blast 6/20



Destination Houston: Easy, Fun Staycation Ideas for Summer!

Evan W. Black

IT’S HOT OUT there, folks. One tried and true way to stay cool in H-Town is to find a great pool and post up for the day. Don’t have one of your own? Some of the city’s chicest hotels are offering staycation packages that will make booking a girls’ day or romantic getaway hard to resist. Check in here for all the best deals!

High-End Showroom Adds to Rice Village's Dynamic Design Scene

Evan W. Black

ADDING TO RICE Village's growing selection of interior-design stores is Jill Egan Interiors, an office-slash-showroom featuring the local designer's custom furnishings and curated accessories.

Put Your Best Face Forward at this Rice Village Power ‘Haus’

Patrick Magee

THERE ARE APPS that book mani-pedis on-demand. DryBar capitalized on a trend and turned it into a movement with hundreds of copycats nationwide. Chain massage places are a dime a dozen. But few places exist that offer customized, spa-quality skincare for busy gals (and guys) on the go — until now.

‘Embrace Changes,’ Says Valobra, Whose Namesake Jewelry Store Has Become a Houston Institution
How did you get to where you are today? I had little choice in the matter; I grew up being trained to become the fourth-generation jewelry designer behind my great grandfather, grandfather, and father. It was my duty to carry on the family business and continue the hard work and success they built from nothing, beginning in Torino, Italy in 1905. I was surrounded by jewelry and its craftmanship as a young child and was taught the business from a very young age.
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Actor Alan Brincks gets his makeup done for 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.'

BEGINNING AUG. 1 THROUGH Aug. 10, the Houston Shakespeare Festival, the professional arm of the University of Houston’s School of Theater and Dance, takes the stage at Miller Outdoor Theatre for its 50th iteration. The milestone event includes productions of Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream, plus "Bard talks," all at no cost to viewers.

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Art + Entertainment

Dandelion Cafe owners Sarah Lieberman and J.C. Ricks with Mireya Villarreal of GMA, Chris Shepherd and Lindsey Brown of Southern Smoke Foundation (photo by Shane Dante Photography)

THE SOUTHERN SMOKE Foundation, established by chef Chris Shepherd, has only been around for seven years — but that's long enough to have helped hospitality workers through hurricanes, freezes, a pandemic, and countless other personal situations requiring emergency relief.

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Food