A New Craving

A few months ago I literally stumbled into Crave Cupcakes while killing time over at Houston's Uptown Park before a dinner meeting. After buying a dozen on the pretense of treating Dave for his birthday back in May, I've been using just about any excuse (baby showers, birthdays, random Tuesdays) to swing by and order two or four...or twelve. As a self-appointed connoisseur of the cupcake (I've had my fair share, believe me), I can honestly say that these are the best money can buy -- and yes, even better than Sprinkles or Magnolia. At $36/dozen they aren't cheap, but boy are they worth it. Moist, flavorful, and with just the right amount of icing. And today, after waking up at 4:30 am to participate in a company charity event, I'm in need of a sweet pick-me-up more than ever. Alas though, Crave Cupcakes don't exactly jive with my recent efforts to eat healthier, so a little day dream eating will have to suffice for now.

Of course it doesn't hurt that they're pretty to look at as well. If you order at least 24 hours in advance, you can even select from an assortment of cute decorations to personalize them further.

While you can take your cupcakes to go (or even have them delivered -- Lord help me!), their storefront is so retro chic it's worth eating one (or two) there to fully appreciate the ambiance. Something about it feels very Southern Californian to me.

Unsurprisingly, I love all of the soft turquoise; it's the perfect counterpoint to the cool whites and rich chocolate browns. Unlike a lot of cupcake bakeries in Houston, this one doesn't look cutesy or overly sweet (thankfully). The large menu board displays the flavors currently on offer that day.

While I highly doubt the dozens and dozens of cupcakes baked here each morning come out of this vintage oven, I absolutely love the retro touch. It also coordinates with a half dozen vintage turquoise mixers on display by the cashier.

While I have yet to have the privilege of sampling every flavor they offer (there are 28 flavors, many of which are only available on certain days), my favorite so far is a tie between the red velvet (shown above left) and the vanilla on chocolate (shown above right).

Two flavors on my "must try" list include candy bar and nutella. Since both are available only Wednesdays and Sundays, it might be worth a drive-by for a little hump day treat.

...All I can say is, as far as my waistline is concerned, I'm very, very fortunate that Crave is a bit out of the way for me.

When Decorators Go Bad

My good friend Christina sent me a link to the real estate listing for this home here in Houston earlier this week and I couldn't resist sharing it with you all. If you'd like to take a look at the full listing, see HERE. Located on one of the nicest streets in town just minutes away from downtown, right near Rice University campus, this lovely 5,000sf. home is on the market for just under $2M and would be a dream home for just about every Houstonian I know.

That is until you go inside and get a load of the decor. There's a lot here in this house that's "on trend" (the gray and blue color palette, dark hardwood floors, limed furniture) and yet somehow I think most of these rooms miss the mark -- and some by quite a lot. It's a bit hard for me to put my finger on exactly why I think this house is so "off", but I think it just looks over designed, overwrought and, well, just a bit over. In light of the obvious time and money that went into decorating this house, I'd consider that a real tragedy.

In the living room, I actually quite like the sofa and chairs, though I wish the chairs were upholstered in a different fabric (a print would have been nice or even just a nice chocolate brown leather for some contrast to the light gray sofa, light gray walls, light gray curtains...). The zebra pelt draped across the coffee table really irks me though. I'll admit that I'm just not a fan of animal prints -- especially ones that look so freshly separated from the animal. But draping it across the coffee table? Ick. Generally though, this room just needs some more color (and I'm not talking anything too bold either -- just some deeper tones and/or patterns). I'd also swap out the white deer on the fireplace with a beautiful piece of art (with some color!) or a mirror over the fireplace.

Both Christina and I agreed that this dining room bordered on the bizarre. While I am reluctant to criticize the large painting (love the scale and the fact that it has some color), it just seems out of place in this very minimal room. The sky mural in the ceiling reminds me an awful lot of the Cheesecake Factory. I suspect a lot of pieces may actually have been removed from this room (and the house generally) to get it ready to show and I think this is a lesson in how decorating and selling your house don't always mix. By taking away the layers of accessories, lighting, rugs, etc. that would make these pieces work in this room, the end result looks like you ended up stopping midway through the design process. But then again, maybe this was the intended end result, in which case I can only say (in my sweetest Southern drawl) -- oh honey no!

The breakfast room looks like it got a fresh coat of white-wash just in time for the open house. Yawn. Shabby chic at its worst, in my book.

