M Penner: Houston Winter Black Book 2016

W

houston winter BLACK BooK

2016

PEN.Hol16.cover.indd 1

11/16/16 10:47 AM

Š2016 California Closet Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Each franchise independently owned and operated.

Experience the before and after

See their space before #CCBeforeAfter

27626 I-45 North OPENING SOON! 7951 Katy Freeway, Building C1

TH E WOO D L A N DS H OUSTO N

californiaclosets.com 7 1 3 . 78 5 . 0 1 1 1

TX047_MPenner_Couple_9x10.8_0916.indd 1

calif closets LEFT.indd 2

8/15/16 11:13 AM

11/17/16 11:01 AM

This is w her e w e sepa r ate the m en u from the boy s.

GET $75

IN BONUS CARDS* FOR EVERY $500 IN GIFT CARDS PURCHASED, OR $10 FOR EVERY $100.

T H E G A L L E R I A , 5 0 61 W E S T H E I M E R R D

HOUSTON

( 713) 3 5 5 - 2 6 0 0

DELFRISC OS.C OM Bonus Cards Card valid December 26, 2016 to March 31, 2017 (excluding New Year’s Eve, 12/31/16). Not valid with any other offer. Excludes tax and gratuity. Card redeemable for food and beverages only. Not redeemable for cash and will not be replaced if lost or stolen. ©2016 Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House.

del frisco RIGHT.indd 1

11/17/16 11:09 AM

cOnTEnTS hol 2016

FEATURES Destination: Zanzibar | 8 Come to this East African island for its pristine beaches—and stay to delight all five senses.

a curated fashion spread | 15 Looks from our array of top-shelf brands, fashioned by M PENNER’s style experts.

SOME LIKE IT HOT | 34 Serve up these hot—and cold—cocktails at your holiday party.

DEpARTMEnTS a heartfelt ‘thank you’ | 4 Customers, salespersons, tailors, designers and suppliers—we wouldn’t be anything without you all.

spirits | 28 It was popular during the Gold Rush, and now pisco is enlivening cocktails across the country.

15 8

Sporting life | 30 You may not think Spain and skiing go together, but Baqueira-Beret in the Pyrenees will make you think again.

Room Key | 32 Soak in the hot springs at Costa Rica’s Tabacón Grand Spa and Thermal Resort.

directory | 40 Your guide to the M PENNER experience.

2

| M pEnnER

30

PEN.Hol16.toc.indd 2

11/22/16 12:26 PM

ROLLS-ROYCE BLACK BADGE

Black Badge is the boldest expression for those who dare to be different – its powerful presence intensified by an arresting new aesthetic. Behind the wheel, the intensity of Black Badge’s drive is captivating.

To be released from convention, contact us now.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Houston 1530 West Loop South, Houston, Texas, 77027 Tel: +1 713 297-2837 www.rollsroyceofhouston.com © Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC 2016. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are registered trademarks.

rolls royce RIGHT.indd 1

11/17/16 11:09 AM

A heartfelt ‘thank you’ G

iving thanks has long been the hallmark of the holiday season, and as the weather finally turns colder and the year comes to a close, it’s important to offer our heartfelt thanks to you, our loyal customers.

We wouldn’t be the success we are today without all of you.

As always, getting to know you and serve your sartorial needs is truly a pleasure for us.

Our thanks also goes out to our designers and suppliers. They’re a major part of the small army it takes to maintain our store’s reputation as the fashionable destination it’s become over the years.

We’d be remiss not to mention our expert tailoring staff, whose talents and dedication to their craft ensures that your clothing fits

you to perfection.

Last, and far from least, our heartiest “thank you” to our sales team who, with grace and deft, assists clients and dresses them to perfection and also to the small band of behind-the-scenes staff, without whom everything would surely fall apart.

This special issue of our regular magazine offers a few new articles we think you will enjoy and features our wonderful advertising partners. We hope you will visit them whenever their services and your needs coincide.

The next time you’re in the area, please stop in and say hello. Remember, fresh homemade “Penner brownies” every Saturday! Until then, we offer our warmest wishes for a joyous holiday season.

— Murry & Karen Penner

1180-06 UPTOWN PARK BLVD. HOUSTON, TX 77056 713.527.8200 mpenner.com Store Hours Monday to FRIDAY: 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Editorial Director magui hurt Editor Mark Dowden Art Director stephen M. vitarbo Executive Editor rita guarna Managing Editor nicole lupo Associate Editor Darius Amos Contributing editors Virginie Boone, Liz Donovan, Everett Potter Contributing Photographers jereme brown, fulton davenport Publishing staff Publisher Shae Marcus Associate Publisher Amy B. Weiss national brand manager monica delli santi Director of Production and Circulation Christine Hamel Advertising Services Manager jacquelynn fischer Senior Art Director, Agency Services Kijoo Kim Production/Art Assistant Alanna Giannantonio Accounting agnes alves, MEgan Frank Published by Chairman Carroll V. Dowden President & CEO Mark Dowden Senior Vice Presidents shae marcus, Carl Olsen Vice Presidents Nigel edelshain, rita Guarna, christine hamel M PENNER Magazine is published twice a year by Wainscot Media, 110 Summit Avenue, Montvale, NJ 07645, in association with M PENNER. Copyright © 2016 by Wainscot Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

1180-06 Uptown Park Blvd. in Uptown Park 713.527.8200

Hours: Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Saturdays until 6 p.m.

