Just back from a trip to Boston and New York and one of my favorite things to do is eat at the restaurants other cities have to offer. One rule I try and stick with though is that I do not eat Mexican when I travel because I believe that there is no better place than Texas to score some scrumptious tacos. So before my big trip to the East Coast I loaded up on my tacos. What better place to get your fill of tacos than at St. Arnold Brewery. No, St. Arnold Brewery is not starting to sell tacos – the University of St. Thomas hosted its very 1^st annual Two Saints (St. Arnold and St. Thomas) Taco Tasting Fundraiser.

 

The Taco Tasting benefited the University of St. Thomas’s Alumni Endowed Scholarship Fund. Over 300 guests helped raise more than $20,000 for the fund, which also included a silent auction. Although in its first year, the brainchild behind the Taco Tasting Fundraiser, Drew Wilson, states that the UST Alumni Association has plans to hold a similar event annually with plans already in play for a bigger fundraiser next year. Nine restaurants participated and donated their best tacos to compete for the coveted “Chihuahua Bling Trophy” designed by Kelli Kickerillo. In the end it was Escalante’s “Mexico City” taco that prevailed. For the record I had a sample of all 9 offerings and even though I was at the St. Arnold Brewery I washed it down with some tasty water. It’s no easy task to down tacos from Baker Street Pub & Grill, Berryhill Baja Grill, Bocados, El Tiempo Cantina, Escalante’s, Hearsay Gastro Lounge, Taqueria Arandas and TQLA but it’s an even more difficult task to top this…10 tacos next year?

 

Special thanks to all UST alums, students, faculty, staff and friends who made this year’s fundraiser a huge success. Notable guests included Elizabeth and Zack Fertitta, Mary and Vincent Kickerillo, Michele Malloy (Chairman of the Board at UST), Drew Wilson, Kelli Kickerillo (President of the UST Alumni Association) and Todd Forester, Jennifer and Mike Mengis, Nick Espinosa, Anna and Chris Hawley.

BY OMAR MEJIA

PHOTOS BY OMAR MEJIA FOR LASTNIGHTPICS

Benjamin Wesley is a one-man singer/songwriter and this week sees the release of a new album Think/Thoughts. The new album oozes autobiographical stories bursting with rich, lyrical imagery showcasing Benjamin’s signature organic guitar mixed with sharp electronic touches. Catch him in two must-see performances: at Cactus Music store on March 31, followed by a concert on April 6 at Fitzgerald’s. For more information, visit http://benjaminwesley.net/.

Click here for a pre-release track exclusively for 002houston readers. Catch My Shadow by Benjamin Wesley

 

Asia Society Texas Center

A few days ago we got a sneak peek at the $48.4 million Asia Society Texas Center designed by Yoshio Taniguchi. Alex Rosa, our Art Director, and I were in awe and can’t wait to escape our office at deadline for a coffee break in the Center’s café. But I get ahead of myself.

Located in the Museum District, the Center is the only one of its kind in the United States: a freestanding facility dedicated to promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among peoples, leaders and institutions of Asia and the United States across the fields of arts, business, culture, education and policy. Asia Society provides insight, generates ideas and promotes collaboration to address present challenges and create a shared future.

What does that all mean, right? Well, their mission is very broad, as Executive Director Martha Blackwelder shared. But in a nutshell, this gives the Center the ability to cover so many areas. The best way to see for yourself how huge the Center’s cultural effect will be on the city, check out their First Look Festival on April 14–15. The public opening will feature regional performers traveling from Japan, Vietnam and Australia to present musical, acrobatic and dance performances as well as storytelling sessions and activity stations.

Director of Programs Sabrina Motley, who hails from the Getty in LA and is a plethora of information on all things Asia-related, shared that there will be an unforgettable ribbon-cutting ceremony on opening day featuring 19^th-century Japanese Firefighting traditions, Yoginiños for the kiddos, Tai Chi, Arabic & Urdu Calligraphy, Taiwanese kite making, The Mountain Music Project and so much more. We got to see renowned Indian dancer Rathna Kumar perform on a brass plate, which by the way had a nick in it and she still danced on it without cutting herself or falling! Kumar is from India and moved to Houston in 1975, when there were only about 500 Indians, and the Asia Society changed her life. She’s been a member ever since. That’s another story I hope to share with you in the future.