The layout of this kitchen looks great actually -- and it's got all the modern bells and whistles from the double oven to an island sink (and the copper farmhouse sink!) to a pot-filler over the stove. These modern conveniences also suggest this kitchen was recently redone. Too bad the limed cabinets make it look like a throwback to the '90s. Ah well, nothing a little white paint couldn't fix. ...Actually, now that I think about it, how great would this kitchen look if the only thing you did was repaint the cabinets white (well and redecorate the adjourning breakfast nook)?

This room is actually my favorite. The blue-gray walls are a lot deeper here than elsewhere, the furniture looks comfortable and the art on the walls is gorgeous. My only concern here is the furniture arrangement -- what precisely does one do in this room other than sit around and stare at other people? It's been labeled a library/study by the realtor but I don't see any bookshelves and that desk at the far end looks entirely too tiny to get any real work done. This room may be a victim of form over function. Also, and this is me nitpicking here, but I think the rug is too large for this space. I prefer 12-18" of exposed floor on all sides and this looks like less than 6".

This house has 5 bedrooms, four of which all look roughly the same, though the picture on top is of the master bedroom. I think the headboard in the master bedroom is spot-on, but I detest the animal hide on the floor (which reappears in just about every bedroom). The chandelier in the master also looks like it would be better suited to a dining room and I think I would've gone for something lighter and airier here, maybe clear or smoked glass. Generally though, like the public spaces in the house, the bedrooms just look far too cold and monochromatic for my taste. I think if you're going to stick with neutrals, warmer tones work better.

This must be the coldest, saddest nursery ever. I just hope the owners moved a lot out of here for the photographs because it's positively spartan.

The house also comes with a fully decked out "carriage house" -- presumably for your in-laws or your live-in nanny. All in all, I think it's really cute and it comes off a lot cozier (probably due to its smaller scale and lower, more intimate ceilings) than the main house, despite employing the same cool color palette and traditional-meets-shabby chic style.

So what do you think? Do you agree with me or do you like the look here?

Houston Goes Green

Via my good friend Maple, I recently learned that Chief Justice Adele and Dan Hedges, a high-powered Houston legal couple here in Houston, have just recently completed the first LEED platinum home in the Bayou City. [Adele Hedges is the Chief Justice of the 14th Court of Appeals and Dan Hedges is a named partner of a top-notch local law firm.] Designed by the local husband-wife team of Adams Architects, the 3700-square foot house is in Upper Kirby, a neighborhood in Houston not 5 minutes from my own. The interior is designed by Marlys Tokerud, lead designer of the Houston-based design firm Tokerud & Co.

The house harnesses energy from a multitude of sources, from geothermal radiant heating and cooling below ground to solar panels covering every square inch of the roof (see above). During daylight hours, the house is powered entirely by the 140 solar panels. At night, the house runs off the power grid, with a back-up battery available in case the grid go down (a very smart investment for Houston's hurricane-prone summers).

The galley-style kitchen is flooded with light from the large windows, which largely eliminates the need for artificial light during the day (and bring in great views of all the mature oaks on the property). Bamboo cabinets are topped with Richlite, a durable and nonporous composite countertop made from FSC-certified and/or recycled paper products. I'm not sure what material the mosaic-tile backsplash is, but I would guess recycled glass.

I love how the living room is divided into a multistory sitting area and a cozier, low-slung library around the perimeter. By varying the height of the room, the architects were able to delineate between public and private zones within the same space. The window seats underneath each window provide extra storage and welcome nooks for readers.

The electric fireplace is cleaner and more energy efficient than traditional gas or wood-burning ones. The house's steel frame is left exposed throughout the house, lending an industrial feeling to the rooms. While I appreciate the restraint the interior designer (and clients) used in decorating their rooms (the place is completely devoid of clutter and chotkies), I wish they wouldn't been a little bit more venturesome color-wise than the beige, steel gray, and white color palette.

The Hedges' large two-story master bedroom is definitely a "less is more" kind of space. I particularly love the Venetian plaster on the far wall where the chaise lounges sit -- the traditional architectural feature is a stunning contrast to very modern room. Unadorned clerestory windows let in plenty of light during the day, yet are high enough not to become a nuisance should the couple sleep in.

The screened-in porch runs the length of the home and -- while I think I would like this even more if it were a wee bit wider -- the modern skylights, natural wood decking and sparsely modern furniture are lovely. I can just imagine dining al fresco here on a spring day. Delightful. I am left wondering though what the large gray conical piece is in the corner -- is it sculpture or does it perform some other function? Any ideas?

For more information on Houston's greenest home, go to the full-story as it appeared in the Houston Chronicle HERE. All photographs courtesy of Aker/Zvonkovic Photography.