Sundays and after hours, by appointment

Subscription Services: To change an address or request a subscription, write to Subscriptions, M PENNER, Circulation Department, 110 Summit Avenue, Montvale, NJ 07645; telephone 201.573.5541; email christine.hamel@wainscotmedia.com.

Advertising Inquiries: Contact Shae Marcus at 856.797.2227 or shae.marcus@wainscotmedia.com.

4

| m penner

mpenner.com

Editorial Contributions: Write to Editor, M PENNER, 110 Summit Avenue, Montvale, NJ 07645; telephone 201.782.5730; email mark.dowden@wainscotmedia.com. The magazine is not responsible for the return or loss of unsolicited submissions.

PEN.Hol16.memo.indd 4

11/22/16 3:44 PM

perserico RIGHT.indd 1

11/17/16 11:09 AM

No matter the destination, prepared is always a proper look.

A W 16 . E X P L O R E I N S T Y L E .

SWEDISH PREMIUM SHIRTS. FOR EVERY SITUATION.

Eton LEFT.indd 2

11/17/16 9:50 AM

Drive your desire.

mbsugarland.com | 281.207.1500

mercedes RIGHT.indd 1

11/17/16 11:09 AM

destination:

zanzibar

Come to this East African island for its pristine beaches— and stay to delight all five senses. By Everett Potter

Y

8

| m penner

ou’d have to go to the other end of the alphabet—to Atlantis—to find a place name as evocative as Zanzibar. The magical word hints of exotic sights and sounds, evoking the intrepid traders, explorers and adventurers of bygone days. And unlike Atlantis, Zanzibar is perfectly real.

Geographically, it’s a coral archipelago of 50-plus islands about 23 miles off the mainland of the East African country of Tanzania. (And just to keep travelers on their toes, the Z-word is also sometimes used for the largest of the islands, 50-mile-long Unguja.)

On my visit, I was like most Western tourists: fresh off a two-week safari in the Serengeti and ready for a few beach days before going home.

Zanzibar’s fabled beaches were described by 19th-century British explorer Sir Richard Burton a “cocoa-fringed shore of purest white, and the sea blue as a slab of lapis lazuli.” He’d see the same thing today.

Unguja is easily reached—it’s just a 20-minute flight from Tanzania’s largest city, Dar es Salaam. The island’s northern and eastern shores, lapping the longest stretch of soft sands, are lined with resorts. The eastern shore is where

PEN.Hol16.travel.indd 8

11/22/16 12:29 PM

Rocky points dot Zanzibar’s sandy beaches. The island is an idyllic, exotic destination for travelers yearning for sand, sun and culture.

holiday 2016

|9

PEN.Hol16.travel.indd 9

11/22/16 12:29 PM

| m penner 10 PEN.Hol16.travel.indd 10

the luxury set settles in. There’s the Park Hyatt Zanzibar, the luxurious Hideaway of Nungwi Resort & Spa and the Hakuna Majiwe Lodge, which actually takes the thatched roof vernacular architecture to another level with its 20 cabanas. I stayed at the Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort, which could patent its five-star Zanzibar experience: infinity pool, private beach, lush gardens, four-poster beds, teak furniture and multiple restaurants, including cliff-perched Samaki.

But don’t be like travelers who, weary from safari and sleeping in tents, simply stay put in one of these resorts, venturing only from room to beach to water to restaurant. On the main island alone, there’s simply too much else to see.

That’s where you’ll find the remarkable Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a labyrinth city of alleyways and historic architecture. Everywhere in the alleys of this beautiful, hypnotic and slightly shambolic town I saw evidence of Zanzibar’s checkered past; the place was prominent in the ivory trade and the slave trade. Over time, the islands became a source for some of the finest spices in the world.

Your hotel can arrange a guide to steer you through the maze of the city, which is reminiscent of the medina of Marrakech, a jumble of antique and souvenir shops, cafés and remarkable architecture. Keep your eyes open for the famous carved wooden doors, many covered in pointed brass studs—the studs were to keep elephants from casually barging in. Now they look like museum objects. The doors on Baghani Street are particularly stunning.

Zanzibar is known as a spice island and indeed, the air in Stone Town is fulsome with the perfume of cloves and nutmeg. The fragrances grew even more intense when we reached the Darajani bazaar, where vendors had piled high the island’s bounty: dodo mangoes and passionfruit, along with grapefruit, jackfruit and baobab seeds. The sea was the star in the market hall, which dates from 1904. Here were the fruits of the Indian Ocean, from parrotfish to octopus and triggerfish.

