Houston gets a surprising brake on new list of U.S. cities with worst commute

really?

Photo by Manuel Velasquez on Unsplash

Given the continuous gridlock Houston drivers face, it would be safe to assume our fair city faces the worst commute time in Texas and the even the nation. Not so.

A new report by SmartAsset ranks a surprising Texas city as the worst in the Lone Star State for commute time: Garland. The north Texas city ranked No. 3 in the nation for longest commute time, according to the SmartAsset survey.

Garland ranked No. 3 worst, only out-trafficked by two California cities — Stockton and Bakersfield — which came in first and second, respectively. (Another shocker: Los Angeles didn't lead the list, which landed at No. 25.)

Houston doesn't appear until much further down the list at No. 23 — tied with Dallas. The average commute time in Houston is 26.1 minutes, while 5.8 percent of Houstonians face a "severe" commute of 60 minutes or more. Houstonians spend a tiny bit more of their income on transportation costs than Dallas drivers do (9.9 percent vs. 9 percent). In Dallas, the average commute time in Dallas is 25.7 minutes; 6.5 percent of Dallasites face a "severe" commute.

The only other Texas city to land in the top 10 is El Paso, which comes in seventh. The city ranks second overall for transportation costs relative to income, with commuters paying 14.13 percent of their median household income for transportation in the city and surrounding areas, SmartAsset says.

Elsewhere in Texas, city rankings were:

Arlington, No. 33
Fort Worth, No. 47
Irving, No. 50
Plano, No. 52
San Antonio, No. 55
Lubbock, No. 61
Austin, No. 64
Corpus Christi, No. 78
Laredo, No. 81

Interestingly, SmartAsset notes, despite the rise in remote work the past few years, the average commute time went down by only one minute in five years. The national average decreased from 26.6 minutes in 2016 to 25.6 minutes in 2021, they say, while the percentage of remote workers has tripled in about half the time.

"Workers in 2023 will average almost 222 hours (or a little over nine days) driving to and from work," the report says. "And these hours spent in transit cost commuters more than just their time. The price of fuel, public transit passes and other commuter-related costs can add up quickly."

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Pink-powered Barbie merch truck cruises into Houston on 'Dreamhouse Living Tour'

This Barbie Sells Merch

Hot on the heels — or wheels — of the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck comes another timely pink rolling shop for two Saturdays in October.

The Barbie Truck will stop in Friendswood and The Woodlands on its 2023 "Dreamhouse Living Tour," which celebrates the 60th anniversary of Barbie's ever more popular property, and will give visitors a chance to spice up their own homes.

Although this is all about the house, there are only a few homewares: things like coasters, glass tumblers, a glass mug, a throw blanket, and an "accessories cup." Visiting Barbies have more opportunities to take home wearable and on-the-go items like graphic tees, hoodies, and denim; a baseball cap; embroidered patches; and keychains.

It's a Barbie world in Houston.Photo courtesy of the Barbie Truck Dreamhouse Living Tour

Most people who have been awake and on social media in the past year have learned that Barbie's Dreamhouse has a more empowering history than many girls realized while orchestrating drama between the dolls.

A release announcing the arrival of the truck reminds fans (and detractors) that when the Dreamhouse came out, only a tenth of a percent of young women were independent homeowners, and states that someone buys a Dreamhouse every minute.

This year's Barbie truck tour should be in very high demand following the success of the 2023 movie.

Photo courtesy of the Barbie Truck Dreamhouse Living Tour

Dreamhouse aside, this is a dream ride.

The Barbie Truck will be in Friendswood on Saturday, October 21st, from 10 am to 7 pm at Baybrook Mall at the lawn near Gloria's. Arrive early in case of long lines.

The truck will then cruise to The Woodlands on Saturday, October 28th at The Woodlands Mall near Shake Shack from 10 am to 7 pm.

These Barbies will hit five other Texas cities on the tour:

September 30 – San Antonio
October 7 — Austin
October 14 — Laredo
November 4 — Plano (Dallas)
November 11 — Fort Worth

Follow along to see more stops on Instagram or Facebook.

Medical Center builds bridges for global impact with new Netherlands partnership

going dutch

The Texas Medical Center may be based in Houston, but the organization has again grown its global impact.

Since 2016, TMC’s BioBridgeshave worked with 88 startup companies. Those include strategic alliances with four other countries. Australia, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland are all among TMC’s BioBridges partners. As of today, add the Netherlands to that list.

