Healthful Hot Spot!

8.22

Any Houstonian who’s driven around Montrose in recent months has probably wondered what is becoming of the McGowen Cleaners building at 1931 Fairview?


Next week, there’s finally an answer: Mom and newly minted restaurateur Kelly Barnhart opens Vibrant, blending, as she says, health with pleasure. She teamed up with consulting chef Alison Wu to develop a menu of breakfast (all-day!) and lunch dishes made with ingredients that are free of gluten, dairy, refined sugar and non-GMO products.

Expect sustainably harvested meats and pasture-raised eggs, as in the Breakfast socca — chickpea flour flatbread, arugula-hemp pesto, oven-roasted tomato and watermelon radish. Plenty of housemade pastries and yogurt are also available. Lunch brings inventive, layered salads and power bowls.

In addition to creating food that’s delicious and interesting, Barnhart — a former art curator who’s also responsible for the interior design of the light-filled, wood-wrapped space — simply wants folks to feel comfortable knowing that everything at Vibrant is truly good for you.

Here’s a bonus: The wine program adopts the same theory, with all-natural and biodynamic wines.

Food+Travel
Ancient French Wellness Cures Reimagined at Houston’s Escape Spa: The Power of Vichy

Serial entrepreneur and spa visionary LeBrina Jackson

NESTLED IN THE heart of France, the town of Vichy holds a rich history in the world of wellness and hydrotherapy. Acquiring fame for their alkaline springs in the 17th century, the Romans were among the first to recognize the therapeutic benefits of the springs. They established a French spa known as “Vichy,” which still exists today and continues to attract spa-goers from around the world to experience the transformative effects of hydrotherapy.

Keep Reading Show less

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

Keep Reading Show less

How did you get to where you are today? My journey to where I am today is built on a foundation of hard work, dedication, and perseverance. Every step along the way, I faced obstacles, but I approached each one with determination and a “never give up” mindset. Instead of being discouraged by challenges, I used them as opportunities to grow and improve. Consistency was key—I committed to showing up and giving my best effort every day. I also learned not to take “no” as a final answer. Instead, I saw it as a chance to push harder, adapt, and find another way forward. It’s this combination of persistence, resilience, and unwavering focus that has brought me to where I am today.

Keep Reading Show less