blast 6/15



Hail the Queen! Drag Star Persephone Hits Multiple Stages and Ramps Up Fundraising for Pride Month

Robin Barr Sussman

THE DRAG ARTIST known as Persephone started doing drag on a whim in 2017. She was working at Hamburger Mary's and signed up for a “turnabout” show, where employees who've never done drag try to slay. Poof! A star was born. Flirty, sassy and fun, you can catch her performances at various venues around town; she’s especially busy during Pride month, with shows at half a dozen venues sprinkled throughout June. In our Q&A, the 20-something native Houstonian tells us how she won Outsmart magazine’s Gayest and Greatest Most Divine Drag Queen award, about her day job, and her new role for The Woodlands Pride.

Black-Owned, Locally Distilled Vodka with Charitable Bent Launches on Juneteenth

THERE’S A NEW vodka in town. General Orders No. 3 (GO3) is a Black-owned premium vodka distilled in Houston’s Fifth Ward. It launches on Saturday, June 18, during the Juneteenth HBCU Alliance Music Fest, a concert and scholarship benefit at 713 Music Hall. The concert features performances by Nigerian-American rapper Wale, Grammy-winning R&B singer Chrisette Michele, British pop singer Aiyana-Lee, and others; proceeds benefit TSU and Prairie View A&M University.

Hot Young Artist Grayson Chandler’s Lovely Work Transports You to ‘Foreign Yet Familiar’ Place

"PAINTING, MORE THAN half it, isn’t actually putting brush to paint,” says 27-year-old Houston-born artist Grayson Chandler, who used to run cross-country, and believes there are many parallels between athleticism and creativity. “A lot of it is just sort of seeing, watching and looking. Like a basketball player dribbling a ball before they take a shot, or a golfer teeing up and getting their feet right. Before you dive in, know where you’re going to land.” For Chandler, that means a new collection of mysterious, beautifully composed watercolor and gouache paintings titled In Via, which lands at Deborah Colton Gallery on July 16.

Leadership in Action: Entrepreneur Saba Syed of Moroccan Bath Determined to Build ‘Lasting Legacy’

Saba Syed, Founder of Oasis Moroccan Bath

How did you get to where you are today? My journey began with a need to be financially independent and an even a deeper drive to create a lasting legacy. The centuries-old Hammam tradition has always fascinated me—not just for its relaxation benefits, but for its holistic approach to cleansing the body, mind, and soul. So, combining my passion with a vision to bring an authentic yet luxurious Hammam spa experience to Houston, I took the leap less than two years ago to open my own spa.

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Out magazine cover and Avery Belyeu

ONE OF CITYBOOK'S ‘Cool 100’ has been named to another top 100 list!

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People + Places

AS WE MOVE into Movember, men’s mental health is a big topic. In fact, men can get a lot of benefit, both mentally and physically by taking advantage of everything a spa has to offer. LeBrina Jackson, owner of Escape Spa, has the answers

How does Escape Spa cater to men? We designed Escape Spa to ensure both men and women feel comfortable and welcome. From our earth tones to our luxury brown unisex robes, this is not a pampering palace but a rejuvenation destination.

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