Texas, Our Texas

Last night Dave and I went to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with Chef Babs and her boyfriend P.W. (properly pronounced "Pee-Dubyah"). Attending the largest rodeo in the world has a way of making me feel very Texan -- albeit a Texan allergic to hay, horses and most of the other animals present at the event. In any case, a good time was had by all and even my husband, a native Floridian, admitted to enjoying the rodeo events. At the end of each rodeo, there's a featured performer (usually some of the biggest names in country music) and last night we got to hear Pat Green, a superstar in the Texas country music scene, and one of my personal favorites. For those of you unversed in "Texas Country", it's a sub-genre of country music which can best be described as "Texas is my girlfriend" music. True Texans can thus be distinguished from the rest of the world by their ability to not only tolerate this music (most non-Texans will find lyrics devoted to cruising I-35 and "letting Texas fill my soul" eye-roll inducing), but love it.

In any case, because I am feeling particularly Texan today and in honor of my Texas heritage (I am, on my mother's side, a fifth generation Texan after all), here are a few of my favorite Texas-themed pieces that I pulled off Etsy. Unlike most Texan paraphernalia, they avoid cheesy slogans and the over-use of our state flag.

The Duel by MagnusFoto (8' x 10', $55)

I can't get over how much I love this photograph, which was taken in Marfa, Texas, a small artist enclave south of El Paso (i.e., middle of nowhere). From what I've heard, Marfa is everything you don't expect to find in West Texas, and I would love the opportunity to visit it sometime. I suspect the landscape and subject matter here is "quintessential Texas" for most folks, but growing up in Houston, I tend to think of Texas as far more urban, and far wetter.

Houston Architecture III by Maritere Casillas Rice (8"x10" photograph, $25)

This is part of a series of shots taken here in downtown Houston and I love how the angles and play of light in this particular shot. This building is actually the old Rice Hotel (converted to lofts in the late '90s) and is one of the oldest buildings left here in downtown. Fun Fact: The Rice Hotel is situated on the site of the original Capitol of Texas, which was moved from Houston to Austin in 1839.

Come and Take It Note Cards by JessicaGM (set of 4, $8)

If you know your Texas history, you should know why I love these note cards by fellow Texan JessicaGM. For those not forced to take Texas history in 4th grade and again in 7th grade, the small bronze cannon pictured above the iconic Alamo memorializes the Battle of Gonzales (a small town located outside San Antonio), where a small Texan force resisted the Mexican army's attempts to seize their cannon (hence the cheeky "come and take it" slogan that became a rallying cry -- and a flag -- during Texas' fight for independence). I would argue that the slogan continues to be apropos for many Texans today. If you aren't familiar with the Battle of the Alamo, go watch John Wayne's The Alamo. Immediately.

Austin in the Morning by AWebsterTX (8"x10" photograph, $18)

I love Austin and this view of downtown Austin from Town Lake is particularly lovely. Some of my fondest memories of Austin are of Dave and I kayaking out on Town Lake in the spring and fall, when the weather was just perfect. If you've never been to Austin, I'd highly suggest making a visit. While there, be sure to hit up my favorite spots: (1) Lake Travis (and enjoy the beautiful drive over via 2222 and 620), (2) Barton Springs / Zilker Park, (3) the Capitol building and (4) South Congress (best strip of local shops and restaurants). For food, be sure to go to Trudy's (for the Texas martini), Kerbey Lane, Hula Hut (for the view of Lake Austin) and Amy's Ice Cream.

Miss Texas Original Collage by DadaDreams (4"x4", $20)

This collage was just too fun not to include in this list. The retro-styling also really reminds me of Austin. It'd be perfect hung up in a bar-area or game room.

Wind Farm by Marnic (5"x7" matted photograph, $8)

I actually have no idea of this photograph was taken in Texas or not, but it certainly could have been. Last time I drove through West Texas, I was amazed how many wind farms had sprung up along the high way. It's actually really beautiful. Just flat land, big sky, and wind turbines dotting the landscape, slowly spinning. For all the knocks Texas gets about its love of oil and gas, many may find it surprising that we're actually the leader in wind energy. I love the idea of the state that was at the forefront of the energy boom in the early 20th century should be the leader in developing the new energy in the early 21st.

Why not stop and eat the roses?

If you're looking for a Valentine's Day gift that's a tad more creative than some sweets and a dozen roses, why not combine the two together and get a dozen (or a 1/2 dozen) lovely rose cupcakes?