As you wander through Stone Town, you’ll see 19thcentury mansions that have been restored and turned into smart cafés, shops and boutique hotels. Of particular note is the House of Wonders, or Beit-al-Ajaib, which was built as a ceremonial palace in 1883 and is now a museum of local life. (At the entrance, look for two 16th-century Portuguese bronze cannons; in the inner courtyard there’s a mtepe, a traditional Swahili boat.) From the wharves at Stone Town, you can watch the fishing dhows with triangular sails set off, a centuries-old design for traders plying the Arabian Gulf.

As for those beaches, most resorts will feature a beach outside your door. But if you want to be more venturesome, head to Nungwi, Matemwe, Jambiani or Pongwe, which are This page, from top: a red colobus monkey, indigenous to Zanzibar but endangered after years of habitat destruction; a child frolicking with a flock of seagulls on a pristine white-sand Zanzibar beach; snorkeling in the crystal-blue waters. Opposite: Michanwi Pingwe beach’s The Rock restaurant at high tide.

11/22/16 2:33 PM

holiday 2016

| 11

PEN.Hol16.travel.indd 11

11/22/16 12:30 PM

| m penner 12 PEN.Hol16.travel.indd 12

11/22/16 12:31 PM

PEN.Hol16.travel.indd 13

| 13

This page, from top: A vendor sells fresh produce, handbags and hats outside one of the elaborately carved wooden doors in Stone Town, home to the bustling and aromatic Darajani bazaar. Fishermen show off their catches. Opposite: A local man in indigenous dress gazes out at the vast ocean.

holiday 2016

all amazing. When the heat gets to you, seek out a vendor for a local concoction of sugar cane juice, ginger and lime.

On the drive to the beach, keep your eyes peeled for the red colobus monkey, indigenous to Unguja and unfortunately endangered. Its black face with a crown of white hair is unmistakable.

Do head to Michanwi Pingwe beach, if for no other reason than to have lunch at The Rock, which, true to its name, sits squarely on a rock just offshore. It looks like Hollywood’s version of a beach shack. If the tide is low, you can walk to it—providing you brought beach shoes to protect your feet from the coral. When the waters return, there is boat service. With seafood freshly caught from the surrounding waters—lobster, octopus, prawns and squid—and the thatched roof offering escape from the midday sun, it’s a brilliant and romantic place to unwind.

Diving and snorkeling are fantastic around much of the island, and a bevy of tour operators offers day trips. I happen to like the professionalism of a company called Safari Blue. It gets you to the coral reefs on a classic sailing dhow, with lunch at its restaurant on Kwale Island.

The snorkeling was on par with any I’ve done, including in the Red Sea, with anemone gardens and fan corals, wave after wave of angelfish as well as Hawksbill turtles.

We snorkeled on two different reefs, spotted dolphins during our sail and arrived back onshore blissful.

I also enjoyed a tour of Zanzibar’s spice plantations— such a tour can easily be booked through your hotel. It was a delightful morning on a lush plantation with a little learning on how to grow nutmeg and cardamom and cloves.

While dinner at your resort is the default setting on Zanzibar, take one night to go into Stone Town, have a sundowner at The Tea House restaurant at the Emerson Spice hotel and then stroll through the evening market, where stall after stall offers grilled and often spice-laden seafood.

There’s not a lot of nightlife in this Muslim city, but there is the rather tired Mercury’s on the waterfront, where you can hear cover versions of songs by Queen’s Freddie Mercury, who was born here. If “We Are the Champions” and “Killer Queen” aren’t your thing, catch some traditional Zanzibarian music at the Mtoni Palace Ruins, former home to 19th-century sultans. The classical music of the island is taarab, a mix of music and poetry, and if you’ve got good ears you’ll hear musical strains from India, the Arab world and Africa. It’s a melting pot, and that just may be the essence of the remarkable island called Zanzibar.

11/22/16 12:32 PM

Where European elegance meets sophisticated Texas style. More than 50 fabulous places to shop, dine, rejuvenate, sip, crave and enjoy— with easy parking in the middle of the urban Uptown District.

FASHION BB1 Classic | Bill Walker Clothier | Carrie Ann | Caruggi's Boutique Casablanca Polo Goods & Apparel | The Custom Shop Clothiers | Elizabeth Anthony Francesca's Collections | High Gloss | Lewis Jewelers | LOFT | LUCHO Boutique

