Top Attorney Lauren Varnado Says Networking Is Key: ‘Relationships Are Everything’
Al Torres
Jun. 25, 2022
How did you get to where you are today? It takes a village. I was fortunate enough to have great mentors and individuals who instilled confidence in me. I think that when you face a challenge or an obstacle, you are able to overcome and make things happen. You can continue moving forward, more resilient over time.
Growing with great mentors, such as Travis Torrence, Global Litigation Bankruptcy & Credit Team Lead at Shell, has enabled me to have more confidence in myself, foster meaningful relationships in the community, and sharpen my business acumen. He recruited me to my original firm, Fulbright, and has stuck with me on my journey. He has helped me keep in touch with former colleagues, contacts and friends, which has helped me translate those connections into working opportunities. We both mutually support each other.
And… let’s not forget hard work.
Whom do you credit? Mentors, business partners, my friends. I have a really close group of girlfriends who are in town. Women support women. We always lift each other up, provide contacts, share war stories, and encourage each other.
Also Judge Patricia Kerrigan, Texas State Judge of the Year, provided a lot of insight to me at a young stage in my career. She always encouraged me to stay the course and would continually affirm my natural skills in trial and in the courtroom.
What lessons have you learned that might enlighten and inspire others? Don’t listen to the haters! No one can tell you that you can’t do something. Where there is a will, there is a way; if you really want something, go for it! Don’t let people make you afraid of taking the next step.
Relationships are really everything! Making the effort, staying in touch with former clients, colleagues, introductions, connections are always valuable. Even if they don’t lead to business, you need network support in this industry. Even if that person can’t give you work, they can introduce you to someone who can, write a letter of recommendation, or just provide you with guidance or additional resources.
What’s new in your life or work that you’re excited about? Opening the Houston office of Michelman & Robinson is a huge honor, it is such an amazing opportunity. I have a vision; I am one of those people. You are always vested better in yourself. It’s not a risk because I have the support, and I am happy to charge the new generation of leaders as a “shaleinnelial.”
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James Beard ‘Taste America’ Stops in Houston for a Foodie Affair at Four Seasons Downtown
Sep. 3, 2024
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Taste America, James Beard Foundation's 20-city culinary series, is coming to town Sept. 12 with a lineup of award-winning Houston chefs.
The event, co-hosted by Houston First and taking place at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston, is your chance to experience the best in local culinary innovation and cutting-edge immersive art all in one luxurious place.
Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó
The James Beard Foundation, which aims to showcase the country’s food culture, kicked off its annual culinary series in July. A few Houston talents who will be participating include James Beard Award-winning Hugo Ortega, Street to Kitchen’s Chef G, and two-time Beard-nominated Emmanuel Chavez, the chef behind the Mexican tasting-menu restaurant Tatemó. Chavez will lead Tasting America as host chef.
Attendees who opt for Premier tickets ($250) to Taste America will receive a gift bag, which sounds like it’s worth the ticket price alone. Each includes exclusive access to a sneak peek of Meow Wolf Houston before the new Fifth Ward immersive art museum opens to the public.
Starting at 6pm, ahead of the main event, Premier ticket holders will be served exclusive drinks and bites, including Champagne and caviar, and specially crafted Meow Wolf cocktails created to encapsulate the immersive art experience.
Premier guests don't get all the fun, though. General ticket ($175) holders will get something special from Meow Wolf, too. After enjoying food and beverage stations from Houston's most talked-about chefs (see menu below), guests will leave with a special take-home gift from Meow Wolf and other event participants.
Here’s a first taste of what will be served throughout the evening:
- Host chef and James Beard nominee Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó will serve Hoja Santa ice cream
- James Beard semifinalist Ope Amosu of ChòpnBlọk will serve Agege Sliders with Nigerian eggs and Liberian greens aïoli
- James Beard semifinalist Dawn Burrell cooks up seared marinated duck breast with buckwheat kinche "grits" and berbere-spiced cream
- James Beard semifinalist Victoria Elizondo of Cochinita & Co. dishes masa cake with maracuyá passionfruit mousse, candied guava paste, caramelized pineapple, and coconut-amaranth tuile
- Sergio Hidalgo and James Beard nominee Chris Williams of Late August will serve a crudo of cobia with turnip mignonette, mole crunch, and shallots
- James Beard winner Benchawan Jabthong Painter of Street to Kitchen plates Nam Prik Noom Sai Oua with seasonal veggies
- James Beard winner Hugo Ortega of Xochi will serve slow-cooked, pork-stuffed plantain “torpedoes”
- Jason Ryczek of Little's Oyster Bar is grilling Spanish octopus with Schug and Little’s Pimenton
- Erin Smith of Feges BBQ puts together brisket "foldies" with pickles and sauce
- Sherman Yeung of Money Cat brings his sea urchin cream puffs with kaffir lime pastry cream and lychee syrup glaze
- Four Seasons Hotel Houston's own Jonathan Esparza of Toro Toro will serve Peruvian Ceviche of red snapper with leche de tigre, sweet potato, canchas and morita chile oil
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Levy Park's Giant New Restaurant Is Casual-Chic with Something for Everyone (Kids and Pups, Too!)
Anthony Rathbun
Sep. 3, 2024
SOON WE WILL be thinking about alfresco dining, taking our kids or pups to the park, and generally being outdoors in crisper weather. Enter Hearsay, the new oasis in Levy Park, which replaces the shuttered Woodshed Smokehouse.
At this family-friendly gathering spot from Landmark Houston Hospitality Group, guests can linger on the lovely patio with park views while kids devour soft-serve ice cream (your furry friends are invited, too). The glossy, wood-paved space, which dangles with multiple chandeliers, is huge, with lots of elbow room — and a separate bar, which stays open until midnight on the weekends. Dishing up eclectic American cuisine, this is the seventh Houston-area location from the restaurant group.
“We chose Levy Park for its rich history, aiming to honor Hearsay’s legacy, which began with our first restaurant in the historic W.L. Foley building in 2008,” said Joseph Natale, CEO of Hearsay. “Hearsay Levy Park marks our brand’s evolution. It features elevated design elements, and our largest bar with views, high ceilings, and garage doors that open outdoors. We’ve also included two private dining rooms, expanded our culinary menu, and our diverse selection of handcrafted cocktails.”
Chef Carlos Bautista’s vast lunch, brunch and dinner menus offer shareable plates like the charcuterie board and the spicy Kung Pao shrimp and calamari. Anticipate about ten handmade pizzas, as well as salads, burgers, tacos, and a Chicago-style hot dog. Main plates range from an espresso-rubbed pork chop and beef short-rib braised in Shiner Bock with cheddar-cheese grits, to crab-crusted redfish with red-pepper coulis.
Vegetarians are not left out of the fun: Choose from the plant-based burger, pesto pasta primavera, and watermelon "poke" tostados. Besides cocktails, mocktails, wine and beer to sip, specially priced Houston Restaurant Weeks multi-course menus are on tap through September!
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