I'll admit, I've had cupcakes on the brain since Elements of Style profiled an adorable cupcake boutique in Boston called Sweet (see here for post) yesterday and I think these would be such a cute and fun gift for Valentine's Day. Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique (located about 5 minutes from my house) is whipping up these lovely looking rose cupcakes just in time for Valentine's Day. A dozen will run you about the price of a dozen roses and are a nice alternative to flowers for those of us with allergies and a sweet tooth (like me). Of course, if you're still sticking with your New Year's diet, you may want to share these around the office. And by the way, if you do decide to place an order, may I suggest getting them in red velvet? Not only would the red color be festive, but I've sampled most of their flavors (purely for test purposes, of course) and red velvet is definitely the standout. Both the vanilla and strawberry cakes are too dry for my taste. And honestly, there's nothing more disappointing than a dry cupcake.

Also, I just have to post a few pictures of Sugarbaby's interior from their website:

Sometimes I absolutely kick myself for not coming up with the "cupcake boutique" concept myself. I mean, I can make some pretty mean cupcakes and these ventures appear to be quite successful (even in these trying economic times). Besides, how fun would it be to get to work and bake in a shop as cute as Sugarbaby's? Sure, it's super girly and a bit over the top, but I think that's part of it's charm. It's like a Victorian ice cream parlor got an update from Lily Pulitzer. The last picture is of their "party room" and I think a place like this would make a wonderful venue for a little girl's birthday party or even a baby shower. Of course, Sugarbaby's fun and unique venue may help it compete with Sprinkles, the wellspring whence all cupcake boutiques have sprung forth, arriving in Houston at Highland Village in April. Hurrah!

While I'm not adept enough a cake decorator to mimic Sugarbaby's rose tops, I may try whipping up some cupcakes for Dave for Valentine's. Sure mine may not be as pretty, but the home-made factor (and I'll admit, the cost-saving factor -- Dave is pretty cheap) will win me some major brownie points. When I bake cupcakes I use Nigella's fairy cake recipe, which is super-easy and can be made in a blender or food processor (makes for easy clean-up). Also, if you use Nigella's recipe, I would suggest doubling it as I've found it a bit scant. Additionally, since you're using cake flour, the cupcakes will rise a lot in the oven, so don't overfill or you'll end up with a bunch of baby brioches. To make the cupcakes a bit more interesting, I'll often add in some almond extract to the batter and dollop in (no more than a tablespoon) of raspberry preserves into the middle each individual cupcake before popping them into the oven. For frosting, Nigella uses a royal icing, which I'm not a fan of, so I'd just make a vanilla-almond buttercream* instead and color it pink for the occasion.

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*- For the baking-challenged, buttercream is quite simply just butter and powdered sugar, creamed together until you get the consistency you want. I usually start with one and a half sticks of butter, start creaming it in a mixer, adding in powdered sugar until I get it how I like it.

Falling in Love

Over the weekend my husband Dave and I went to a few open houses in the Heights with Dave's brother and his wife, who are contemplating a move to Houston (and the Heights specifically) from south Florida. During our tour, we stumbled upon this house:

Although not yet completed, the house is on the market and hosted an open house on Sunday. I couldn't resist -- I had to take a peak inside. Unfortunately, I'll never look at my own house the same way again. It's absolutely stunning inside. If God truly is in the details, than this house must be holy. Here are a few snapshots I took on my tour:

This is the wine closet (yeah, I know) off the formal dining room. I absolutely adore the chandelier (can you tell I'm a bit lighting obsessed of late?). The brick back splash is great, too, and gets picked up elsewhere in the house (e.g., the floor of the utility room).

This is the butler's pantry that connects the kitchen and the formal dining room. It stretches on for ages and the other side (not pictured) opens up into a huge walk-in pantry. Completely envious of all the built-in storage.

Oh the kitchen. This is probably my favorite room in the house (unless the wine closet counts as a room). I love how the cabinets extend up to the very high ceiling and how the upper cabinets over the island have glass on both sides, allowing more light into the kitchen from the backyard. I think my favorite part though is the faucet and sink. After living with a divided sink for 2.5 years, I would kill for a giant single basin like this one. Too bad the view out the window is of another house -- a house like this should have a window looking out into a courtyard or garden. At the back of the house past the kitchen is the giant mudroom (with even more storage surrounding a built-in bench) and utility room. There's a formal living room (with fireplace), a powder room, and master bedroom/bathroom on the first floor as well. These rooms are all lovely and I encourage you to check out pictures on the listing, but by far the most unique feature of the home is the staircase and landing:

I have no words. Beautiful built-in bookshelves with custom moldings flanking a beautiful stained glass window? Fantastic. Now, I only need to win the lottery (unlikely since I don't even play) or inherit millions from some distant and long forgotten relative. Ah well, sometimes it's fun just to dream.

