a real stretch

New West University health studio pulls Houstonians into relaxation and recovery

Reach Stretch Studio West University Rice Village

Thanks to this new West U fitness studio, it's no longer a stretch to get back into shape.

Photo courtesy of Reach Stretch Studio

Life in America’s fourth largest city comes with its unique set of stressors, with harrowing work and family demands, infuriating traffic, and the mass influx of H-Town visitors. Little wonder, then, that self-care studios are popping up around town, offering some much-needed relief.

Once such spot is Reach Stretch Studios, now open in Rice Village. (This is the fifth location in the area since the brand was founded and launched in Houston in 2016.) Following Rice Village, Reach Stretch Studios has expansion plans in the Houston area and neighboring markets including Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin.

The studio offers stretch therapy by certified stretch therapists that provides relaxation, pain relief, injury recovery, and athletic performance. Reach benefits are said to include reduced stress, improved sleep, less soreness, increased blood flow, and flexibility.

The new stretch therapy studio offers three session types: Relax, Recover, and Recharge, all of which are meant to rejuvenate and regenerate, according to a statement. The membership-based, spa-like locations offer up a complimentary first session; private stretching rooms; personalized therapies utilizing technology and performance; plus perks such as advanced hydration, hot towel treatments, and neck stretches.

“We’re looking forward to providing our services to those in the Rice Village area,” said Ryan Terry, co-founder of Reach Stretch Studios, in a statement. “Whether you’re seeking relaxation, pain relief, or tapping into your full athletic potential we’re committed to helping you reach your goals.”

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The Rice Village Reach Stretch Studio; Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8 pm, Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm, and Sundays from noon to 4 pm. For more information, visit the Rice Village site.

fitness health

Thanks, Queen Bey

Pop icon Beyoncé donates $100,000 to University of Houston Law School

Photo by Erza Shaw Getty Images

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Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Clinic through her BeyGOOD Foundation. The gift will allow the clinic to hire fill-time faculty to head it, benefiting the students who study there.

“I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” said Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”

The clinic is one of nine at UHLC. It helps students learn to navigate the criminal justice system, especially on behalf of clients that are underserved by skilled attorneys. People of color are affected disproportionately by a lack of good, ethical representation.

Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammy history and easily the biggest musical star native to Houston, has a long history of advocating for criminal justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking law enforcement to “stop killing us” in a web post. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky attorney general asking for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, Beyoncé has focused mostly on expanding the prospects of Black-owned business and offering education opportunities to students. Forwarding the cause of legal representation in Texas while also helping out marginalized communities compliments her other philanthropic work.

“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we will achieve this vision by providing access to strong and effective legal representation in criminal proceedings,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”