For information about the First Look Festival, visit AsiaSociety.org/Texas.

The space itself is flawless; Taniguchi does not mess around with his material selection. Every material lines up perfectly – from the Jura Limestone slabs which have amazing fossils in them, to the American Cherry Wood covered walls, to the massive and clear-as-water glass windows. Our favorite area is the second-floor Water Garden Terrace overlooking a serene infinity pool which gives off the most mystical, man-created fog over the horizon with an unabashed view to Downtown. The windows even frame a neighboring home as if it were a piece of art.

 

Speaking of art, Lee Ufan’s commissioned sculpture Relatum– signal, of a large stone and a slab of steel is front and center in the Allen Sculpture Garden.  Houston-born Mel Chin’s The Cabinet of Craving stands 9 feet tall, upon entr, and my favorite, Yoshitomo Nara’s Quiet, Quiet stacked teacups, are in the Fayez Sarofim Grand Hall. Plus the John D. Rockefeller Collection will feature 60 works on view thru September 16, 2012.

Asia Society Texas
opens to the public April 14 – a wonderful addition to the Museum District.

asiasociety.org/texas 

 

 

I had the luck to join Jeff Kaplan and the New Living team who were pivotal in the creation of the space – at the soft opening of Oxheart, the gem that took the place of Latin Bites at Nance Street. Which coincidentally also happens to be 002houston’s old stomping ground.

Turns out I knew Gin Braverman in high school. She was a cheerleader at St. Thomas High School (sorry, Gin, I just called you out); once you meet her, her infectious smile gives her away. And that smile doesn’t leave her face as she proudly tells me about the space she designed. Braverman works upstairs at New Living and runs their Sustainable Living Design Center. “I handmade those light fixtures,” she tells me as we sip champagne on the deck, peering inside Oxheart. She learned a lot about welding while making them. But this is a space she’d had her eyes on for a while. She lives in the neighborhood and when it was Latin Bites she had offered her services. So when the Oxheart team found the spot, her name came up and she jumped at the chance to finally realize her vision for the space.

Reclaimed woods from New Living make up the beautiful handmade tables, which remind me of old, schoolhouse tables, complete with drawers, which store silverware and rolled-up linens. The u-shaped, bar-height community table is where we sat and it gave us a perfect view into the bustling kitchen which is run like a beautiful symphony. But I’ll get to that. Back to the bar table – it also had the little drawers so we could help ourselves to the needed utensils per each plate ordered. The bar top and all tables were finished with Lobosol, a natural finish made of tongue and linseed oils, through New Living.

Warm light is provided by Edison bulbs wired into copper piping throughout the space and a print medley of vegetable roots dipped in pig’s blood make up a wall of original framed art. (Yes, pig blood; they went there.)

But somehow it works and it’s beautiful. Braverman sourced most of the installers and artisans through the community at New Living.

Oxheart’s Justin Yu (Chef) hails most notably from Ubuntu in Napa, California, probably the nation’s most respected vegetarian restaurant; Karen Mann spent some time at French Laundry (Baker); and Justin Vann (Sommelier) is one of a few Houstonians to pass the Court of Master Sommelier’s Advanced Sommelier Exam, plus he has wicked taste in pens. (Which we share.)

Oxheart doesn’t open until Thursday and you’ll want to make a reservation. Don’t even think about popping in – the space is tiny. Meaning about 12 tables at a time. The menu is heavily, but not exclusively, vegetarian.

I ordered the Garden menu ($49) from the three different tasting menus that evening. I started with “okame” (a Japanese variety) spinach steamed over jasmine tea, shiro miso and grains. The greens were so bright; it was as if it had rained all weekend inside Oxheart’s vegetable stash rather than outside. The perfect bite saw leaves of steamed okame with crunchy grains, creamy shiro miso and a swipe of the streaks of green puree all bursting with life and deliciousness.

Next up, the most beautifully caramelized carrots with bitter almond, buckwheat crackers, dill and whey – basically carrots braised for a really long time (like melt in your mouth long time) with dark buckwheat crackers and the pop of delicious dill.