DINE Añejo | Araya Artisan Chocolate | Café Express | Champps Kitchen & Bar

UPTOWN PARK

Crave Cupcakes | Étoile Cuisine et Bar | McCormick & Schmicks | My Fit Foods

UPTOWN PARK BOULEVARD

M. Penner | Mint Baby & Kids | Top Drawer Lingerie | Veneto Collection | University Co-op

Potbelly Sandwich Works Songkran Thai Kitchen | Starbucks | The Tasting Room

HOUSTON, TEXAS

Uptown Sushi | ETC Baker Furniture | Bella Rinova Spa & Salon | Belvedere Bar

UPTOWNPARKHOUSTON.COM FB.COM/UPTOWNPARK

Cerón Hair Studio | Embajadores | Drybar | E*TRADE | The Eye Glassiers Gittings Studio | Linda’s Couture Alterations | Longoria Collection | Serente Spa Uptown Park Dental | Utopia Plastic Surgery & MedSpa

uptown park LEFT.indd 2

11/17/16 11:00 AM

On Irena: Dress: Milly Handbag: Carlos Falchi Necklace: Fig Tree Bracelets: Millianna Earrings: Metalli 925 Rings: Uno de 50 On Peter: Sportcoat: Isaia Shirt: Kiton Tie: Ermenegildo Zegna Pocket square: Etro Pant: PT01 Bracelet: Tateossian Styled by: Belinda Hillhouse

A CURATED FASHION SPREAD Featuring looks from our array of top-shelf brands, fashioned by our style experts.

Photography by Fulton Davenport

Women’s shoes from Joseph

HOlIDAy 2016

Welcome to fall fashion at M PENNER. With our “Curated, Not Dictated” theme this season, we saw the obvious association with art and chose The Museum Tower, one of Houston’s most unique luxury apartment buildings located in the middle of the city’s Museum District, as the backdrop for our fall looks.

Richard Bado, Director of the Opera Studies Program at Rice University and Chorus Master at the Houston Grand Opera, was one of several M PENNER customers and Museum Tower residents who opened their beautiful apartments to us to photograph our looks among their own “curated” art collections. Our style experts created looks from mixed brands, presenting a special collection uniquely M PENNER.

| 15

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 15

11/22/16 12:32 PM

This page, on Irena: Duster: L’Agence Jeans: AG Top: Majestic Paris Coffee: Illy On Peter: Loungewear: Derek Rose Headphones: Master & Dynamic Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey: Blood Oath Opposite page: Sweater and shirt: Eleventy Tee: Derek Rose Jeans: Ermenegildo Zegna Scarf: Etro Styled by Murry Penner

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 16

11/22/16 12:33 PM

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 17

11/22/16 12:33 PM

This page, on Peter: Sweater, shirt: Peter Millar Corduroy pant: Hiltl

18

| m penner

Opposite page, on Irena: Fabiana Filippi Belt: W. Kleinberg Jewelry: Ashley Pittman Styled by Stephen Skoda

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 18

11/22/16 12:33 PM

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 19

11/22/16 12:33 PM

This page, on Peter: Sportcoat, pant: Eleventy Shirt: Luciano Barbera Tie: Isaia Pocket square: Roda Styled by Cody Sever

20

| m penner

Opposite page, on Irena: Jacket: Veronica Beard Camisole: Ted Baker Cargo pant: L’Agence Sunglasses: Maui Jim Ring: Uno de 50 Backpack: MZ Wallace

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 20

11/22/16 12:33 PM

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 21

11/22/16 12:34 PM

This page, on Irena: Jumpsuit: L’Agence Jewelry: Ashley Pittman, Elizabeth Martin and Metalli 925 Opposite page, on Peter: Sportcoat, pant: Luciano Barbera Sweater: Ermenegildo Zegna: Shirt: Isaia Tie: Kiton Pocket square: Etro Styled by Whitney Wiggins

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 22

11/22/16 12:35 PM

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 23

11/22/16 12:45 PM

This page, on Irena: Blouse: L’Agence Jewelry: Ashley Pittman Opposite page, on Peter: Sportcoat, vest, cargo pant and scarf: Eleventy Shirt: Giannetto Tie: Ermenegildo Zegna Pocket square: Eton

24

| m penner

On Irena: Sweater: Fabiana Filippi Blouse: Veronica Beard Pant: Peserico Scarf: Suzi Roher Jewelry: Fig Tree, Ashley Pittman and Uno de 50 Styled by Stephen Skoda

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 24

11/22/16 12:46 PM

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 25

11/22/16 12:46 PM

This page, on Irena: Topcoat: Luciano Barbera Scarf: Etro On Peter: Sportcoat: Hickey Freeman Turtleneck, pocket square: Etro Pant: Luciano Barbera Shoes: Gravati Styled by Chris Patton Opposite page, on Peter: Sportcoat: Ermenegildo Zegna Shirt: Luciano Barbera Pant: Incotex Shoes: Magnanni Duffel: Moore & Giles Styled by Butch Layne On Irena: Sweater: Autumn Cashmere Jeans: AG Backpack: MZ Wallace

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 26

11/22/16 12:46 PM

holiday 2016

| 27

PEN.fw16.fashion2.indd 27

11/22/16 12:46 PM

sPirits

Peruvian pleaser

It was popular during the Gold Rush, and now pisco is enlivening cocktails across the country. By Virginie Boone

28

| m penner

O

ne of the hottest spirits in the U.S. right now is pisco, a South American brandy distilled from wine. Lots of spirits tied to Europe date back hundreds of years, but pisco traces its roots to the 1500s, when Spanish missionaries in Peru and Chile began planting grapes to make wine.

