Tootsies was, for once, more about baseball fans than fashionistas, as a fab crowd of Astro lovers gathered at the shopping mecca to hobnob with some of their favorite players. Beloved pitcher Lance McCullers Jr., MVP second baseman José Altuve, and three-time Golden Glove winner Dallas Keuchel hosted the event to raise money for a variety of causes close to their hearts, including The Sunshine Kids and McCuller’s own foundation, which promotes pet rescue and adoptions. Other ’Stros in attendance included Carlos Correa, George Springer and Justin Verlander, along with Hall of Famer Craig Biggio. In the end, the sluggers and their supporters — like Judge Ed Emmett, Terri and John Havens and Vivian Wise — raised $360, 000. Now that’s a homerun!
Lawyers Can Be Cool — Especially Lauren Varnado and Energy Experts at Michelman & Robinson!
Law firms aren’t typically associated with cool, but then again, Michelman & Robinson, LLP is no ordinary law firm. Fact is, M&R is different, special and, yes, cool. Especially the lawyers in its Houston office, which is the hub of the firm’s robust energy practice.
It’s a Gas
Lauren Varnado is M&R’s Houston Office Managing Partner. Having graced the pages of Vanity Fair, Vogue and People, Lauren sets the tone in Houston, not just for the firm’s vibe, but for its efforts in the oil and gas space.
Unlike the work of most other players in the legal marketplace, M&R’s efforts—and that of Lauren and her Houston-based team—are informed by a nuanced understanding of the energy sector. This insight not only allows Lauren and the firm to effectively address clients’ immediate legal concerns, but also enables them to identify broader business issues that can positively impact the bottom lines of the companies they represent.
What’s cool is that they do so as part of a new generation of lawyers—a fearless group that’s disrupting a typically buttoned-up, male-dominated profession and turning the practice of law on its head by leaning into relatability, accessibility and, above all else, humanity—this on top of the fact that M&R Houston knows oil and gas better than just about anyone else.
Differentiators
Some of the adjectives that best describe Lauren and her crew in Houston are modern, candid, practical, influential and whip-smart. Together, they deliver premier client service that truly sets them apart. What else distinguishes M&R Houston from other firms (including those similar in size and reach) are the long-standing relationships it has with clients—relationships founded upon absolute trust and an expectation of excellence that informs the way they operate in courtrooms, at closing tables and beyond.
From Soup to Nuts
Energy isn’t the only industry that M&R attorneys are immersed in. They’re sought after by those in the advertising & digital media, banking & financial services, hospitality, insurance, music & entertainment, retail & apparel and technology spaces, too. M&R offers these clients a full suite of services, including top-tier work in commercial, class action, and cross-border litigation, as well as bankruptcy & restructuring, corporate & securities, cybersecurity & privacy, employment, insurance, intellectual property, real estate and regulatory law. Without fail, they do so in a collaborative way, keeping clients involved throughout every case and transaction, which eliminates surprises and ensures that expectations are met, if not exceeded, time and again.
As Cool as Can Be
M&R’s seven offices (Los Angeles, Irvine, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, New York and, of course, Houston) have been built upon a foundation of exceptional people—women and men of differing backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities and orientations all working toward a common goal: client success. The firm’s focus on diversity and inclusion (it’s been named a “Top 100 Firms for Minority Attorneys”), along with its industry expertise and culture that emphasizes professional development and fun, make M&R a law firm that's the arbiter of cool.
Lauren Varnado manages the Houston office of Michelman & Robinson, LLP. A sought-after, award-winning litigator and head of the firm’s energy practice, Lauren can be contacted at lvardado@mrllp.com or (713) 422-2121.
New Italian Resto in Rice Village Dishes 100-Layer Lasagna and Retro-Cool Vibes
IT WAS LOVE at first bite of the tender, housemade pasta — think mushrooms, garlic and hints of lemon and white wine — at the preview party of new Milton’s in Rice Village, which officially bows Sept. 27.
The convivial American trattoria is the brainchild of Houston restaurateur Benjy Levit (Benjy’s, Local Foods, Lee’s Den, Maximo), culinary director Seth Siegel-Gardner, exec-chef Kent Domas and the Local Foods Group. Milton’s, named after Benjy’s late father, resides in the former Eau Tour space above Local Foods.