Third in line, the heart of “early Jersey” cabbage stewed with seaweeds, ogonori – beautiful bright green cabbage mix with the saltiness of seaweeds and ogonori (sea moss) with a bit of a bite, almost wasabi like, from mustard greens. Absolutely different and amazing.

And to top it all off, dessert saw a caramelized white chocolate and barley cremeux, kumquat and sorrel. A terrine-like beauty of a dessert. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten anything so creatively, deliciously perfect – I’m not even going to try to explain it.

Oxheart is the perfect soundtrack to the foodie scene, taking place as we speak. A handful of creatives in various fields coming together to create something so one-of-a-kind. From the location, to the design, to the variety of handmade items created with so much love for each particular field. Kyle Kubin’s handmade leather aprons worn by the staff, to the greens grown by David Cater of Utility Research Garden (who has graced our Green issue cover) to Wiley Robertson’s painted bathrooms to New Living’s community of ahead-of-their-time visionaries culminating with Justin Y., Karen M. and Justin V.’s vision – all coming together in a perfect symphony.

Oxheart, 1302 Nance St. Houston, TX 77002 | 832.830.8592

By Carla Valencia de Martinez

Photography by Adam Brackman

Its that time of year people. Straight off the heels of Valentine’s we zoom right into Mardi Gras and the Rodeo.

 

BY OMAR MEJIA

PHOTOS BY OMAR MEJIA FOR LASTNIGHTPICS

Ok, so last week I said I would talk about the new places to eat in town but I am holding out a bit longer until I give Uchi a try. Besides, I have been busy planning my perfect Valentine, or I should say my girlfriend has been planning it for us (she made me French macarons).

 

What a busy week in Houston it was, just this week Houston pizza staple, Late Nite Pie, burned down to the ground. Still no details as to what started it and even less known is what owners plan to do. Some good news now: Coming on the heels of an awesome Super Bowl Halftime Show Madonna announced that her tour will be coming to Houston in October. I went to her last one at Minute Maid Park; this one will be at Toyota Center. (I still think she should have it at a bigger venue.) Toyota Center also announced this week, officially, that the 2013 NBA All-Star Game will be hosted in Houston once more. We last hosted it in 2006 and I unfortunately missed that one. Not next year though. Hopefully we will have at least one Rocket on the All-Star Team by then. And finally Scarlet Spider #2 came out. The issues have been a solid sellout and that excites me because it means that Marvel will keep pumping out more issues and Houston gets a little bit more spotlight. In the latest issue Kaine goes thru some struggles on whether to stay in Houston or move onto Mexico.

 

Meanwhile, as we all recover from our Valentine hangover I bring you some of the things that make Valentine’s so special. Of course no Valentine is complete without candy, a fun date and love.

 

There was no shortage of candy at ROAK for Andy Aweida’s birthday bash. I felt like I was in a hybrid of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and Candy Land. Andy is the man behind much of the current hype around Upper Kirby and he went all out for his latest birthday bash. Even the bar staff and cocktail waitresses looked like something out of a kid’s candy-infused dream. Clothing made of Skittles® and peppermints were all over the place as were towers of cakes from Gooey Butter Girls Cake Company. Craving cotton candy? Andy had that covered too. Enchanted Celebrations and Dylan’s Candy def made this one of the sweetest nights in a long time.

 

 