The grapes were varieties like Muscat, Torontel and Pedro Jimenez, and the vines grown at fairly high elevation. As the French did with Cognac, South Americans figured out how to make pisco from these crops, fortifying the wine by distilling it in copper pot stills.

For pisco, grapes are harvested February through April, the Southern Hemisphere’s autumn harvest time, and the seeds and stems removed. The remaining fruit is crushed into juice and fermented using native yeast. Pisco then rests for a minimum of 90 days in “neutral” vessels, with oak never in

the picture. It’s made to be enjoyed right away, with nothing added— no water, no sugar, no caramel.

Named for a port in Peru, pisco also has a long legacy in California, where going back to the Gold Rush days it was a staple on San Francisco’s wild Barbary Coast.

There the Pisco Punch, a loose and powerful commingling of pisco, pineapple, lime juice, sugar and water, was born in the late 1800s.

Mark Twain, Rudyard Kipling and other literary figures enjoyed Pisco Punch when it was all the rage in San Francisco in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. And, as New Yorker founding editor Harold Ross recalled, it “[tasted] like lemonade but had a kick like vodka, or worse.”

Today, a pisco producer called Campo de Encanto (which translates to Field of Enchantment) uses grapes from Peru’s Ica Valley. Developed by San Francisco bartender

Duggan McDonnell and sommelier Walter Moore in collaboration with Peruvian distiller Carlos Romero, its small-batch product is blended from five types of old-vine grapes, creating a smooth combination of peaches, almonds and mint.

The true test of pisco? Swirl it before you sip, says McDonnell.

And make sure the bubbles dissipate quickly. If they don’t, it means the spirit has been diluted, and thus isn’t real pisco.

Enjoy pisco neat, with a twist of lime, or in cocktails such as the Pisco Sour, a combination of the liquor with lime juice, sugar syrup and a shaken egg white. This is a drink that’s refreshing and proteinrich, smooth and sweet. Or consider Encanto’s Pisco Punch mixer, the Bank Exchange Pineapple Cordial, named for the saloon on San Francisco’s Montgomery Street that famously served pisco cocktails in the 19th century.

Clockwise from top left: The Paracas National Reserve, a popular tourist attraction in Peru, is located in Ica, one of the country’s five official D.O. (Denomination of Origin) departments where pisco can be produced. The premium brand BarSol uses centuries-old copper pot stills to distill its piscos. Combine the lively spirit with lime juice, sugar syrup and an egg white to create the classic Pisco Sour. Enjoy dinner and drinks at Illariy, one of the most popular restaurants in Cusco. In Peru, only eight grape varietals can be used to make the fermented spirit. BarSol specializes in piscos produced with Quebranta, Italia and Torontel grapes. Campo de Encanto was the brainchild of a San Francisco bartender and sommelier.

PEN.Hol16.spirits.indd 28

11/22/16 12:47 PM

PEN.Hol16.spirits.indd 29

11/22/16 12:47 PM

the sporting life

the slopes of spain

It’s not the country you think of first for skiing, but Baqueira-Beret in the Pyrenees will make you think again. By Everett Potter

30

| m penner

M

ention Baqueira-Beret to most American skiers and you’ll get a blank stare. Tell them this resort is located in the Spanish Pyrenees and that won’t help much, since few Yanks realize that this mountain range along the France–Spain border harbors over three dozen ski resorts. Yet Baqueira-Beret is Spain’s largest ski resort, well-known to well-heeled residents of Madrid and Barcelona, and none other than King Juan Carlos himself has a ski home here. Talk about your best-kept secrets.

Why ski the Pyrenees? Abundant snow and the opportunity to experience a radically different ski culture are the prime reasons. Where else can you enjoy a ski day with a lazy 11 a.m. start, take a 6 p.m. siesta and have dinner at 11, with a nightclub visit around 1 a.m.? (If you dine at 8, you dine only with other Americans.)

I checked into the Hotel Val de Neu, the only five-star luxury hotel in the heart of the Baqueira-Beret resort, next to an upscale shopping center and a short walk to the lifts. The hotel is a bastion of comfortable luxury and high design, with lighting that highlights the local stone and wood used throughout. There are nice touches, like a welcome of hot chocolate and churros, and a pillow menu to ensure a good night’s sleep. Cookies or small cakes awaited me after a day on the slopes.

The hotel is a few minutes’ walk to the slopes and has ski lockers in the gondola building, so there’s no need to lug your gear. At day’s end,

my mission was to clock some time at the spa, with its series of thermal pools.