[New?!] House Stalking in the Heights

They just don't build homes like they used to...or do they?

Over the weekend my husband, his brother, and I went to a bar in the Heights, one of Houston's oldest neighborhoods. Driving through the neighborhood, I was struck by how well the neighborhood had managed to rebuild while still staying true to its Craftsman and Victorian roots. In fact, the new builds are barely distinguishable from the old builds. My neighborhood (Montrose) on the other hand is a mishmash of 1920s Arts and Crafts bungalows, 1960s apartments and modern townhomes (some of which are very, very modern). While the variety could be deemed eclectic, it makes the neighborhood feel less...well...like a neighborhood and more like a bunch of random homes that just happened to find themselves situated on the same block.

But I'm not here to whine about the "lost charm" of my neighborhood -- I'm here to share some pictures from my virtual stalking. Can you believe the house to the right was built in 2007? Even the size (a moderate 2300sf.) is more in line with original builds and -- unlike new construction in my neighborhood -- this hasn't been built out to the lot line. Why can't they do this where I live?

[Actually, that's a rhetorical question with a depressing answer: because builders aren't required by law to. You see, while Montrose is roughly the same age as the Heights -- and in very close proximity to it -- the diverging fates of the neighborhoods is largely the result of the fact that the Heights is a designated historic district and Montrose is not. Thus, it's not that homeowners in the Heights have some greater sense of history or style -- it's just that, by law, all new construction has to comply with a ton of restrictions from lot size to style that are not similarly imposed on most Houston neighborhoods.]

Fortunately, the inside of this house is just as wonderful. Just look at that detailing! This house isn't just dressed up like a Craftsman from the outside: from floor to ceiling, it is one. Just look at the inlaid border in the wood floor! To quote Rachel Zoe -- I die. The master bedroom even boasts a double tray ceiling. And thanks to the falling oil prices and the swooning economy, the house can be yours for under $500k. We never found a deal that good two years ago when my husband and I were house hunting. But then again, it looks like this house has been sitting empty since it was built in 2007. Perusing HAR.com (a thorough and completely addicting housing resource for Houston that almost renders Realtors useless), it looks like there are quite a few completely adorable Craftsman/Arts and Crafts bungalows sitting empty in the Heights just looking for a home. Above is another one I found particularly appealing -- and at $469,000 and over 2900sf., it looks like an even better deal (though I do think the interior is not quite as exquisitely finished). But that's a matter of taste -- I vastly prefer dark wood and more masculine interiors to the "light and bright" spaces Realtors often blather on about.

If Craftsman isn't your style, never fear. The large percentage of the houses (both new and old) in the Heights are Victorian in style. For roughly the same price, you can buy a brand new 2400sf. Victorian on a corner lot with an absolutely beautiful front/side porch. This particular house is forcing me to revise my opinion on Victorian houses (too stuffy, too ornate, choppy rooms, etc.). Love the yard in particular, which is absolutely covetable "inside the loop". Unfortunately, the interior pictures of the house were horrible shot (perhaps to make up for a mediocre interior?). If I were the owner or listing agent, I would take more pictures immediately. You can't sell a house in this market with too-dark pictures that aren't even formatted correctly. I also noticed that the Heights is starting to build some New Orleans style homes as well -- perhaps an acknowledgment of the many 'Nawlins transplants that now call Houston home post-Katrina? In any case, I am absolutely loving the red paint on this house. I do wish more folks in my neighborhood would paint their homes something other than white, gray or pale blue. If my house weren't brick (bleh), I think I would either go for red like the house on the right or a very dark blue-gray (like Benjamin Moore's "Phillipsburg Blue", which I have in my master bedroom, and am still completely in love with 2.5 years after painting it).

In general, what attracts me to all of these houses -- and the Heights neighborhood as a whole -- is the detail that is so often missing in modern construction (particularly modern suburban construction). Unless a house is a custom build, you just don't get detailed woodwork, stained glass, elaborate tile work, etc. in most modern homes -- and I think that's a shame. I think most people would sacrifice a little bit of square footage for some personal detail and quality that makes the house feel special. But perhaps even more importantly, you're giving your neighbors something pretty to look at and something to take pride in. Who wouldn't want to walk their dog down a tree-lined street filled with houses whose styles have stood the test of time? Talk about keeping your neighborhood desirable.