HOUSTON
Expect things to heat up at the Texas Hot Sauce Festival, Sept. 23–24, a two-day celebration of the spicy nectars of the gods. Tickets $10. texashotsaucefestival.com
CITIES
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SIBLING BONDS
Two new Houston apparel brands are serving up comfort-friendly fashion with a side of sibling rivalry; Chris Gramer, the brainchild of three sisters who left corporate jobs, will launch this fall with a line of structural, draped designs made with super-soft crepe fabric. “Everyone should consider asymmetry,” says forward-thinking designer Christine Lee, who brought on her sisters Merrie Lee, who handles logistics and Grace Lee, who oversees sales. While their skill sets vary, the sisters share a sisterly bond when it comes to fashion. “Sometimes we show up to work in the same clothes top to bottom, and then it becomes a day of ‘who wore it best?’” says Lee. Houston caftan makers Mirth will release a collection of tops for the first time this fall. Launched in 2016 by sisters Katie and Erin McClure, Mirth specializes in ethically sourced super-breathable cotton, “Made with handwoven fabric, [the tops] are meant to transition from summer into fall,” says Katie. The McClure sisters donate five percent of profits to education in Bagru, India. chrisgramer.com; mirthcaftans.com
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3-D printed jewelry from designer Jessie Dugan
STATEMENT PIECES
Houston-based accessories designer Jessie Dugan has always been ahead of the curve. While working in New York City for companies like rag & bone, Henri Bendel and Tory Burch, she became a behind-the-scenes fashion influencer. “Taylor Swift wore a backpack I designed at Henri Bendel, and it’s now one of their bestsellers,” she says. Since returning to Texas, the Houstonite hasn’t lost any of her edge. Last month, she released a 3-D-printed jewelry line. “I introduced them in a ‘buy now, wear now’ runway show,” the designer says of the collection, which focuses on statement chokers and earrings. “I truly think the fashion scene in Houston is in the middle of a renaissance,” says Dugan. “I’m seeing really cool things happen here, and I’m so glad to be a part of it.” jessiedugan.com
RESERVATION REQUEST
Two wine-centric hotspots are popping the cork in the Montrose neighborhood. Goodnight Charlie’s is a bona fide honky-tonk with city slicker appeal. Think wine on tap, a jukebox and live music in a cedarwood barn—the brainchild of David Keck, one of the city’s three Master Sommeliers. Keck and partner Peter McCarthy didn’t stop at a wine list—they also traveled to Kentucky to handpick bourbons. About a mile
away, restaurateur Shawn Virene’s first solo endeavor offers a St. Tropez picnic in the heart of Houston. The concept, a’Bouzy (a play on Bouzy, a village in France’s Champagne region) boasts what Virene calls the “most researched Champagne list in the city.” The Champagnes —250 kinds ranging from north of $2,000 to $12—are perfectly paired with food items like deconstructed bouillabaisse, served with chard and drizzled basil lemon toast. goodnightcharlies.com; abouzy.com
Caviar at a’Bouzy