The skiing here is truly alpine, which is to say above tree line, vast and open with views that go on for miles. The 4,700-acre resort, larger than Breckenridge or Snowmass in Colorado, has three distinct areas. Beret is aimed at families, with beginner and intermediate slopes that are well-groomed runs. Baqueira has some intermediate runs and a few expert runs. It’s a good place to test your legs in the morning on runs such as Muguet, which stretches far out into a bowl, and Solei, where long straight cruisers took the edge off my jet lag. On the third day, I explored Bonaigua, an area that beckons experts. It lacks snowmaking, and runs are not always groomed. It’s also steeper than the other parts of the resort, and there are challenges that’d be familiar to anyone who has skied Jackson Hole with its chutes and couloirs.

But the real appeal for experts in this area is the off-piste skiing, with countless opportunities to dive off the groomed stuff. The most famous of these is called Escornacrabes, which means “where goats tumble.” I looked, but had no ambition to mimic a mountain goat on a fatal fall.

By day four, I was ready for something more challenging. So I signed up for a day with Pyrenees Heliski, based in the valley town of Vielha.

A day with five runs costs $896, which in the rarefied world of heli-skiing is something of a steal. We ran through our transceiver and safety

training and were outfitted with backpacks, shovel, probe and avalanche transceiver before we lifted off on a bluebird morning. It was as exciting as previous heli-ski experiences I’ve had, with the pilot able to choose from a staggering amount of terrain, in this case some 155 square miles of the Pyrenees. At each “drop,” as they call them in Europe, we jumped out in a crouched position, clicked into our fat powder skis and followed the guide as he made heroic figure-eights down the meringue-like slopes.

Now, five runs might not sound like much until you add up the vertical, since we chalked up roughly 11,400 feet of vertical that day, comparable to any operator in the American West.

In the evening, tapas is always on the minds of tired skiers. In the town of Vielha, eateries like Basteret Bar-Restaurant let you savor prawns, cheeses, sausages and much more. In Arties, with its charming old streets, there are countless tapas bars, such as Tauèrnes Urtau.

Move on to a late dinner at Eth Restilhè, where you might find local trout on the menu and typical Catalan desserts such as crema catalana, the local version of crème brûlée.

A week of this and I was an easy convert to the Spanish way of ski life: a late start, enough runs to work up the first of many appetites of the day, and a sleep as deep as I could wish for.

Skiing Pyrenees style is one of the most enjoyable ways I can think of to spend a winter week in Europe.

Clockwise from top: At 4,700 acres, Baqueira-Beret is the largest ski area in Spain. Six peaks are served by 33 lifts, with a 3,450-foot vertical drop, which is similar to Vail, Colorado. After a long afternoon of skiing it’s time to hit the thermal pools at the Hotel Val de Neu. The wide valley that Baqueira-Beret inhabits extends for nearly 25 miles, with France at the other end. Beer lovers won’t want to miss Birreria Eth Refugi at the base of the gondola; it features microbrews from more than 70 countries. In the mood for some adventure? Try heli-skiing. Some 155 square miles of the Pyrenees can be your own snow playground. The Hotel Val de Neu enjoys a privileged location—just 50 yards from the ski lift and close to new shopping opportunities in Baqueira.

PEN.Hol16.sportinglife.indd 30

11/22/16 12:47 PM

PEN.Hol16.sportinglife.indd 31

11/22/16 12:48 PM

room key

Steamy Delights

Soak your weary self in the thermal hot springs at Costa Rica’s Tabacón Grand Spa and Thermal Resort. By Liz Donovan

32

| m penner

T

he “law of the land” in Costa Rica is “Pura vida!”—you’re likely to be greeted with the expression shortly after arriving in this cheerful Central American country. It directly translates to “pure life,” and after your stay here, you’ll know why.

Flanked by the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica makes up for its size (19,653 square miles; smaller than Lake Michigan) with a wealth of biodiversity and ecotourism—it hosts nearly 6 percent of the world’s species and protects 25 percent of its land within national parks and wildlife reserves ranging from tropical dry forests and cloud forests to wetlands and rainforests.

Conveniently situated at the edge of one of these magnificent rainforests, nestled under the grand Arenal volcano, is the Tabacón Grand Spa and Thermal Resort in La Fortuna. This five-star luxury getaway features three natural hot springs, which are 97 percent rain-based and 3 percent magma-based. After a rainfall, the water seeps through fissures down to the Earth’s core, where it’s heated by volcanic magma.

Once heated, the now mineral-rich water resurfaces and is funneled at a temperature of 120°F into the resort’s 20 magnificent pools, complete with waterfalls and flora.

Simply soaking in these luscious

ambient pools is pampering enough, but if you desire, you can turn it up a notch by retreating to a private open-air bungalow surrounded by lush gardens and equipped with a thermal spring tub. There, expert masseuses will rub you from head to toe, wrapping your feet in a warm volcanic mud that will both soften and detoxify. Couples may opt for a romantic side by side full-body massage that ends with a love poem read in Maléku, the native language of Costa Rica, and topped off with a milk bath and a bottle of champagne.