When was the last time you went on a date and were like “Whoa, that was fun!” Well, such will be the case for lucky bidders who landed a date with some of Houston’s hottest bachelors and bachelorettes for the 3rd annual “My Pink Valentine” date auction to benefit Pink Door Nonprofit and Rotary Skyline. It was a who’s who of social divas, cool dudes and philanthropists at ROAK for the auction. On the block were TV producer Amber Willis, firefighter Mike Kopps, Momentum Audi GM & Fashion Houston creator, Jared Lang, artist Hanh Tran, makeup artist Magen Pastor, Miss Spring , Angela Zatopek and Senior Brand Manager for Capitol One, Paul Pettie. In addition to the amazing evenings to be had with these wonderful people there were other auction packages including an antique adventure with Reyne Hirsch, lunch with the legendary Joanne King Herring, becoming immortalized in an editorial cartoon with Nick Anderson, a day at the State Capital with State Rep. Sarah Davis, a KHOU tour – all helping the charities raise over $22,000. Generously underwritten by Yellow Cab and emceed by Fox 26 on-air personality Michelle Merhar, the event was a huge success. 2012 movers and shakers, DJLGDV, entertained the crowd with their sonic assault. “We are so thankful to our generous supporters who attended and donated incredible experience packages, and the bachelors and bachelorettes who created unique date packages that made this our best year yet, benefiting two great causes,” said Pink Door board member Ashlee Lee. Special thanks go out to Rotary President Reginald Adams and Bellaire Councilman Corbett Parker. Pink Door co-founders, Cortney Cole and Lee Mitchell, have a tough act to follow next year considering the immense success of this year’s fundraiser. Maybe they can auction me off?

 

 

Last but not least, on Valentine’s one must have love – how about love times 18? “Love’s in Fashion” to benefit the 25th anniversary of Houston’s Art Car Parade by the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art was held at Tootsies and showcased 18 of Houston’s most lovely couples. 002’s own Carla and Alex were among the couples that walked the runway on this evening. “It’s an honor to be considered as one of the couples for this great cause,” Alex said. Among the other couples were Page Parkes-Eveleth and Bob Eveleth, Dominique Sachse and Nick Florescu, Janet Gurwitch and Ron Franklin, Kristy and Chris Bradshaw, Mimi and Robert Del Grande, Debra and Mark Grierson, Isabel and Danny David, Miya Shay and Gene Wu, Shannon Hall and Marcus Sloan, Neal Hamil and Jonathan Luke, Lucy and Hayden Rieveschl, Laurann Claridge and William Zeitz, Lauren Serice and Kalon McKahon, Megan and Chris Reed, Sheby Hodge and Shafik Rifaat, Joyce and Hugh Echols and John and Becca Cason Thrash. The ladies rocked the Tootsies garb to perfection while the gents wore the duds from Rye 51 like true pros. Page Parkes and Neal Hamil models were on hand as well to show off some of the other picks of the season. Perhaps one of the nicest surprises was some bites from the yet opened Katsuya (opens March 2 in West Ave). They flew in 5 chefs from LA to make sure the already hot buzz stays molten. Love was in the air on this evening – or I should say on the runway.

So, there you have it, folks…a little bit of what makes Valentine’s such a special day. Candy, dates and love. Check back next week for some cool products making waves across the country that started right here in Houston.

 

BY OMAR MEJIA

PHOTOS BY OMAR MEJIA FOR LASTNIGHTPICS

Wow, what a week! Super Bowl came and went, and we got a good halftime show (first one in a long time). I was going for the Patriots (hey, I’m a photographer so of course I am going to root for the guy that’s married to the supermodel) but congrats to the Giants. The Texans will be there next year. In other sports news the new Astros owner has been back and forth with the proposed name change for the team (as of now he is sticking with the Astros). Some exciting news coming from Galveston as it was announced that Pleasure Pier will commence construction for a Memorial Day Weekend opening date and a promo video was released for it. Surely all the ladies saw the H&M commercial during the Super Bowl – and it could not have come at a better time for Houston as it was announced this week that we will be getting 2 stores, one in Willowbrook and the other in Baybrook. All good news and then there is better news: Last week I spoke about some of the charities to look out for this year so let’s see who is making moves to make the world a better place.

 

“Concerning the generation of animals akin to them, as hornets and wasps, the facts in all cases are similar to a certain extent, but are devoid of the extraordinary features which characterize bees; this we should expect, for they have nothing divine about them as the bees have.” ~ Aristotle 384 – 322 BC

 

It can’t be said any better. Bees have a divinity to them. There is much to learn from them and even more to benefit from. By keeping bees many women in Northern Pakistan have been empowered and that region has received economic development unlike any it has had before. The Hashoo Foundation USA in partnership with the Museum of Cultural Arts Houston (MOCAH) and the Rotary Club of Houston Skyline hosted the Plan Bee Art Exhibit and fundraiser recently at Americas River Oaks.

