West Houston's hippest spot

The weather isn't the only thing heating up in Houston: CityCentre keeps gettingbigger and better

According to traffic studies conducted by Midway Companies, 11,500 people visitCityCentre on a daily basis.
Located on the second floor of the Hotel Sorella, the chic glass and mahoganyspace is the perfect place to enjoy everything from gourmet flatbreads todelicious entrees like the orange molasses-painted duck.
Photo by Shannon O'Hara
This year, Conde Nast placed the Hotel Sorella on the ultra-exclusive Gold List,and the property’s exceedingly high score makes it one of the top thirtyproperties in the United States.
The Hotel Sorella's rooms are ultra modern and chic, and start at $149 pernight.
The outdoor patio at the MonnaLisa Bar contains a handful of luxurious cabanas,a colorful water feature, and views of the plaza below.
The European-inspired Flora & Muse is Francophile approved.
The Geisha Lounge at RA Sushi is an "exclusive outdoor patio featuring a privatebar, sleek, modern furniture, exposed brick walls, polished cement floors, anddramatic rooftop views of the district & beyond," according to an official pressrelease.
For something slightly more adventurous, visit Straits, critically acclaimedchef Chris Yeo’s Singaporean fusion restaurant.
Photo by Jack Thompson
At Anthropologie, ladies can check out the latest fashions in apparel andaccessories.
Photo by Shannon O'Hara

In 2009, Houston-based Midway Companies unveiled a radical plan for the large plot of land at the corner of Beltway 8 and I-10, formerly known as Town & Country Mall. Around the four pre-existing parking structures, a mixed-used development containing a luxury hotel, apartments, brownstones, and retail space would be built. But unlike most of Houston, this new development would be pedestrian-friendly – and outdoors. The developers decided to display their confidence by naming the new project CityCentre.

I was skeptical at first. Were people really willing to pay for apartments in Memorial that are just as expensive as those inside the loop? What kind of restaurants were they going to bring in? Could high-end retail exist in Houston outside of shopping malls?

My skepticism has waned in recent months, as I've watched CityCentre explode into the bustling retail, restaurant, and nightlife hub that it is today. It has, in less than a year, evolved into the true center of the west side of Houston.

Developers across the country dream of enjoying the kind of success that Midway has had with CityCentre. According to traffic studies conducted by Midway, 11,500 people visit CityCentre on a daily basis. The Domain, a 370-unit luxury apartment complex that anchors the southeast corner of the complex, is 97 percent leased. Ninety four percent of the 250 lofts have been leased, four of the five upscale brownstones have been sold, and three more are under construction, with 33 more planned.

Approximately 60 percent of the site’s retail and restaurant spaces have been leased, with negotiations currently under way that would bring that number to 75 percent. All of the space in the CityCentre One and CityCentre Two office buildings has been leased, and pre-leasing has already begun on CityCentre Three, which will break ground this summer. An additional building, CityCentre Four, is planned for the next couple of years, and will add even more retail, restaurant, and office space.

Still not convinced? Last week, a reader informed the CultureMap staff that CityCentre’s valet parking was completely full on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. I attempted to get a table at Yard House last Friday and was told that the wait would be two hours. CityCentre is, without a doubt, one of the hottest places in Houston right now. Here’s everything you need to know to make your trip worthwhile:

Where To Stay

If you’re in need of an ultra-luxe staycation, look no further than CityCentre’s Hotel Sorella. The location can’t be beat, and the property is nothing short of spectacular. Conde Nast agrees: This year, they placed the Hotel Sorella on the ultra-exclusive Gold List, and the property’s high score makes it one of the top thirty properties in the United States. And with rooms starting at $149 per night, it’s one of the best bargains in town.

Where To Eat

For breakfast, be sure to visit Flora & Muse, a European-inspired café and bistro that is Francophile-approved. With interiors by award-winning designer Laura Umansky, and a menu created by executive chef David Luna (formerly of Canopy and Shade), Flora & Muse is hard to beat. The savory breakfast crepes are to die for, and the outdoor patio is the perfect place to relax with the Sunday paper and a cup of coffee.

Most of CityCentre’s restaurants serve lunch, but we are particularly fond of the offerings at Ruggles Green. Salads, soups, and sandwiches are all prepared by executive chef Bruce Molzan using local, organic ingredients. The result is fresh, delicious dishes,like the Texas goat cheese salad, served in a casual, fun environment. Be warned: Ruggles Green is popular for both lunch and dinner, so make sure you aren’t in a rush, as you may have to wait for a table.

For dinner, Brennan's Alex Brennan-Martin and executive chef Juan Carlos Gonzalez teamed up last year to create Bistro Alex. Located on the second floor of the Hotel Sorella, the chic glass and mahogany space is the perfect place to enjoy everything from gourmet flatbreads to delicious entrees like the orange molasses-painted duck.

Also be sure to visit Eddie V’s for some seafood and the sinful bananas foster cake, in addition to live jazz in the adjacent lounge. For something slightly more adventurous, visit Straits, critically acclaimed chef Chris Yeo’s Singaporean fusion restaurant.

What To Do

When the sun goes down, things heat up in CityCentre - literally. The MonnaLisa Bar, also located in Hotel Sorella, features a massive fireplace as its focal point. Patrons can also lounge on the outdoor patio, which contains a handful of luxurious cabanas, a colorful water feature, and views of the plaza below. Live music can be heard Wednesday through Saturday nights.

In addition to being a great place to grab sushi and other creative Japanese dishes, RA Sushi, with its newly opened Geisha Patio, has a packed bar almost every night.

