Don't Forget...

Saturday is White Linen Nights in the Heights! Pull out all of those summer white outfits you've been neglecting, and get ready for a night on the town! Enjoy tons of fine art, shopping, live music, dining, and more. Get more info here.

Here are some of my favorite "all white" looks. These two ruffled cuties are from Urban Outfitters.


Love this skinny white jean ensemble from Tisdale This outfit is way too toasty for a hot summer night, but this Pencey Moto jacket is adorable none-the-less.
See you in the Heights!!

Best Cities for Singles?

Forbes just put out their newest list: Top 40 cities in the U.S. for singles. That's right, if you are single and free to mingle, some cities are actually better you than others. If you are one of my Texan readers, you are in luck. There was some serious Texas representation in the list. Guess who landed in the #25 spot? That's right....H-town baby.

"With a low cost of living and a high rate of projected job growth, Houston is an attractive city to many, not just singles. Houston serves as headquarters for 20 of the best big companies in the country and 19 of the best small companies, according to Forbes."

San Antonio was ranked #27, Dallas at #17, and Austin at #11! Everything IS bigger in Texas...including the singles dating scene. Still searching for that special someone? Click here for the full article of cities for you!

Magic Ottoman

So a friend of mine contacted me a couple of weeks ago with a storage dilemma. She and her husband have papers to file, and they didn't want to buy an ugly filing cabinet, or just some old file box. She wanted a truly "hidden" filing solution. So this is what we found. A basic storage ottoman, with hanging file capacity. Yes! Genius!

So that got me thinking. What other kinds of magical ottomans exist? How about one with an instant side table... (click on the photos for sources)

Or one that hides those shoes you like to keep by the door

My personal favorite! This one hides away your Rock Band instruments when your kids ::cough:: or you ::cough:: aren't using them. Why didn't I think of this?
Or..a smarter take on your run-of-the-mill ottoman: One that is actually sectioned off so you can stay organized within the ottoman.

Got a Geeky Kid?

Running out of summer fun? Check out Wired.com's list of 100 Geeky Places to Take Your Kid this Summer. Two of them are right in our own backyard! Houston Museum of Natural Science and Space Center Houston both made the list. Check out the list if you need to entertain your little geeklets.

By the way, if you go to the Museum of Natural Science website, you can turn yourself into a Terra Cotta Warrior (their newest exhibit)! Click on the guy above to go get warriofied.

Playing Dress Up

Refusing to do anything productive with my lazy Sunday, I spent way too much time yesterday at looklet.com. It is a virtual dolly dress up, and sooo much fun! All you do is pick out your model, her trendy/artsy/nature-y backdrop, and then add the clothes! You can mix and match, add shoes, bags, jewelry, etc. Here a a couple of the looks I created. One for fall, one for a night on the town anytime. It also lists the designers as you add the items, so you could actually buy your dream outfit if you so desire! The possibilities are endless!! Go play...your boss will never notice!

Bowling for Rhinos

Looking for a fun (and generous) way to spend a Saturday evening? Palace Bowling Lanes is hosting the 'Bowling For Rhinos' bowl-a-thon from 6-10 p.m. Eat, drink, bowl, and be merry while also raising money for these beautiful babies.

So you may be wondering, why do rhinos needs us to bowl?
Well according to the Houston Zoo website, there are only 5 species of rhino left, when there once were over 100 species! All 5 species are endangered due to hunters seeking their valuable horns.

All proceeds from Bowling For Rhinos go to the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in Sumatra. 100% of the money raised will directly to these organizations.

For more details about bowling check out the Houston Zoo website

Punch Out

Sometimes Houston flavor pops up in the most unexpected of places. While walking around the adorable and arsty town of Eugene Oregon, I wandered into Modern -the most fantastic collection of modern furnishings, decor, and gifts that I have ever laid eyes on!

What should I find peeking out from a little glass case? The revolutionary pop out jewelry by Houston designer Melissa Borrell ! If you've never see it before, her work is WAY cool.
The pieces are made from stainless steel, which you receive attached to the rest of the sheet metal, and you literally “pop” the piece out and lace it on the included chain. The result is like wearing your own piece of modern art around your neck (or lobes). I have been dying to own one of her pieces for a while now (My birthday is in two months...I'm just sayin'). To find a store near you that carries Melissa Borrell click here.

So Twisted

I saw these uber cool placemats from Modern-Twist at Marche Provisions in Eugene Oregon (which was so wonderful that it will probably receive it's own post later on). I knew they were awesome, but I also thought that they looked very familiar. After poking around, I noticed that they have popped up in multiple fashion forward sources such as Design Sponge, Apartment Therapy, Real Simple and many more. Their unique texture is from FDA grade silicone, with minimalist designs that allow the beauty of your table top to shine through. Personally I'd like to buy them all, but which one is your favorite?

A couple for the kiddies...

I just can't get enough...

...of Burt's Bees Fabulously Fresh Body Wash! The peppermint and rosemary wake me up in the morning, relaxes me in the evening, and (because it doesn't smell girly) it will make your significant other smell equally delicious. Three enthusiastic thumbs up for Burt!!

Elizabeth Street Inn

After a very lovely week in Oregon, it's back to the daily grind. (Although I did actually miss this warm Houston weather..I know, I'm a glutton for punishment!). It had never occurred to me to vacation in Oregon, but an unexpected conference landed us there, and now I can't wait to revisit. Over the next week I'll share some of my favorite finds, so you can enjoy them too!

