Where To?

The third largest city in the country has proven to be, well, huge. A Houstonian of only about 3 weeks, I set out to find all of the secrets of the city, the hidden gems. I'm looking for restaurants with cusine so delish I could never replicate it at home, eclectic neighborhoods, unique bars and stylish nightlife, and above all: Shopping!

I started out at Market Street in The Woodlands. My first favorite store: Hemline. The Missouri-based women's clothing company features adorable stylish tops, jeans, jackets, and dresses from lines such as Hype, Miss Me, Karlie, Free People, Hudson, Kensie, Tulle, and more! This is definitely the shop for novelty tops to pair with jeans, and cute cocktail dresses. Hemline also has fantastic classic fall coats and jackets, a must for any closet. Classic coats, such as a peacoat style are perfect with jeans and flats or with a cocktail dress, and are definitely worth the investment. Hemline has received local and national praise from Lucky Magazine, In Style, Magazine, Where Y’at, and Gambit Weekly.
Also a long-time favorite for casual gals, yogis, athletic types, and stay-at-home moms on the go, Lululemon Athletica at Market Street is as cute and comfy as ever. Not only are these girly workout styles perfect for the gym or your pilates class, pair the sexy jackets and tops with jeans for a weekend outfit. Find pieces in colors that look good on everyone from Lululemon’s holiday collection such as reds, purples, pinks, and other brights that pair perfectly with black and grays.

With a noticeable abundance of fast food and chain restaurants, where's a girl to find delicious dishes other than burgers and barbeque? I knew what I was looking for existed--it was just a matter of digging to find them. My first favorite foodie find: Crush Wine Lounge, featuring numerous bottles of delicious wines from across the world including (gasp!) Oregon wines! Only a few, but I sure felt closer to home. Being an open-minded wine drinker I tried a California Pinot Noir (the best red wine grape in my opinion), a recommendation from the server, and it was delicious. Crush, with its swanky Italian wine cellar vibe, is located at 20 Waterway Avenue on the second floor. The menu features small plates, cheese varieties, flat breads, and desserts. For dinner I chose the Tower of Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad with Baby Greens & Cracked Pepper along with the Maryland Style Crab Cake with Caper Remoulade and Cocktail Sauce. Wonderful freshness and flavor! A side note on ordering food--the portions are small, so if you're looking for a dinner, order a few different items, or plan to go just for drinks and hors deourves. The patio overlooking The Woodlands Waterway is the perfect date-night setting on a warm Houston evening.