 

Artists from around the world – Rhonda Radford-Adams, T Anthony, Elisabet Barranco, Amanda Flores, Nia Jacob, Ann Johnson, Cherry Meekins, Ami Metha, Hilary Orr, Dilek Saleh, Anu Srivastav, Sam Turner and Munira Veliani – all came together to display their creative artwork to help raise funds to purchase new beehives for the women beekeepers who lost their beehives in the Pakistan floods.

 

Cristal Montañéz, executive director of the Hashoo Foundation USA, reported, “More beehives are still needed to help the beekeepers rebuild their honey business. The income the beekeepers earned through their small honey enterprises will improve their quality of life and ensure their children have safe, happy and healthy futures. Economic development programs, like Plan Bee, will strengthen vulnerable communities and help decrease poverty and the influence of extremism in Pakistan.”

 

“In alignment with MOCAH’s mission to use art and creativity as tools for social awareness and community development, it’s an honor to work with the Hashoo Foundation and some amazing women artists to raise awareness and funds for economic empowerment programs for women around the world,” said Reginald Adams, MOCAH president and CEO.

 

I had the pleasure of attending this great event and am glad I did. I learned a lot about the culture in Pakistan and how I can help out. It did not hurt that Chef David Cordua infused a touch of honey into the Pakistani-inspired delicacies and Hashoo Honey Punch. The sweetest part of the night for me: eating the honeycomb the bees made. Yum.

 

For more information on Plan Bee 300 Beehives for 100 Women, please contact:

Cristal Montañéz

cristalmontanez@hashoofoundationusa.org

 

How far would you go to make a difference? While some of us donate from the comfort of our homes (which of course is great), Iris McAlpine traveled 8,600+ miles to Cape Town, South Africa.

What started as a month of volunteering with Global Vision International (GVI) turned into an effort to help from home for her. “Working with GVI was amazing,” says Iris. “It was impossible for me to come back and do nothing.  I fell in the love with the children immediately.  Though I had to come back home, I knew my work wasn’t done.  If I can assist these children in getting a better education, I will know that I’ve done something meaningful to help.”

She began to raise funds and collected school supplies to send overseas to benefit South African Education. While in a township just outside of Cape Town, Iris, who doubles as a web developer, worked with children up to the age of 5 teaching English and providing basic care. The goal is to have the children placed in public primary schools. “Children must have a certain mastery of the English language to be accepted into primary school,” Iris says.  “Without those basic skills, children may be left to wander the township streets unsupervised.  It’s not a safe place for a 6-year-old.”

GVI has project sites with volunteer opportunities in 120 different countries, devoted to both humanitarian and conservationist efforts.  Iris is specifically devoted to gathering supplies for GVI’s project site in Cape Town in an effort to enrich the educational experiences of the children there.

Devoted to the cause, she held a fundraiser, “Drive to Africa,” in December to send supplies. Supporters raised over $1,200 and gathered many boxes of supplies. Artists Amanda Howe of My October Country and Jeremy Keas of Jeremy Keas Photography presented their work, donating a percentage of their sales to the cause.  Food and beverages were donated by Pinewood Cafe, Icing Cupcakes and Saint Arnold’s Brewery.  Sunday Riley Modern Skincare, The Upper Hand Salon, Eclipse Sunless Tanning and Bombay Brasserie also donated raffle prizes, which helped raised hundreds for the cause.

Those still interested in making a donation can go to Drive to Africa’s website.  All financial contributions go toward supplies, shipping and Global Vision International’s Charitable Trust.

Contact:

Iris McAlpine

iris.mcalpine@gmail.com

713-594-9681

 

One of the rising charities in the city is Starlight for the American Cancer Society. While not new by any means (it has been going for 14 years now), it has had a facelift since current president Emily Cotton took the helm.

She has been the president for two years and has close ties to the charity. “My grandmother had breast cancer so it’s an issue that hits close to home.” She has big plans for the charity. “When the dust settles I want Starlight to be the #1 young professionals fundraising charity. Coming up in June we will have our 5th annual fashion show, Ja’dore A Cure at La Colombe d’Or. It has been a huge success in past years and this year is surely to be our best yet.”