Beverage snobs, have no fear: CityCentre has you covered. Yard House has more than 100 craft and specialty beers on tap, and serves classic American bar food late into the night. For the aspiring sommeliers out there, The Tasting Room has more than 200 choices available by the glass, bottle, or case, and also offers gourmet dishes prepared by executive chef Michael Kramer, formerly of Michelin star-rated The Fat Duck in England and Houston’s own Voice.

If you have enough energy after a late night on the town, or in this case, in the plaza, take a little time to browse CityCentre’s retail offerings. Right now, the options are primarily geared towards the ladies: Anthropologie, LMD Boutique, Elaine Turner, and Free People are great places to check out the latest fashions. When Urban Outfitters opens in June, the guys will have somewhere to shop, too.

For the foodie, there’s Sur La Table, an upscale store carrying a variety of cooking appliances and gadgets. Also opening this month is Olive & Vine, a tasting bar and boutique that will feature more than 36 premium extra virgin olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars from Italy and California. If you work up an appetite while you shop, you can grab an afternoon sweet treat at fro-yo hotspot Red Mango or the gourmet bakery Sweet.

Several times each month, CityCentre opens its plaza up to special events like Friday Art in the Plaza and the Eco Farmer’s Market, which has just been moved to Saturdays (9 a.m. to 1 p.m). And if you’re feeling worn out at the end of your time at CityCentre, you can head over to the LifeSpa for a number of spa services.

Insider Tips

The best place to park is in one of the four garages - the one adjacent to Lifetime Athletic is the most centrally located and also tends to be the least crowded. Valet parking costs $5 after 5 p.m., and street parking costs $2 an hour.

For the latest updates on CityCentre happenings, follow @CityCentreHou on Twitter. You can also find a full list of restaurant and retail options, as well as an updated event calendar, on their website.

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bowled over

Houston artist dishes on Food Bank fundraiser happening this weekend

Picture of several artists at a table with a bunch of handmade ceramic bowls.

Photo courtesy Paula Murphy

Ceramics professor Cori Cryer and her students from Lone Star College Kingwood and the bowls they donated to the 20th Empty Bowls fundraiser

On Saturday, May 16, shoppers have an opportunity to feed those in need by purchasing unique, handcrafted items. The 20th Empty Bowls event takes place at Silver Street Studios at Sawyer Yards from 10 am to 3 pm. A preview party takes place on Friday, May 15 from 6-8 pm (buy tickets here).

The fundraiser is a collaboration between Houston-area ceramists, woodturners, and artists working in all media and Silver Street Studios.

Shoppers can purchase one-of-a-kind bowls for $25 each (larger bowls are priced accordingly). A simple lunch from Salata, a sweet treat from Ben & Jerry’s, and iced coffee from Katz Coffee is served until it runs out. Every dollar of the purchases goes to the Houston Food Bank, which estimates that for every dollar donated, it’s able to provide three meals to Houstonians in need. Since its inception, Empty Bowls Houston has raised $1,208,959 for the Houston Food Bank, which equates to more than 3.6 million meals.

The event also includes live music and art demos. More than 2,000 bowls will be available for purchase, donated by area artists.

Empty Bowls began as a grassroots effort started many years ago at a high school in Michigan and is now held all over the world. Nearly everything for Empty Bowls events, from the food served to the venues hosting events and the bowls for sale are donated.

Cori Cryer, a professor of ceramics at Lone Star College Kingwood, is one of those who, along with her students, donated bowls for the fundraiser. She’s been involved with the effort for all of its 20 years in Houston, and before that in other cities.

“When I started donating, I didn't have a whole lot of money,” Cryer tells CultureMap. “I was a graduate student, and so this was a way for me to give back to the local community. And I think my students today kind of recognize that same feel. You know, they may not have money to send a check off to someone, [but this is] an easy way for them to be able to contribute to the community.”

Cryer teaches Ceramics I and Ceramics II to a variety of dual-credit high school students, college students, and continuing education students. Those in her Ceramics II classes are required to create five bowls to donate to Empty Bowls. But her students in her introductory class often end up donating as well. This year, she and her students provided approximately 150 bowls for the event.

Cryer said that the style of bowls for sale range from something as small as a condiment bowl to much larger serving bowls As each bowl is an individual work, they represent a variety of styles and themes. One of her students this year designed a glazed, ceramic leaf-shaped bowl with ceramic insects on it.

“There's a ladybug and a caterpillar and a spider,” she says, each created out of clay and positioned around the bowl.

Cryer loves seeing how the artists use their imaginations and abilities.

“Most of my students do throw their bowls on the pottery wheel, but that's not required,” she says. “They can hand-build them. It’s completely up to them what kind of construction technique they use.”

Cryer loves knowing that this event is a way for students to see that their artistic efforts can have lasting impact on the community around them. In addition to being able to support the Houston Food Bank, the bowls her class donates, she knows, take on special meaning for those who purchase them.

“I tell my students there is a pot for every person and a person for every pot,” she says.

In fact, one of her personal favorite bowls is one she purchased from an Empty Bowls sale.

“It's a very small bowl, maybe like three inches in diameter, and two inches tall, and it's a little pink pig that I think an elementary student made,” she said. “He has no tail, and he has no ears, but he has a snout, and it is definitely a pig. And I love that little bowl. I have it sitting on my desk at home.”

Cryer knows shoppers attending the Empty Bowls sale will find similar, soon-to-be-beloved items.

The Saturday event is free. Those wishing to attend the preview party on Friday, May 15 from 6-8 pm, which offers light bites, beer and wine, and the first chance to purchase bowls, can purchase a $50 ticket online. In addition, Archway Gallery is hosting an exhibition of 30 one-of-a-kind bowls that can be purchased as part of the Empty Bowls fundraiser. The exhibit runs through May 30.