples (biscuits, barbecue, pimiento cheese), diverse multinationals (Vietnamese, Korean, Pakistani, Mexican), fertile farmland, easy access to the Gulf, and a general yearning to make a culinary mark. Chef Chris Shepherd of Underbelly might as well be the town’s pied piper, leading diners deeper into the flavors of the city. His Korean Braised Goat and Dumplings pairs tender braised goat with dense rice-flour dumplings, fiery with(red chile paste), moody with fish sauce, and flecked with toasted benne seeds. Also notable: Chris’ use of Gulf bycatch (often called “trash fish,” or the fish caught when you’re actually going after something else, say shrimp). A recent highlight built on bycatch was whole Vermilion snapper, fried as if midswim, topped with green chile-cilantro chutney, served over garam masala-scented green beans and okra

***Check out the Houston CultureMap review here.

If you're in Austin, the famous, hard to get in to Uchi made the list at #94. Don't forget, the owners opened up another restaurant here in Houston. 

You can follow Mrs. Cole on Twitter at @JenniferVCole. 

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FOOD FIGHT!! What is Houston's best restaurant?!?!

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You hear it ALLLL the time:

"I know THE BEST place for steak!!",

"I have the perfect spot for sushi!",
"Hey, have you tried this lil hidden gem?!?!?!"
Blah....blah...blah!!

Just shhuuut it folks, grab your wallet & let's go eat!!  I wish people would stop actin' like everyone is now a friggin' New York Times food critic! Sheesh. Anyways, I'd rather let my pallet be the judge of what places are "the best" Houston has to offer! Why limit yourself to one place, when you are living in one of the best cities in terms of a dining experience in the whole world!?!?!?!  Yeah, I said it, the WHOLE WORLD! Bring it on New York, Paris or any of you other cities of worldwide fame. Houston, Tx has you beat! (Like the bumper sticker says "Don't mess with Texas!!")  So check out this list of places from Houston's Eater.com, which has it's list of 38 ESSENTIAL Houston restaurants. That's a pretty big claim in a city with so many choices, but let's roll.

I don't know about you, but I've never been so excited to settle an argument. So, let's all keep arguing over where is the best place to eat & eat until there is a clear winner (which will never happen ....GOOD!).

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White party! Do I need to say more?! If I do...

This Saturday evening, in The Heights Gallery M Squared is hosting it's annual White Party! This annual party lets you throw on your fanciest white duds, socialize & strut your stuff. There will be a fashion show, food from local trucks & of course, beautiful people! If that is not enough, there will be a DJ & an open bar with drinks provided by Deep Eddy Vodka.

Coming? Then make sure you buy your tickets beforehand here.

5 "must taste" suggestions for Houston's Restaurant Week ...

First, let's get this out of the way: restaurant "week", really last for the MONTH of August. So there is no need to cancel every meeting this week, keep on your in-much-need-of-a-cleaning "eating pants" or stress out. You have a full 4 weeks, 31 days of opportunity & 62 lunch/dinner opportunities!

Now that THAT'S outta the way, on to why you really clicked this article.  This article has one Houstonians take on 5 unique restaurants that are highly thought of around town. I recognize some of the names, but can't back up the claims of deliciousness. Isn't THAT the beauty of HRW though? You get to take an inexpensive taste of Houston's maaaany restaurants without going broke. So, what do you have to lose? If you're with good friends, on a blind date or special occasion, check 'em out. If you're on a blind date, you might want to go lower risk & start at a local Starbucks. (Sorry, they're not taking part in restaurant week.)

Please let me know about your dining experiences!

Hey foodies, check out these Sunday brunches!

If you're like the typical Houstonite foodie, then you're probably always willing to check out a great Sunday brunch. Well, here is an article of 5 Sunday Brunches you might want to check out. From the young professional Inner Loop'er who had a rowdy time in Midtown on Saturday, waking up with some strangers number in your phone (& you're still trying to remember who they are, what they look like & if you're going to call them) to the chill crowd who just likes to spend time with friends enjoying great food, these places will have those delicious foods you crave, plus some you didn't even know you craved. Mimosas & crab cakes at Ouisie's .... Texas pecan-crusted catfish at Brennan's ..... house-smoked salmon on brioche with avocado at RDG + Annie's bar.

I don't know about you, but my mouth is watering......

Oh yeah, do NOT forget that the proceeds from these brunches go to a good cause ... The Houston Food Bank. Win ... win!

Where else can you support charity, find top chefs, Houston Texans, BBQ & friends? I'll tell you where...

....at this weekends 2nd Annual Houston Texans Tailgate Throwdown, THAT'S where! If you're a foodie like me, not only does your tummy get very excited at the words "throwdown", but if you also add in some of Houston's top chefs, then you're so excited you just might pass out!! Well, don't pass out, because you just might miss this chance to eat some great BBQ & support a great cause. This Saturday (THAT'S TOMORROW PEOPLE!) from 2 - 5pm at CityCentre, bring $25 and come out to enjoy meats grilled up by chefs from Houston Texans Grille, Underbelly, Churrascos, Tasting Room City Centre, Cinq at La Colombe d’Or, Fusion Taco, Eleven XI, Soma Sushi, Liberty Kitchen & Oyster Bar, Hollister and more.

Also, remember, proceeds go towards a good cause -- The Houston Food Bank.

Cheers, and see you there Houston.