 

One of the unique and great things about Starlight is that everything is donated so more money can go to the charity. They use 100% volunteers and the money raised always stays in the community. It’s clear that Starlight will shine bright and bring hope to many lives for a long time to come.

 

Contact:

Emily Cotton

emilycharlottecotton@gmail.com

 

If this year’s resolution you made was to make more of a difference and get involved in charity – or even if it wasn’t  – there are plenty of great ways to help out.

 

Next week check back here to hear about some of the new places to grab a bite. Until then, have a Happy Valentine’s Day and enjoy the great weather we have been getting.

BY OMAR MEJIA

PHOTOS BY OMAR MEJIA FOR LASTNIGHTPICS

 

Hey, everyone! I’m back. Took a small hiatus to get some things in order, and while away some things here at 002 changed – new web layout, new content and a new way to deliver to you the latest and greatest from Houston. Of course we will still be covering some of the hottest events in the city but now you can check back with us on a weekly basis for the inside scoop on all things hip, current & cool. So without further ado, I give to you the rundown. (Now usually I would recap the week’s happenings but since this is the first one I will give you the 2012 recap thus far. )

 

2012 came in with a bang. The biggest party to usher in the new year was held at the Wortham Center, hosted by Houston staples, DJ Bizz and DJ Senega. The newly sponsored by Ciroc DJs clearly know how to throw a party and NYE was no exception. The place was rockin’ and there were easily 4000+ in attendance including Hall of Fame NBA Legend Dominique Wilkins and LA Laker great Nick Van Exel. One thing is clear: I know where I will be December 31, 2012 – party rocking at Wortham with Bizz & Senega.

 

 

As with any year the start of one often brings many health-related resolutions. So far this month has been packed with many physically demanding events. We hosted for the first time ever Olympic Trials for both men and women. As if that was not enough to motivate you to get off your couch there was also the 40th annual Chevron Houston Marathon. If running 26.2 miles isn’t physical enough, then how about wielding a chainsaw in a park chopping up ice to make something out of it? The 4th annual Ice Sculpting Competition brought out the finest chainsaw masters to do their chilling work.

 

 

One of my resolutions this year is to get into art more and become more knowledgeable in that aspect. Lucky me, I have had a chance to cover a few art events. The Assistance League of Houston Celebrates Texas Art 2012 was the 42nd time the annual event was held. The curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego was the guest judge this year and she had a tough task picking a winner from 323 works of art from 112 artists. Renowned Houston artist Dandee Warhol held a Ridiculously 80’s Inspired Show showcasing some of Houston’s most ultra artists at Villains on Friday the 13 (it couldn’t get anymore 80’s). The night featured an 80’s-themed fashion show, b boy battle and even had a DJ spinning with a Boba Fett helmet on.

 

 

 

So there you have it…everything that’s happened in 2012 in three paragraphs, just kidding. Part 2 will feature some of the people here in Houston that will shape 2012’s landscape. Check back here for upcoming projects from Paul Wall, DJLGDV, former WWE Superstar Shad Gaspard, artist Dandee Warhol and even something with Spider Man. It’s going to be a great year.

 

BY OMAR MEJIA

PHOTOS BY OMAR MEJIA & LASTNIGHTPICS

 

 

 

 

There is only one thing better than hanging out with friends and
drinking wine and that is hanging out with friends and drinking wine while
donating to the American Cancer Society. That’s exactly what Starlight concocted
the other night for its Portraits & Pinot Event.

 

Starlight President Emily Cotton puts together fun events for a
serious cause and this time was nothing short of being real rad. With the help
of Republic Beverage Company, Favorite Brands & Bonnie Blue from “Women
That Rock,” attendees walked away with a great time and a cool hand-painted
caricature on an empty wine bottle. Only one place can play host to such a
great evening: St. Genevieve, which also donated a portion of proceeds to the
American Cancer Society.

 

Starlight stays busy and for a good
reason. Look out for their Jingle Brunch coming soon.

 

BY OMAR MEJIA

PHOTOS BY OMAR MEJIA FOR LASTNIGHTPICS