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    Top A-List Hot Spots

    10 top hot spots where Houston's A-listers — and those who want to be — hang out

    Shelby Hodge
    shelby hodge
    Jan 13, 2014 | 2:54 pm

    Oh, to be in the right place at the right time, all of the time! With H-Town's restaurant and bar scene ever expanding in tandem with the growing population, keeping up with the swells and their hangouts can be challenging.

    Most nights, you'll find a hip crowd at Uchi, a sleek contingent filling RDG + Bar Annie and notables claiming seats at Corner Table. Count those among the happening hangouts and put the following 10 at the top of your list. Beautiful people, make room!

    The big schmooze

    Lunch or dinner any day of the week, Brasserie 19 pulsates with the energy of glamorous women, handsome men, power brokers and wannabes. It is THE place to see and be seen. In fact, that social magnetism is more the motivation for regulars than the popular menu. If you're planning a Thursday night outing to B-19, as insiders call it, fasten your seatbelt and dress to kill, for the popular West Gray eatery is packed to the rafters as it becomes a gilded watering hole for the city's young and restless. Managing partner Shawn Virene knows them all and works the magic of making sure that every big gun has A-list seating, no easy task.

    Breakfast of champions

    Practically from the day it opened, The Breakfast Klub with its legendary waffles and wings (fried chicken) has drawn a notable following from judges to lawyers to the occasional CEO. Politicos are regulars as well. This is the one place in town where even the most high-minded customers don't flinch at standing in line for a table. It's strictly breakfast and lunch hours for the popular catfish and grits menu that is regularly served up along with heavy-duty hobnobbing.

    Ritas and regals

    Cooler than cool, Armandos grooves on in-crowd sophistication. Seldom is there a dinner hour that doesn't find oodles of bold-faced types bellying up to the bar for margaritas made with fresh lime juice or settling in tableside for the queso flameado. On Thursday nights, the refined Mexican bistro adds disco vibes with a DJ whose music never fails to send the dancing queens to their feet. And if your Sunday supper isn't at Armandos, you're missing out.

    Sophisticated ladies & gents

    While Tony's restaurant rules as the premier destination for fine dining, the bar at Tony's is hopping Wednesday through Saturday when Louie Carrington is at the keyboard. Book your table in advance for dinner near the fireplace or, for that matter, at any of the cozy tables. The colorful bar, as popular a dining spot for the old guard as for fresh faces, often resembles a private club as table-hopping is a matter of course. Dinner service is as attentive as in the main dining room.

    Power lunching & more

    La Griglia continues its long-term reign as the lunching spot of choice for politicos, biz leaders and big dogs in commercial real estate. Add the colorful mix of socialites and this is the place to perch at least once a week. Added bonus, the back room is regularly booked for political fundraisers, contributing even more to the colorful array frequenting Tilman Fertitta's hot spot. La Griglia is also the select watering whole for Houston's version of the Algonquin Roundtable in New York. On Wednesday nights, the brigade of politicians, journalists and hangers-on pouring in delivers higher entertainment than a Knights of Momus parade.

    Tasteful encounters

    Last May, Bon Appetite magazine declared Central Market among the best regional supermarket chains in the country. Houstonians with a taste for the good things in life also know that the lines at the meat and seafood counters and the crush in the cheese department are ideal for sophisticated schmoozing. Grab a free cup of coffee, sample any number of foodie offerings and say hello to the likes of heart surgeon Dr. Billy Cohen, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston marketing and communications director Mary Haus and any number of personal chefs from the mansions of nearby River Oaks.

    Single? Around 6:30 in the evening, there seems to be an interesting collection of attractive men traveling solo while looking for dinner makings and who knows what else.

    Montrose meet-up

    Man-about-town George Lancaster, honcho with Hines, rates Boheme Cafe & Wine Bar as one of the lesser known hot spots for making the scene. Along with adult libations, the killer pizzas provide sustenance for the eclectic crowd filling this comfy Montrose haunt. Settling in on the leather chesterfield sofas amid the red interiors is a tip top assembly— multi-cultural, artsy and peppered with the occasional yuppie and fashionista.

    California dreamin'

    Weekend breakfast/lunch at Tiny Boxwood's on West Alabama is the place for Inside the Loop mid-morning people watching. Social swells from nearby River Oaks, fashion mavens from Tanglewood and up-and-coming young professionals flock to this understated, chic cafe on the edge of the verdant lawn of Thompson + Hanson landscape architects. Arrive early or be prepared to wait in line, which is not so bad as the phalanx of patricians is worth the cost of the cappuccino. Prime seating is on the patio where the vibe is Napa Valley cool. (Don't miss the killer homemade chocolate chip cookies.)