Spending the day idling in a state of blissed-out nirvana can work up one’s appetite; fortunately, a cultural culinary experience beckons at the resort’s multiple restaurants. Start your morning with a colorful spread of local tropical fruits, like fresh papaya, mango and guava, or perhaps sample the traditional Costa Rican dish of sweet plantains at Los Tucanes. Of course, the Costa Rican coffee—strong and dark without a hint of bitterness—is not to be missed. Light bites are available for lunch, and both casual and formal dinner options are offered at Ave de Paraiso and Los Tucanes, respectively.

While enjoying the natural splendors of the Earth here, it may heighten your

experience to know that this resort is proud to be both environmentally and socially responsible. It holds a Sustainable Tourism Certificate, is certified by the government as a carbon-neutral facility and is active in supporting the local community through education and outreach.

When not indulging in the thermal springs, set out to explore the area and its stunning natural attractions. The majestic Arenal volcano rises more than 5,400 feet and at one time was Costa Rica’s most active volcano. But fear not—it’s now in a resting phase, with no major eruptions since 2010.

Craving adventure? Explore the lush rainforest surrounding the volcano with a guided hike and you may be rewarded with a glimpse of one of the thousands of species that call it home—our group spotted a toucan perched on a nearby tree during a recent visit. Other activities include zip-lining, whitewater rafting, bird-watching tours across some of the Arenal area’s “hanging bridges” and a Costa Rican–style safari river float, where you’ll discover wildlife such as monkeys, iguanas, sloths and crocodiles.

Truly, whether you’re tired and weary or seeking an adrenaline rush, you’ll surely discover something here that by the end of your stay will have you exclaiming, “Pura vida!”

Clockwise from top: one of Tabacón’s 20 pools, warmed by natural hot springs; the luxe honeymoon suite, which features a private Jacuzzi; some of the resort’s scenic waterfalls; a massage is one of the offerings at the top-rated spa; a bridge leads past a bungalow and through the lush gardens; the Arenal volcano rises beyond one of the resort’s thermal pools.

PEN.Hol16.roomkey.indd 32

11/22/16 12:48 PM

PEN.Hol16.roomkey.indd 33

11/22/16 12:48 PM

some like it hot...

‌and some prefer a drink with a little chill to it. You’ll have the best of both worlds when you serve up these cocktails at your holiday party.

PEN.Hol16.cocktails.indd 34

11/22/16 12:49 PM

Hot ButtereD rum IngredIents n 1½ oz. rum n 1 Tsp. sugar n ½ Tsp. butter n ¼ Tsp. ground cloves n Hot water dIrectIons In a glass mug, add the sugar, butter, ground cloves and rum; stir well. Fill with boiling water and stir again. Serve with a cinnamon stick and top with whipped cream, if desired.

holiday 2016

| 35

PEN.Hol16.cocktails.indd 35

11/22/16 12:49 PM

warm apple pie IngredIents n 6 oz. apple cider, heated n 2 oz. Tuaca liqueur n Whipped cream n Pinch cinnamon and nutmeg n 1 cinnamon stick

36

| m penner

dIrectIons In a glass coffee mug or heat-resistant goblet, combine the heated cider and Tuaca. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

PEN.Hol16.cocktails.indd 36

11/22/16 12:49 PM

Yule Cheer IngredIents n 1½ oz. rye whiskey n ½ oz. Braulio amaro n ½ oz. Stone Barn Brandyworks cranberry liqueur n ½ oz. mulled wine syrup n ½ oz. lemon juice dIrectIons Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice; shake well. Strain over a large ice cube in a double old-fashioned glass.

holiday 2016

| 37

PEN.Hol16.cocktails.indd 37

11/22/16 12:49 PM

winter wonderland IngredIents n 1 oz. London dry gin n 1 oz. Cocchi Americano wine n ½ oz. Zirbenz Stone Pine liqueur n 1/8 oz. simple syrup n 2 drops sage tincture n Champagne n Rosemary sprig, for garnish

38

| m penner

dIrectIons Shake ingredients with ice; strain into a tumbler or flute. Top with champagne and garnish with a smacked rosemary sprig.

PEN.Hol16.cocktails.indd 38

11/22/16 12:49 PM

spiked mexican hot chocolate IngredIents n 4 oz. good-quality chocolate milk n 2 oz. mezcal n Pinch ground chipotle pepper, plus more for garnish n Grated chocolate, for garnish

holiday 2016

dIrectIons In a saucepan, add chocolate milk, mezcal and chipotle and bring to a slight simmer. Meanwhile, heat a serving glass by filling it with hot water. When the glass is warm, pour out the water and add the hot chocolate. Garnish with freshly grated chocolate and more chipotle. Serve immediately.

| 39

PEN.Hol16.cocktails.indd 39

11/22/16 12:50 PM

WElCoME to our HoME from our drink bar to our flat-screen tv, we designed the store to make you feel at home. Even our Made-to-Measure room is casual and comfortable, with its roomy conference table.

the Service Directory

M Penner Personal service

ExpErtisE A central part of the M PENNER experience is superlative service. When you need expert, individualized attention, you’ll get it—instantly and for as long as you want. Our knowledgeable staff is well versed in all of the brands we carry, the trends of the season and how to fit every body type. They stand ready to advise you on all matters of wardrobe and accessories.

