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Pomegranate guacamole at new Sumomaya in River Oaks District.
Pomegranate guacamole at new Sumomaya in River Oaks District.

Uptown Park’s Hotel Granduca debuts al fresco dining concept Il Giardino, tucked into the property’s lush gardens. In addition to a menu boasting light, Italian fare, guests can indulge in craft beer imported from Italy. 1080 Uptown Park Blvd., 713.418.1000


Crepe Ratatouille by Mauricio HernandezCrepe Ratatouille at Brasserie du Parc

Brasserie du Parc launches its Parisian-inspired Sunday brunch menu. Guests are invited to dine in the enclosed terrace with views of Discovery Green and nosh on pain perdu with syrup and fresh berries, traditional beignets, and the vegetarian ratatouille crepe, all nicely washed down with handcrafted cocktails like the Sunny Side of the Parc made with house-made limoncello and Champagne. 1440 Lamar St., 832.879.2802

Just in time for the dog days of summer, ramen bar and Montrose newcomer

Ramen Tatsu-Ya introduces a spicy chilled ramen to the menu. Served brothless, the refreshing dish is made with pirikara ground pork, cucumber, ajitama (seasoned soft-boiled egg), karashi mustard and chili oil, and a citrus soy dressing. 1722 California St.

Now open in Rice Village: The fourth location of husband-and-wife team Faysal and Maria Haddad’s Island Grill, in the space formerly occupied by Little Liberty. Like its other locations in Uptown, Bellaire and West Houston, the fast-casual cafe offers counter-service and a menu of fresh Mediterranean-American eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus smoothies and juices. New on the menu: shrimp étouffée with mini biscuits! 2365 Rice Blvd., 713.527.8070

Uptown’s Willie G’s Seafood & Steaks will relocate to owner Tilman Fertitta’s new The Post Oak this fall. With mod indoor-outdoor seating and an oyster bar, the reimagined concept will join luxury retail, office space and the first Texas location of Mastro’s Steakhouse.

Michael Caplan, co-owner of Siphon Coffee, has opened Cavo Coffee on the ground floor of the 11-story Regions Financial Center at Greenway Plaza. Along with espresso and coffee drinks, guests can expect craft beer and wine and a menu of comfort-food items like avocado toast frisée in a cozy dining space. 3773 Richmond Ave., Ste. 1F, 346.320.4195

SumoMaya Mexican Asian KitchenPomegranate guacamole at new Sumomaya in River Oaks District.

SumoMaya Mexican Asian Kitchen is set to debut in River Oaks District with a robust menu fusing the flavors of the Far East with traditional tapas-style items. Along with a full sushi program, the trendy spot will serve craft cocktails and chef-driven cuisine ranging from tacos and noodles to prime steaks. In River Oaks District

Farm-to-table café and neighborhood gem Dish Society will open its first inner-Loop location in the Heights Central Station mixed-use development in 2018. The hip new outpost will stay true to its role as a family-friendly hangout with an expansive dog-friendly patio and communal games like darts, shuffleboard and foosball — but also aims to place a heavy focus on a new bar program with beer, wine and craft cocktails. 1050 Yale St.

New Orleans hot dog hangout Dat Dog announces plans to expand to Texas with a number of locations set to open across the city in 2018. With a specialty menu featuring Guinness sausage wieners and over 30 toppings that include bacon, sour cream, grilled onions and housemade sauces, the gourmet fast-food joint has garnered a loyal following for its craft dogs.

After a much lauded four-year stint, Tony’s first female chef de cuisine Kate McLean has parted ways with the high-end dining destination, making way for former sous chef Austin Waiter to take the reins in the kitchen. 3755 Richmond Ave., 713.622.6778

Food+Travel
Leadership in Action: ‘Setting Clear Goals’ Among Secrets of Success for Attorney Jess Bailey

How did you get to where you are today? A few key principles integrated into my life: setting clear goals, maintaining a growth mindset, building strong habits, and surrounding myself with the right people. Goals provided direction, while a growth mindset helped me turn challenges into opportunities for learning. Consistent habits, like disciplined work and effective communication, kept me moving forward. Being surrounded by motivated, supportive individuals has elevated my standards and kept me accountable. They’ve provided advice, encouragement, and sometimes that extra push I needed to stay on track. With these elements, I’ve been able to create a framework that helps me succeed and ensures I continue to grow and evolve.

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People + Places

What year was your organization launched? Founded in Houston in 1947, as the Cerebral Palsy Treatment Center, the organization provided services to individuals with disabilities living in Houston and Harris County. In 1989, the organization changed its name and greatly expanded its services to meet the needs of its clientele. Today as Easter Seals Greater Houston, the organization provides multiple outstanding service programs to children, adults, veterans, and service members with all types of disabilities and their families in Harris and sixteen surrounding counties.

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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.

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