If you’ve followed the Houston dining scene long enough, you know that if Levit’s concepts need tweaking, he will quickly pivot. "We wanted to create an intimate space where people can come together to meet old friends and make new ones," says Levit. "Reflecting back to the golden age of gathering, our team has worked tirelessly to create an elegant yet unpretentious dining experience with comforting shareable dishes and incredible drinks evoking subtle nostalgia.”
Craveable starters include the Tigelle Platter with baked-to-order Emilia Romagna-style stamped flatbreads and salumi, house pickles, or chicken liver mousse with whipped ricotta. Three-day-fermented sourdough garlic knots with burrata and fresh shaved truffles; and rocket and parsley salad with Parmesan, warm guanciale, and lemon also hit the spot.
A scratch-made pasta program is at the heart of the menu, and you can really taste the freshness. Options include pillowy ricotta gnocchi with cacio e pepe; Bolognese with rigatoni, sherry and Parmesan; and agnolotti del plin stuffed with mortadella and prosciutto. Chicken Parmesan will be a staple, alongside eggplant and veal Parmesan options, and luxurious 100-layer lasagna will feature unique fillings changing weekly. We look forward to the towering tiramisu with made-in-house coffee liqueur as our sweet finale.
Highlights of the bar program by beverage director Máté Hartai (Refuge, Tongue Cut Sparrow) include Milton’s Martini with Barolo Chinato, dry vermouths, and London dry gin, kissed with champagne bitters; The 77 Beige, whiskey and Benedictine enhanced with sesame and brown butter; and Caffe Incoretto, a riff on the classic espresso and liqueur drink. Hartai also makes Rubycello with Texas Ruby Red grapefruit in a limoncello treatment and as the star of a highball with Cocchi Rosso and rosé bubbles.
Rather sip vino? Expect Old and New World options and some fun and funky bottle and by-the-glass selections at various price points.
To create the warm interiors, Brittany Vaughan of Garnish Design leaned away from classic trattoria colors and motifs, choosing a preppy color palette of Irish green and golden yellow. An 11-seat Brunswick-styled bar leads to the open kitchen and roomy plush banquettes welcome guests for a leisurely supper. Mahogany accents throughout the dining room channel a New England yacht club, with brass lighting fixtures completing the 60-seat space. An enclosed patio will serve as a private dining room for intimate gatherings.
Vaughan is also spearheading the revamp of adjoining concept Lee’s Den, expected to open this winter as an elegant speakeasy tucked away amongst the canopy of surrounding trees. Cocktails, wine, and small bites will be on offer.
Gnocchi
Tiramisu
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This Weekend: Metalsmith Tara Conley Welds and Weaves Eye-Catching New Pieces for 'Lost and Found' Show
IT’S BEEN A while (2017 to be exact) since we featured Houston metal sculptor Tara Conley in our inaugural A Day in the Life of the Arts photo essay. That image of Conley in her Montrose studio, dressed in jeans, a long-sleeve flannel shirt, and a welders mask, holding a blow torch and staring down the camera while crouched behind one of her elegant steel sculptures, certainly conveyed the “work” that goes into being a “working artist.”
Since then, Conley hasn’t stopped working. Far from it. This past summer, she had a gallery show at Rockport Center for the Arts, public art displayed at 800 and 820 Gessner buildings in Memorial City, and was part of a group exhibit at Lee College. On Friday, Sept. 20, Houstonians who have been missing Conley should head over to ELLIO Fine Art for Lost and Found, a solo exhibit of Conley’s small and large free-standing bronze, stainless steel, and cast iron sculptures, wall installations and text pieces.
Conley says this new collection ”explores connection, movement, and the passage of time.” In keeping with these themes, some sculptures are mounted on the walls, others hang from nails, and one is suspended (securely) from the gallery’s ceiling. Included in Lost and Found are half-formed sentences and fragments of language, ranging from hoary aphorisms to head-scratching verses (“I Can’t Hear You With Your Pants On”) that Conley has written in wax and then cast in bronze.
While the exhibit’s title may also refer to the dues an artist pays to realize their potential, the installation of so much work within a relatively small space is a pleasure to navigate and feels as free as Conley’s imagination. Remember that blow torch? Well, Lost and Found will have you admiring how Conley can turn such unforgiving alloys into complex shapes and patterns filled with alchemical energy that seem to dance before your eyes.