As a family-owned business, we take a lot of pride in everything we do at M PENNER. We have the finest sales professionals that you will find anywhere, and our experienced tailoring staff works diligently to make sure that you look great. Our commitment to our customers goes beyond the sale. Service impacts every part of our business, and our goal is to constantly exceed your expectations. Here are some of the things we do to take care of you. Of course, special requests are always welcome!

abundant parking

MadE-to-MEasurE sErviCE

Houston’s a big city, and parking is often a challenge. at M pEnnEr we provide plenty of free parking, right at the front door.

Exceptional fit is essential to impeccable style. We have a whole room created for you to design your own suits, sportcoats, shirts and trousers, where we will take your measurements and help you select fabrics, styles, buttons, etc. from the finest companies in the world.

dElivEry We understand that sometimes it’s a challenge to get to the store to pick up your alterations. Just let us know when and where, and we’ll be happy to deliver them to you.

tHat’s a Wrap!

We’re here to make your life a little easier, remember? so, you pick the gift and we’ll take care of the wrapping on all non-sale purchases at M pEnnEr. of course, all you have to do is ask and we’ll pick the gift out for you, too!

spECial ordErs

CoMpliMEntary altErations

Whether it’s a suit, sportcoat or a pair of shoes, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, just let us know. We’ll do our best to find it from one of our many resources.

our reputation is sewn into every garment we sell. to make sure you always look your absolute best, we provide complimentary alterations on all non-sale items purchased at M pEnnEr. We even perform routine wardrobe maintenance: should a button become loose or lost, we’ll be happy to replace it—and press your garment—while you wait.

ClosEt ClEaning Sometimes it’s hard to part with old friends. We can help. When you shop for your new seasonal wardrobe, our sales associates will come to your home and let you know which items are worn or out of style, and suggest how to coordinate your existing clothes with new additions. We’ll even take your old clothes and donate them to a local charity on your behalf.

piCturE tHis sure, all of your new clothes look great at the store, but sometimes, once you get home, it’s hard to remember what goes with what. Just ask and we’ll be happy to photograph your ensembles.

PEN.hol16.directory.indd 40

sHopping by appointMEnt Just give us a call and we will pre-select clothing to meet your needs. items will be ready to try on upon your arrival, during or after store hours.

Can’t find the time to stop by?

We’ll be happy to come by your home or office. h

broWniEs on saturdays M PENNER brownies, made from a recipe passed down for generations, are required at all M PENNER family events. When we built the store in Uptown Park we added a kitchen so we could make them fresh for you every Saturday.

M pEnnEr gift Cards M pEnnEr gift cards are available in any denomination and can be purchased at the store or over the phone. Just give us the word and we’ll be happy to send them for you as well.

11/22/16 12:48 PM

A unique style deserves unique care.

3917 SAN FELIPE HOUSTON TEXAS 77027 WWW.TWINOAKSCLEANERS.NET MAIN 713 622 1823 • FAX 713 622 7830

twin oaks RIGHT.indd 1

11/17/16 11:08 AM

W e

c a n

b u i l d

o n e

f o r

y o u

custom wine rooms

www.ncvwine.com

nos caves LEFT.indd 2

11/17/16 11:01 AM

• When times change, change with them.

2016 has seen many changes in the market, in our neighborhoods and in the city as a whole.

Where many may see uncertainty, we see opportunity.

So that’s how we spent this year—looking for opportunity. Opportunity to grow, to strengthen, to get better.

Everything does change because everything is cyclical. Draw from experience, but constantly be looking ahead. In some ways, that is the definition of momentum: in moving forward, we are necessarily propelled by our past.

In this spirit, in early 2017 we will say goodbye to our magnificent Queen Anne-style office on Heights Boulevard and relocate to a larger, state-ofthe-art new office still in the Heights. I can’t wait to invite you to that space, and I will always cherish our memories made at 1545 Heights.

Broker/Owner

blvd RIGHT.indd 1

7 1 3 . 8 6 2 .1 6 0 0 | yo u r b l vd .c o m

.

Houston Heights K i r by D r. i n R i c e Village Historic Downtown Galveston

.

11/17/16 11:09 AM

Granduca_M.Penner_Feb_2016_PRINT.pdf 1 2/26/2016 9:46:37 AM

BRE AKFAST

LUN C H

A F T ERNO ON TEA

AP ERI T I VO

C

M

Y

DI NNER

CM

MY

CY

CMY

S UN DAY BRUN C H

K

Authentic Italian Cuisine Ristorante Cavour at Hotel Granduca 1080 Uptown Park Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77056 713.418.1000 | granducahouston.com

hotel granduca RIGHT.indd 1

12/2/16 10:39 AM