I'm not usually one to review hotels, but I was especially impressed with the cozy little Elizabeth Street Inn on the Oregon coast. It had a complimentary hot breakfast in the morning (we are talking bacon, eggs, sausage and biscuits people!), free high speed internet, and every luxurious room has a fireplace and faces the waterfront. Seriously, every room overlooks the Pacific - not a bad seat in the house! Now the clincher: 8 p.m. every night is fresh baked cookies, coffee and tea in the lobby time. Best hotel ever. It was a dream come true.

Here was the view from our hotel balcony.

More teasers...

Here's a tiny peek at some of my favorite things in Eugene Oregon...can't wait to tell you guys all about it!

M.I.A.

So you may be wondering why I've been missing in action this week, and it is because I'm having a crazy good time vacationing in Oregon! I have so many exciting things to share when I get back, but here's a little sneak peek at some of my favorite places (low quality pictures are sponsored by my cell phone). Details coming soon....

Building a Nest

So even though my own wedding was many moons ago, I couldn't pass by these precious custom made, nuptial treasures from Mackensley Designs! When it comes to weddings, the devil is in the details, so why not let Mackensley handle some of them? I was especially smitten with the Ring bearer birds nest. How gorgeous and earthy for an outdoor wedding...or any wedding for that matter.

As for your flower girl, this Green Berry Pomander is a perfect alternative to your average basket or tiny bouquet. And don't forget a special box for all of those gift cards! Mackensley Designs, will create a box customized with your wedding colors and style. Here are a couple examples, but there are lots more here.

An Extraordinary Experience

In the heart of the Decorative Center Houston, lies a shiny, delectable little gem that I absolutely adore! Last week, I had the immense pleasure of joining the lovely Rachael of A Fare Extraordinaire catering, for lunch at their upscale restaurant Cafe Extraordinaire. While I devoured some luscious spinach enchiladas, we chatted about the Cafe's sleek decor, unique menu items, and much, much more! Here's a taste of our little Q&A. Plus, the Cafe is offering a discount for Houston's Weekly Chic readers!!! Read on for details...

What is the relationship between A Fare Extraordinaire and Cafe Extraordinaire?
Cafe Extraordinaire, which was opened in 2004, is the restaurant division of A Fare Extraordinaire.

Why did A Fare Extraordinaire choose a space inside of the Decorative Center Houston?
We chose the Decorative Center Houston because it was a new space with a great location. The luxury retailers in the building are a great fit with our restaurant's style and taste.

The dishes on the menu are anything but common. How would you describe your style of food?
The style of our extraordinary food is contemporary chic cuisine.

What makes Cafe Extraordinaire unique?
We use quality ingredients in a unique way that are constantly consistent.

The Cafe is such a modern and elegant space. Can it be reserved for special events?
Yes! The most exciting and fabulous part about operating Cafe Extraordinaire, is the event venue space it transforms into once dusk hits. Fabulous events have occurred in the restaurant as well as along the first floor so its not Houston's well kept secret anymore.

Here's the cool part! If you visit Cafe Extraordinaire and mention Houston's Weekly Chic you receive 15% off of your meal! I can't wait to go back!

Cafe Extraordinaire
5120 Woodway
Houston, Texas 77056
To inquire about a special events, you can contact Rachael Volz at 713-527-8288 or rvolz@afehouston.com

Still More Napoleon...

Napoleon teaching me how to use his fantabulous NP set cosmetics.

So for those of you just tuning in, I had a successful meeting with Napoleon Perdis a week or so ago, and I had so much to share that it just wouldn't fit in only one post! So here is my second installment. I've been playing with NP set cosmetics for over a week now, and I am in love. I will attempt to explain why without totally sounding like an infomercial.

• The cosmetics are top notch, high quality. Napoleon pinched pennies on the packaging, and invested all of his cash into the make-up. This is sweetness for you and me, because it is high-end department store quality, with Target prices.

• I am no make-up artist...not even close, but Napoleon's make-up has been super easy to use. I've had so much fun experimenting, especially with the palettes. It has been a breath of fresh air to my routine.

• The make-up is creatively named after different destination cities across the land. Yes Houston is represented (in a navy eyeliner and a shade of foundation).

• On each product you find a "What's In It for Me," list of all active ingredients such as Pomegranate extract, Shea Butter, Avocado Oil, and Vitamins A and E, etc. so you know you're skin is getting nutrients, and looking fabulous.

• One more NP expert tip - to stay on top of make-up trends, check out what's happening on the runway, then adapt the same style to yourself using only 20% of the color intensity
  

Also, when I asked Napoleon why he chose to visit our lovely city he emphatically said "because Houston women are FUN!" Hmmm...I guess we are...aren't we:) Thanks Napoleon!

New Mia Sofia

New french vintage pretties from Mia Sofia!!

I'll take one of these....

...and definitely this one...ooh...and one of those....
...still on a key fetish, so absolutely this one too!

Happy 4th of July!

Hope everybody has a beautiful 4th of July! I had to show you guys these amazing oil works by Cindy Douglass of Media Medley. They evoke that nostalgia of past 4th of July's with your family, running wild on the beach, while watching fireworks melt over the ocean. Mmm perfection.

A Color Wonderland

Multi-talented Colorfly Studio owner Jennifer Dedonato is a color genius. If you are looking for some adorable ideas for your workspace, take a page out of her coloring book. For starters, here is her super duper charming supply shelves. Full of tasty fresh baked pin cushions, and perfectly coordinated thread, it is just too cute for words!

It doesn't end there. Feeding on inspiration from the dressing room of a Lilly Pulizer shop, Jennifer (and a little helper) created a gorgeous wall full of larger than life paint chips! Very fitting for the land of Colorfly...don't you think?

How cool is that? For a step by step "how to" of her process, you can find it all at Colorfly Studio's blog.