The Oldest Bar in Houston: La Carafe

Some things are worth repeating. Here's a little blast from the past that every Houstonian must know about. ♥ B

Looking for something new..er..old..to do this weekend? If you haven't already, you must spend an evening at La Carafe, the oldest drinking establishment in H-town. La Carafe was built in 1847, and has been used as public venue ever since. Over the years, it has served as everything from a bakery to a pony express station. Ever since the 50's, it's been the hauntingly rustic watering hole that it is today.

What I love about La Carafe, is their deliciously affordable wine selection, cozy ambiance, and breath taking view of downtown Houston from the second floor balcony. Adding to the the exciting (but slightly eerie) feel of the bar, they have a tradition of lighting one candle every night after sundown. The result is is a heaping mountain of melted wax, that is more reminiscent of Disney's Haunted Mansion than a local Houston bar. Once you visit, you will continute to return for years to come!

La Carafe

813 Congress

Houston, Texas 77002

713.229.9399

Simon Fashion Now™ Winner!

The winner of our VIP tickets & Swag Bags is.....Amanda L. Congrats!!

By the way, thanks so much to the fabulous photographer Todd Parker, for the lovely blog write up (and plan to hear more about him in the near future).

Even if you didn't win the VIP tix, you don't have to miss out on the the cutting edge fashion events at the Galleria this weekend. So what makes Simon Fashion Now such a blast? Nicole Davis, director of marketing at The Galleria told us, " the beauty of Simon Fashion Now is accessibility. Every look on the runway can be immediately found at retailers within The Galleria. With fashion being presented at a variety of price points, no consumer group is excluded."

Alright guys, hope to see you all there! If you'd like to see the full schedule events click here

Swag Bag Giveaway...Fashion Show...Oh my!

Oh my boys and girls, have I got some giveaway treats for you today! September 17th-19th Simon Fashion Now is coming to the Galleria to throw a party full of runways, interactive fashion demonstrations, styling competitions and much much more! Guess what? You are all invited! Now here is the surprise. One of you extra special Houston readers will receive 2 VIP swag bags worth $400, along with two tickets to one of the events next weekend. So how do you enter? Simple. Leave a comment below by Wednesday, September 16th at 12 noon, along with your email address. The winner will be announced soon after. Want a better chance to win?

Here's how to get additional entries:

• Follow this blog ( 3 additional entries)
• Become our fan on Facebook (1 additional entry)
• Follow me on Twitter & tweet this giveaway (1 additional entry)
  
• Blog about this giveaway linking to this post (2 additional entries)
• Become a fan of Simon Fashion Now on FB (1 additional entry)
  

**FYI add your own additional entries. For example, if you were to follow the blog, leave 3 separate comments that say "blog follower" or something similar so that it will be counted in our drawing. Thanks! -B

Jewelis Designs

What talent lies within our crazy city! Here are my tasty finds for today. These mini masterpieces are from Jewelis Designs, and they rock the hizzy.

The Search for the Great White

My quest was so simple. A 4ft white Christmas tree to adorn my office window. White trees are everywhere. How hard could it be? Little did I know that I had been cursed. Everywhere I looked, had conveniently sold out. Sure, they will probably get more in, but I didn't want to wait! I wanted my white tree NOW! I covered most of the common cheap Christmas decor avenues: Target, Kohls, and not one, not two, but THREE Garden Ridge stores all to find that the white tree shelf was bare. The search went on for weeks. Then, on a 1 a.m. run for dog food, the heavens opened up, and there it was. A beautiful pre-lit white wonder for $19.99 at the one and only Wally World. The evil empire conquers once again.

**Above you can see Ophelia enjoying our new beauty

New Art from Chris "Beeks" Beekman

The very talented Chis Beeks has some new ass-kicking work that you must see. Of the google hits Houston's Weekly Chic receives, more people are searching "Chris Beeks art" than any other topic. Obviously, people are starting to take notice. Here are just a few of my favorites.
* Also be sure to check out the Chris Beeks website for much, much more.

Crikey!!

How fun is this slithery reptilious scarf? To me it says, "I'm practical about my warmth, but I still like to party." You can find the Vasquez Gator Scarf, along with a slew of other road kill neck wraps at Hello Lucky online, or off of Studewood Street.

Trend Watch: Let It Snow Houston!

Houstonians only see snow once in a blue moon, but thanks to a reemerging trend, we can see it all year long. That's right, the good old fashioned snow globe is all over the map this season. Supposedly originating in France in the 1800's, they didn't become popular in the U.S. until the 1920's. Ever since then, snow globes have ping ponged between being a luxury item and being in the "touristy souvenir" category. However, this year snow globes are on like Donkey Kong. They are popping up in some of my favorite shops, and adorning the homes of design trackers across the globe.