Editor
Houston magazine
I love my house and my neighborhood in Montrose. Although I'm crazy about Houston's contemporary architecture and interior design, my renovated gold-brick bungalow with a porch and a big ol' oak tree out front is where I love to start and end the day. It's amazing that, smack in the center of one of the world's great cities, I live in a cozy 80-year-old house with a leafy yard and nice neighbors and backyard BBQs and mischievous squirrels and the whole nine. It's a blessing.
I grew up in a tiny Southern town, and I spent the first several years of my career in New York, and to me Houston seems to have the best of both of those worlds. It's got pretty much everything I love about Manhattan—from a world-class performing arts community and full-on glitzy fashion scene to well-used city parks and amazing restaurants. It's a sophisticated, stylish place. But there's also a sort of small-town heart. Folks say hello when you walk by. They'll even ask you about your mom, whether or not they've ever met her!
On a perfect day—let's assume it's a weekend—I'd pry myself from bed at a respectable hour and hit Fit gym on West Gray; I'm not at all sure why I feel as if I belong on the same stair-steppers as all the beautiful people, but it's a good motivator. Then I'd meet friends for breakfast at one of our great diners like Le Peep on Shepherd or Baby Barnaby's on Fairview, and, if there wasn't a new exhibit at MFAH or the Museum of Natural Science, I might do a little shopping at the vintage stores on the Westheimer Curve. Nighttime in Houston is always a jumble of possibilities. Luckily I'm as happy checking out Houston Grand Opera's latest world premiere or attending one of Houston's famously numerous black-tie galas as I am two-stepping at Blanco's or doing my barfly impression at a chatty pub.
There's a troubling pattern developing as I contemplate what I love most about Houston. It all seems to involve food, beverages or shopping. I suppose my visitors all get some version of the Jeff Gremillion Eat-Your-Way-Across-Town Tour. I love Tex-Mex and could (and sometimes do) eat it three meals a day. My parents were visiting this weekend from north Louisiana for Mother's Day and I took them to 1308 Cantina for brunch with margaritas and then to Cyclone Anaya's on West Gray for Round Two. I also like to show off our cool public spaces, like the beautiful grounds around Rothko Chapel. And everybody is impressed by The Galleria, so dense with upscale boutiques like Chanel and Armani and YSL. It's like Fifth Avenue with air conditioning. For dinner, I take my guests for a fine-dining/see-and-be-seen experience, somewhere like Tony's, Cafe Annie or Bistro Moderne in the Hotel Derek. I find that nothing quite complements seared tuna and a nice pinot noir like air kisses from across the room and cleavage.
Hidden gem: El Pueblito's big patio on Richmond. Again with the Tex-Mex and the margaritas. The tropical foliage is strung with tree lights, and the place vibrates with off-duty hipsters sipping cocktails from hollowed-out coconuts. But maybe I shouldn't tell this. It's getting harder and harder to get a table! (You have to live a charmed life to get a corner cabana.)
Most likely to find me: Probably at work. Trying cover all the cool things in Houston in a monthly magazine is a full-time job, believe me. I hang out a fair amount at Brasil coffee shop on Dunlavy. Live jazz sometimes, bohemian scensters and a great beer selection everyday.
Favorite restaurant: This is an impossible question. It's like trying to name my favorite finger I kinda like having them all! I can say that 17 in the Alden Hotel is great. It's a beautiful kind of modern-glam dining room, and Chef Ryan Pera makes these forward, thoughtful dishes that are still somehow comforting. Not at all off-putting or pretentious, just cleverly done. And the desserts! They do this deconstructed s'more thing with homemade marshmallows ... I really can't even talk about it without getting excited.
The best part about Houston, of course, are Houstonians. They embrace new people and new ideas. They share their wealth and talents with the less fortunate. They are usually fun and accessible folks, whether they're top-flight artists, international socialites or your next-door neighbor. And we all love a good party, naturally!