New funky, cool, chill neighborhood WINE BAR. (Montrose)

Looking for a great, chill new place to enjoy a glass of wine that is not pretentious?  Need a place where you can relax in a pair of jeans & enjoy a nice glass of wine? Well, your wish has been granted by David Keck!! Mr. Keck has opened a new Montrose wine bar called Camerata. When you step into these new digs, you notice the very industrial, urban, feeling of Montrose. The waiters are all friendly, attentive, their to help & just have a great demeanor about them. It really makes you feel good to kick back, alone, or with friends, and enjoy a nice glass of vino! Check out more details on the new kid on the block in this article, anEater.com post (w/ menu!) or this local press release. Also, follow Camerata on Twitter at twitter.com/CamerataHouston

Enjoy!

Learn more about Houston's 25 hottest neighborhoods!

So, if you’ve been out looking for a home in Houston lately, you know that our housing market is hotter than a summer day in the middle of July!! Now THAT is hot! From looking to buy, to looking to rent, check out this great article on some of Houston’s coolest, and HOTTEST, neighborhoods! 

Now THIS is a food fight we all can enjoy - A fight for Houston's top restaurants!

No matter if you're new to Houston or a native Houstonian, dining out is a big part of your life here in this muggy metropolis! Lucky for us, we live in the most amazing city for great dining options! From top notch steakhouses (this IS Texas!), to flavorful, unique cold bars, to Mexican food restaurants that leaves our neighbor to the south jealous, to any, and every, type of fusion experience, Houston has it all. With all of these options, it can be quiet overwhelming, so here is a list of the top 38 rated restaurants according to Eater.com.

Soooo, the next time a good friend, co-worker or client ask for a "good place to go eat...", you can suggest one of these highly thought of establishments.  Cheers.

Boring Wednesdays? Looking for something different, something delicious & something divine?

Well look no further than The Cove in Upper Kirby.
This amazing cold bar restaurant (self describing themselves as "cold bar serving a bounty of raw seafood dishes...") has the most unique, delicious & creative dishes in town!
Even if you don't think you're that adventurous of a foodie, you must treat your palette to a fun, fancy & flavorful Wednesday night here to enjoy the 10 course tasting menu.
Each plate is a tapas size portion of healthy & heavenly delicacies.
From the octopus salad with argula, to three different types of ceviche, to fois gras, there is something you will be begging the cool, charismatic & conversational chef Philippe for more of.

***Philippe at work!***

Check out some pics from the last time a group of us went for a fun night out.  If you go, please stop back by & let me know what you thought!

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River Oaks Historic Mansion. Let's take a tour.

Be honest, we've all driven past some of these stately, picturesque, mansions from another era and wondered what they look like inside. Well, here is your chance to take a peek.

Enjoy the slideshow!

Hot AUSTIN neighborhood.Spacious.Remodeled.

Check out this amazing listing in one of Austin's hottest neighborhoods - Dellwood. Located minutes from brand new shopping, grocery stores, UT Childrens hospital, the University of Texas and more, this neighborhood of spacious ranch style homes is perfect for a family looking to buy a home for a great price. Considering the incredibly high prices of homes in Hyde Park, Dellwood is experiencing a great influx of young professionals looking to buy.

Is that you? If so, check out this home & contact me for more details.

5 New Food Trucks to check out around town...

If you love food, and who doesn't, then you have probably checked out a food truck, or two, around town. Well, local food truck aficionado, Paul Galvani has done all us Houstonians a favor and written about not only five (5) new trucks he is a big fan of, but created a whole site to Houston's top 100 food trucks.  You have to pay for that, so here are ten (10) other places you should check out...STAT! I don't know about you, but I cant wait to pull over & try out some of these!

One of my personal faves is Chi-lantro! Try the Kimchi fries. Trust me, you will thank me later ...

ps. feel free to leave comments on some of YOUR fave places! Houstonians need to know.

FINALLY, a reason to look forward to Mondays!

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If you're like me, Monday is kind of a day that ticks you off!  You're already mad the weekend is over, you have to go back to work, talk to that annoying co-worker, hear your boss ask for that TPS 1 report again and deal with gridlocked Houston traffic. Unless it's football season, I am just not someone you want to mess with on Monday nights. Well, I am here to help my fellow Houstonians out! Don't sit in traffic, banging on your steering wheel, yelling at the "%$#@ idiot!!" in front of you as you try to make your way back home. Instead, relax, help out your stomach, pocket book & attitude by checking out the BRC Gastropub Monday happy hour. Trust me, you will not regret it. These guys make the most awesome, delicious, mouth watering, messy & delicious (yeah, I said "delicious" twice!) burgers. Then wash those bad boys down with some much needed alcoholic refreshments aka. BEER!

Ummm, you're welcome Houston! Don't say I never did anything for you.

(ps. Don't you wish I would have posted this on Sunday? I know, I'm a jerk.)

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Ittttt's baaack! 

Time to break that "no eating out" pledge for a good cause! It's the 11th year of Houston's Restaurant Week (which is actually a month, but ummm, are YOU complaining!??!). This spectacular annual event of diverse, highly rated dining experiences helps all those involved: it's a great chance to try new restaurants at a great cost & all money raised go to the Houston Food Bank. Win...win!!  Your soul & your stomach will both be full after a dining experience at some of the nearly 200 Houston area eateries.

Last years HRW raised over $1.2 million!!! That's a lot of awesomeness going to help Houstonians in need! Here is a standing ovation to you Houston. Bravo! That being said, this year, let's beat that mark. We can do it!

Restaurant week starts 8/1 and goes through 9/2. Check out the special lunch, brunch and dinner menus ranging from $20 to $45 here.

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