dua loves h-town

Pop superstar Dua Lipa introduces her 80+ million Instagram followers to Houston

That girl is poison: Dua Lipa loved Poison Girl in Montrose.

Celebrity spotting in Houston is hardly new — given our top-tier status as an arts, dining, and entertainment hub. But celeb sightings at places we love? That’s worth reporting.

And so it goes with British pop sensation Dua Lipa, who may have gained a whole new horde of local fans with her exquisite taste in dining and entertainment options.

In town for a highly anticipated show in support of her Future Nostalgia album at Toyota Center, Lipa shared all the H-Town love on Instagram — and to her more than 80 million followers — starting with a visit to one of the city’s most beloved dive bars, Poison Girl.

The three-time Grammy Award winner/model/star posted some fire photos of herself posing against Poison Girl’s pinball machines and some red-shot snaps in a see-through and starry ’fit.

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A post shared by DUA LIPA (@dualipa)

(Speaking of her red-hot Houston love, her “Sweetest Pie” collab post with the Bayou City’s Megan Thee Stallion drew lots of love. “So excited i’m crying sugary icing out of my tear ducts!!!!!!” she exclaimed.)

Staying in Montrose, Lipa stopped by the Rothko Chapel to “meditate and contemplate” even posing for a pic with Rothko staff after said meditation and contemplation.

No trip to H-Town would be complete for a Houston newbie without a visit to Space Center Houston. Lipa looked totally Trinity from The Matrix as she posed for a vid at Mission Control, declaring that she was “GOING 2 MARS!!!” (Mad love to Lipa for eschewing the lame “we have a problem” caption here.)

Pop superstars have to eat, and eat Lipa did, making choice and well-advised stops at Truth Barbecue and Nancy’s Hustle. Lipa posted a pic of the famous Nancy Cakes (a no-brainer order at the award-winning restaurant) and a beefy pic of ribs and brisket at Truth — recently named the No. 3-ranked BBQ spot in the state by Texas Monthly, as CultureMap reported.

Where did she stay? Given its proximity to Toyota Center and its tight-lipped penchant for hosting stars — and given our familiarity with its suites — our guess (and per her IG pic) is Four Seasons Downtown.

Cheers to Lipa and her team for a proper Houston trip and for avoiding clichés. Oh, and we respectfully suggest she contact Eric Sandler for dining tips on her next visit.

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warning for drivers

Texas steers onto list of states with highest speeding ticket costs

Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash

Gotta watch out for speed traps in Texas.

The next time you’re tempted to push past the speed limit on your Texas road trip or your commute to work, think about the risk to your life — and your bank account.

A new ranking from the FinanceBuzz website shows that when comparing all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Texas motorists pay the fourth highest amount in fines and court costs for going either 10 mph or 15 mph over the speed limit.

For a 10 mph-over-the-limit violation in Texas, the average fine and court costs total $223, according to FinanceBuzz. For a 15 mph infraction, the average speeding ticket will run you $245. Texas is one of only six states where a 15 mph-over-the-limit speeding ticket surpasses $200.

California ranks first in the 10 mph category ($234), and Nevada ranks first in the 15 mph category ($290).

If you’re slapped with a ticket for driving 40 mph over the speed limit in Texas, the fine and court costs are relatively low. At an average of $320, Texas sits at No. 21 on the FinanceBuzz list. Illinois ($2,500) leads the 40 mph category.

“Not all speeding incidents are the same, as the faster someone goes while driving, the more danger they pose to themselves and others sharing the road with them,” says FinanceBuzz. “As a result, the authorities tend to issue larger fines the faster a speeder is going.”

Of course, it might be tough to go even one mph over the speed limit if you’re driving on I-45 in the Houston area. The notoriously congested stretch of interstate highway is nearing the end of its “functional life,” according to the Washington, D.C.-based Congress of New Urbanism. I-45 is also the deadliest road in Texas, according to the latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio are also home to some of the state’s most congested roads, according to the Texas Transportation Institute. And if you’re on any of those clogged roads, the danger of getting a speeding ticket might decrease.

driving financebuzz ranking highways houston speeding ticket reports speed limit speeding texas tickets

dua loves h-town

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Texas steers onto list of states with highest speeding ticket costs

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