At Dress for Success and Women of Wardrobe's annual Summer Soiree, generously hosted by Tootises, fashion-forward attendees dressed in pretty pastels, bold patterns and lots of ruffles — many designed by Houston's Hunter Bell, who showed off her fall line alongside jewelry by Claudia Lobao. Chairs Karishma Asrani, Courtney Campo, Allie Danziger and Melissa Sugulas welcomed guests to the event, which toasted the 20th anniversary of Dress for Success, and raised more than $20,000 for the org.
‘Embrace Changes,’ Says Valobra, Whose Namesake Jewelry Store Has Become a Houston Institution
Jun. 16, 2022
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.
Whom do you credit? As I stand squarely on the shoulders of three great men that ran the company before me, my main motivation is to carry the torch to the next generation by carefully expanding the business, protecting the brand, and maintaining the highest level of ethics and professionality while doing it.
What lessons have you learned that might enlighten and inspire others? Passion and conviction for what you do are going to be of paramount importance for your success. Passion for success may not bring you success, but passion for your work will undoubtedly bring you success.
- Take great care of your client. A relentlessly fanatical approach to customer service is another great key to success.
- Never cease to learn about your business and ways to improve it.
- Don’t fear changes; embrace them and try to anticipate them.
What’s more important in a successful business: seeking the highest profitability or to striving to purvey your clientele with the best values? It is like health and happiness, the two do not exist without the other.
What’s new in your life or work that you’re excited about? The steady progression of custom designed jewelry creations for an ever more sophisticated clientele excites me. It challenges my staff and continues to refine our skills and knowledge. In terms of preparing for the future, my long-term goal is to instill the principles and business values to my next generations that were instilled to me.
What’s your biggest accomplishment as a business owner? Opening successful jewelry boutiques in America thousands of miles away from my comfort zone and making them highly successful. Creating a working environment that is both fun and efficient, cultivating long-term loyalty from clients and staff alike. Continuously curating a sterling reputation and an unequivocally ethical stance.
What’s one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner? Successfully adapting to my business’ ever-changing trends, competing ethically and efficiently in the world of digital content, and constantly creating new designs while delivering value and exclusivity to our clientele.
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JUST IN TIME for the Paris games, Sophie Cocktail & Terrace Bar has bowed in the Montrose Collective joining neighbors Marmo and nearby Uchi.
Local entrepreneur, globetrotter, and “tastemaker’” Ashley Muncie channels her experience living in Paris into this stylish new cocktail bar, lounge and terrace. Her aim with the two-story space is to capture the essence of the French Riviera with chic design touches at every turn including dark red lacquer walls and soft pink accents.
Ashley Muncie (photo by Alex Montoya)
Designed by EAMStudio, the intimate 20-seat cocktail bar hidden behind a velvet curtain puts on the ritz with floral and animal prints and velvet club chairs, oversized glass chandeliers, and paintings by French artist Phlippine de Richemont. Upstairs, anticipate a playful terrace with live music and a plant-filled outdoor patio withmultiple seating vignettes for up to 80 guests.
Although the concept is heavy on scene and fancy cocktails, the French-inspired food menu by chef de cuisine Anthony Anderson, an Uchi alum, has something for everyone. Caviar graces fettuccine with lemon butter as well as the Thon Cru – marinated yellowfin tuna and saffron potato. There’s a Sophie burger with gruyere and a wide selection of cheese and wild game charcuterie. Even more Frenchified is the weekend brunch. Grab those cameras: The Swan, which appears to be floating as all beautiful swans do, is an artistic pistachio cake with pistachio sable and raspberry confit.
But cocktails take the cake. In feminine style, Scent of a Rose is crafted with Kettle One Rose and grapefruit vodka, rose syrup, lemon, elderflower, and sparkling rosé. Other options include domestic and French wines, house-curated shots, an upstairs seasonal spritz menu, and signature “experiential” cocktails offered downstairs.
“Sophie is a destination to gather with friends for a long afternoon of cocktails and bites on the terrace, a post-dinner nightcap, and everything in between,” said Ashley Muncie in a press release.
Santé!
Cocktails at Sophie
Fettucine at Sophie (photo by Shawn Chippendale)
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In the Wake of Beryl, Houston Animal Rescue Teams Up with Groups from Across the Country
Jul. 19, 2024
HOUSTON WAS DEALING with crisis levels of pet homelessness before Hurricane Beryl wreaked havoc on the city. But this week, Houston PetSet coordinated with The Babinski Foundation, an animal shelter in Minnesota, to provide relief across multiple channels.
Thousands of pets became homeless in the aftermath of Beryl, and not only did shelters and facilities sustain significant damage, but foster families were without power and resources as well.
Reps from The Babinski Foundation drove through the night to deliver 10,000 pounds of dog and cat food, 2,000 pounds of kitty litter, and other supplies and bedding on Wednesday, July 17. Houston PetSet coordinated distribution to local organizations in need, including Interfaith Ministries, Meals on Wheels, Jacinto City Dog Pound Rescue, Wolly Kitten Club, and several local street feeders. Additionally, the foundation took more than 50 rescue dogs and puppies back with them to their shelter in Pequot Lakes, Minn.
"The shelters in Houston have been significantly impacted by Hurricane Beryl, due to increased demand and restricted resources,” said Donna Sutton, The Babinski Foundation's executive director, in a statement. “We are thrilled to team up with Houston PetSet to bring much needed relief to the everyday heroes who are taking care of the abandoned and stray animals who need it most."
“This is what collaboration looks like, and we need to continue to build relationships in order to help our city and county solve Houston’s homeless animal crisis," added PetSet's Tena Lundquist Faust.
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