On September 27, TMC president and CEO, William F. McKeon, and Carmen van Vilsteren, chair of Health~Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health (LSH), signed an agreement in Rotterdam. The TMC Netherlands BioBridge Memorandum of Understanding codifies the innovative goals of the partnership. Essentially, the BioBridge program provides a means for entrepreneurs, researchers, clinicians and industry partners from other countries to access the US market, as well as TMC experts.

“The TMC Netherlands BioBridge represents an unparalleled opportunity for collaboration and growth,” Ashley McPhail, chief external affairs & administration officer at Texas Medical Center said in a press release. “The Netherlands has solidified its position as a global leader in the field of life sciences and health, with a thriving ecosystem of research institutions, innovative companies, and highly skilled professionals. This strategic partnership will bring positive benefits to patients, clinicians and industry partners on a global scale.”

This lifeline for international healthcare companies makes expansion into the United States far smoother. The Global Innovators Launch Pad allows for startup founders to take part in a 10-week residency at the TMC Innovation Factory that will teach them about foundational infrastructure, clinical evidence and funding in the US.

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Continue reading this story on our sister site InnovationMap.

Houston beauty expert ranks top 5 celebrity makeup lines for A-list looks

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Another day, another celebrity makeup brand is hitting the market. More and more celebrities and influencers are jumping into an already crowded space and bringing their masses of fans with them.

And why wouldn't they? According to Oberlo, the beauty industry is worth a staggering $579 billion in 2023. Celebrities get to cash in on their name and likeness, while fans get something designed by their favorite VIP.

Fresha recently conducted a study on the most popular celebrity beauty brand. They looked at the average monthly search volume for each beauty brand, the Instagram following of each official account, TikTok posts, and the number of views on each TikTok hashtag. An overall beauty index score was calculated from each variable to find the most in demand celebrity beauty brand.

The top five list has some heavy hitters and notable absences. Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez comes in at No. 1, followed by Kylie Cosmetics by Kylie Jenner, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna, Florence Mills by Millie Bobby Brown, and R.e.m. Beauty by Ariana Grande.

We looked to Houston makeup expert Mari Metzler for her take on the celebrity makeup craze. Metzler is not only an industry veteran; she created her own makeup line, making her a certified expert on what to look for in products.

"When a known name stands behind a product, it's like a friend recommending their favorite lipstick or foundation. It cuts through the overwhelming noise and offers a trusted starting point for consumers."

Metzler took a deep dive into each celeb-backed line to give her opinion on what's the best of the best.

Rare Beauty

Favorite Product:Rare Beauty's Liquid Touch Weightless Foundation

What It Does: Provides medium to full coverage with a lightweight, natural finish.

Why We Like It: The foundation feels incredibly weightless on the skin yet provides excellent coverage, offering a natural, radiant finish that lasts all day.

Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty ranks as number one celebrity makeup line. Photo by Rare Beauty

Kylie Cosmetics

Favorite Product:Kylie Cosmetics' Kyshadow - The Bronze Palette

What It Does: Features nine pressed powder eyeshadows in neutral and bronze hues with matte and shimmer finishes.

Why We Like It: This palette is incredibly versatile, making it easy to create everything from a natural daytime look to a more dramatic evening eye.

Kylie Cosmetic's eye shadow pallets have great colors for fall looks.Photo by Kylie Cosmetics

Fenty Beauty

Favorite Product:Fenty Beauty's Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

What It Does: Delivers explosive shine in universally flattering shades.

Why We Like It: It's not sticky, has an addictive peach-vanilla scent, and gives the lips a luscious, fuller look.

Rhi Rhi's Fenty Beauty line is color inclusive for all skin tones. Photo by Fenty Beauty

Florence by Mills

Favorite Product:Florence by Mills' Cheek Me Later Cream Blush

What It Does: Provides a buildable, blendable pop of color that lasts.

Why We Like It: The formula is creamy and easy to blend, providing a natural, youthful flush to the cheeks.

Cream blush is everywhere this season. Photo by Florence by Mills

R.e.m Beauty

Favorite Product:Interstellar Highlighter Topper

What It Does: This highlighter offers a satin-pearl sheen that enhances the skin's natural luminosity.

Why We Like It: The formula is subtle and never glittery, perfect for achieving a fresh, dewy glow.

Photo by Rare Beauty

Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty is the highest ranked celebrity makeup brand.

Get that freshy glowy look just like Ariana Grande with her makeup line's highlighter. Photo by R.e.m Beauty

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