    Happy hour huddling

    Jackson's Watering Hole with its appealing outdoor deck, easy atmosphere and buckets of ice cold billies is the choice for the sharp, youngish professional crowd. Ties come off and war stories come out, according to John Andell of Hanson Partners. Bar tenders are cool and it's easy on the wallet. During any given happy hour, chances are good of running into one or more of these: Pierce Bush, Brandon Cochran, James Sivco, Jason Tramonte, Jared Lang, Jason Fuller, Dan Gilbane and so many more.

    A-list lowdown

    Petrello, Kinder, McNair, Lanier, Sarofim, Cockrell — the heavy-hitters flock to Da Marco with gustatory enthusiasm. Louisa Sarofim has her corner table for lunch while Sheridan and John Eddie Williams entertain friends at the corner table for six. Laura and Dr. Mike Sweeney, Vesta and Dr. Pedro Frommer, the list of notables who frequent this high-style Italian eatery goes on and on. Don't try it on weekends without reservations or you might find yourself spending quite a bit of time at the bar. Lunch or dinner, the seatings are always rich with high-powered customers.

    Boheme's cozy interiors attract an eclectic crowd and the pizzas are not to be missed.

    Boheme Cafe and Wine Bar interior with crowd
      
    Photo by © Julie Soefer Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau
    Boheme's cozy interiors attract an eclectic crowd and the pizzas are not to be missed.
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    Chic in Overdrive

    Fast lane fashion fuels $1.1 million for Houston's Salvation Army

    Joel Luks
    May 13, 2025 | 1:30 pm
    Salvation Army Fashion in the Fast Lane 2025
    Photo by Jenny Antill
    Gaby Valencia, Thamer Kay McGee, Payton Wallace, Logan Tafelski, and Helen Winchell.

    Fashion took the fast track to fabulous as more than 400 stylish Houstonians zipped into River Oaks Country Club for the 21st anniversary of the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary's beloved fundraising event. Themed Fashion in the Fast Lane, this sold-out soiree celebrated the sweet spot where timeless style meets high-speed flair, all while raising $1.1 million for community programs.

    Spearheaded by chair Ann Ayre, the day revved up with a bustling shopping experience and a lively luncheon.

    The theme perfectly captured the dual spirit of elegance and momentum, with a nod to both haute couture and horsepower. Fashionistas buzzed over racks laden with treasures at the Chic Boutique, masterminded by co-chairs Alison Gemp and Melanie Jarrell, while the Chic Boutique Showroom, curated by co-chairs Stick Delaup and Maura Montgomery, showcased designer dreams from Valentino to Chanel, Oscar de la Renta to Loewe.

    Donae Chramosta, this year's fashion chair, ensured every hanger and handbag sparkled with style cred, while silent auction chair Jean Peck kept bids racing faster than a Formula 1 finish line. From Cinq A Sept dresses to Alice and Olivia separates, attendees were spoiled with choices that blended luxury with philanthropy.

    The event also honored a driving force in Houston’s charitable scene: Hannah McNair, VP of the Houston Texans Foundation. A dedicated community champion, McNair has helped steer initiatives like the Girls Flag Football Program, expanding opportunities for young athletes across the city. Her philanthropic engine runs deep. After all, her mother-in-law, Janice McNair, was the 2014 honoree, making Hannah's moment in the spotlight a full-circle celebration.

    Following the luncheon, guests enjoyed exclusive early access to the Chic Boutique Showroom's four-day fashion extravaganza, where "pre-loved" designer gems waited for new closets to call home. Shopping never felt so righteous.

    Among those spotted cruising the stylish scene were Major Robert Webb, Major Carolynn Webb, Lt. Colonel Ann Penhale, Cal McNair, Sippi Khurana, Brigitte Kalai, Sidney Faust, Jane Wise, Cherie Lindley, Jeanie Kilroy Wilson, Melissa Sandefer, Jana Arnoldly, Ginger Blanton, Susan Binney, Roslyn Bazzelle Mitchell, Maria Moncada Alaoui, Kaleta Blaffer Johnson, Sandra Smith-Cooper, Joanna Marks, Cynthia Petrello, Amanda Boffone, Jennifer Allison, Tena Lundquist Faust, Tama Lundquist, Maureen Higdon, Joan Johnson, Stacey Lindseth, Kathryn Smith, and Elizabeth Abraham Colombowala.

    Salvation Army Fashion in the Fast Lane 2025
      

    Photo by Jenny Antill

    Gaby Valencia, Thamer Kay McGee, Payton Wallace, Logan Tafelski, and Helen Winchell.

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