HEIGHTSTONIAN

If you're new to Houston, or an international reader interested in my growing city, you may find this group of local people and places inspirational and interesting, even helpful and fun! I don't drink so I'm not a bar goer. They bore me to tears really. A place I love has to have fun music, a chic atmosphere. Also, I've always loved a club with a pool and figured I have to go to Vegas or Miami to get this most enjoyable combo of entertainment. Even H2O in Galveston is great but it's missing music. Even their bar in a pool bores me to stone, but of course I still go because it's a beautiful place. Then Roak came along but didn't last thanks to gentrifiers who tore it down in order to make yet another construction eyesore no one will have access to along Kirby Drive. As for the pool at Roak, it was the only one that had a dance floor, pretty cabanas and a pretty stylish Houston nightlife. Thought I'd have to wait forever for anything like that to come

This is a very special week! I'm not one to ordinarily make a big deal about my birthday but it's my first birthday as a breast cancer survivor so this one will always be quite special.  This Friday is my Sweet 16 being alcohol free as well, so I'm especially happy to be me today. I've come a long way. I've humbly inspired others and I am grateful for all of the love and support I've had over the years to get to this point.  Today I will celebrate my birthday by spending it with my mother. We're taking portraits to capture and important time in both our lives. It was her idea and I'm glad she thought of it because we have been through everything together and I know no one on this earth loves me more than her. My closest friends have also shown me tremendous love and support and I am especially grateful for those who have continued to be by my side through many of my most difficult experiences over the past year.  I hope to be here to celebrate another bi

Gay marriage is now a Constitutional right in America today. So many thoughts and reactions are circulating across the web over today's 5-4   ruling , but one stands out the most. #LoveIsLove . Love is in the air at #SCOTUS ! Add your name to celebrate this historic occasion at http://t.co/FWnRped1jJ #LoveWins pic.twitter.com/lbNfofSE8n — HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) June 26, 2015 Today, Texas Gov. Abbott  opposed  the ruling, but it doesn't matter because the Harris County Attorney has now issued a letter to the Harris County Clerk, requiring he is to "immediately begin issuing marriage licenses to all qualified applicants without regard to gender." Tomorrow, PRIDE parades across the country will celebrate the new law of the land and Houston of course  will also celebrate #MarriageEquality in the most well timed decision imaginable in American recent history. The beloved parade will be downtown this year, having been ripped from it's home, Houston'

#SweetLolita has been around since the 90's and is still pretty popular today.  Kids also love their #anime stylings ... And (record scratch) #facialtattoos. Yup. It's the new norm. Deal with it! The end.

Fashion has always been the most fun indulgence for me. I love wearing it. I love going to shows. I love seeing it, in its most perfect form - on a model, a perfect model. A living coat hanger who walks into the room and changes it for the better, because when it's good, it's a marvelous mirage of beauty. Personally, I don't blame anorexia on fashion. I also don't like the #ImNoAngel campaign by Lane Bryant. It sends a bad message by way of the other extreme. No abs, no, tone, no thanks! And I'll tell you what! I am not paying $15 for a magazine full of non-super skinny models in Paris runway shows because that's not what I pay to see. I pay to see PERFECTION and total control, which is rare, and why I pay to see it on gorgeous pages. Men, for you to understand what I mean, let me take you there. Think about what it would mean for you to see big chics in porn, fat Playboy models, or older women in your Maxim magazine. You with me now? - Good! Now... A fe

This was my Easter morning after realizing how much I miss the art of v ideo editin g. Half asleep. No makeup yet. No care for what you think of how I look frankly, so there.  Anyway, it's my attempt at chocolate tea in my tiny kitchen at 6a.m. before getting on with Easter festivities.  Enjoiah and Happy Easter ya'll!

I saw Anna Wintour in the flesh tonight.  She was a vision. So beautiful. Perfect. Glowing. Happy. Very happy. A dream come true at any moment in my life is when I look into the eyes of THE Anna Wintour, and that happened tonight. I just felt better ... seeing her right in front of me. I wish I could always. So much power in her beautiful face.  I wore leopard boots. A black dress and a dark beret.  My friend had already talked with her. When I walked in, I immediately made eye contact. We locked eyes and all I could say was "Wow" to her from across the room. She saw me say this and kept smiling. I smiled too and continued my pace. She was surrounded and involved in a discussion, so I wasn't bold enough to walk over and interrupt gentleman in tuxes and ladies with floorlength gowns like hers, to merely gush about how much I love her and how much I appreciate all she does to make my life more beautiful every day. She wore a mildly shimmering flesh tone floor length

I. LOVE. PRINCE! I mean who doesn't... I could go on about how much I love Prince but will refrain for now. Catching word of his new "Hit and Run" US tour , rest assured I'm on watch with my purple stiletto boots on for when he comes to Houston. But what local venue will be lucky enough to land the Purple Wonder? Good question... SO! Whether he's already booked Houston or not, why not make it fun for everyone? I propose venues bank on competing for hit attention. And what would be sexier than clubs and bars all over town competing the hype with Prince and Apollonia look-a-like contests?! Too young to know who Apollonia is? Here's a hot look: or a Sheila E. look-a-like Contest ... I mean... Mickey Gilley made it the hot ticket in "Urban Cowboy" right here in Pasadena, Texas... I didn't find any video, but it was genius and gorgeous and sexy. OMG! This would be beyond entertaining and I think our city is resourceful enough to pull

I've never been a true 'Belieber,' but there's something about a young man who humbles himself after making an extreme ass of himself, all by age 21. It's refreshing... and in Justin Bieber's case, kind of sexy, so this'll be fun to follow. He's even being roasted on Comedy Central since he's managed to jam a lot of bad behavior into such a short amount of time in recent years. Young people live fast and I imagine famous people more so. Anyway, Bieber's been on Ellen lately looking all grown-up and sans pomp. I know he couldn't be a mean munchkin forever, but it was still a surprise. He still wears pants that look like he's carrying a load, but I don't imagine hipster jeans would look much better. After being boo'ed offstage during his last performance, he's probably desperate to salvage his reputation so he can continue on with his career, which is fine. I'll even give him credit for going to the queen of talk (bec

I was grabbing a fast snack when I saw a man sitting with a little girl whom I assume is his daughter but will never know because he did not say one word to her once they sat down. I sat there watching,  waiting, sadly realizing that little girl was having lunch alone. I suddenly felt grateful that I had a father who did not do this to me. He never had a cell phone.  We went to the park. We went out to eat. He took me to Astroworld and we talked a lot and he would teach me things. Though he was in my life a short while, I remember conversations we had when I was a little girl... Conversations I will never forget because my time with him was so brief.  Hey fellas! Don't be THAT dad...

Today, a new  Sports Clips Haircuts franchise location opened it's doors for new customers in the Houston Heights on 19th Street. I even got a selfie with JJ Watt ... Well, sort of. All the Rockets and Texans signage is up on the walls. It's clean and it looks great! I know they'll do well with Houston sports fans. A look inside (above and below) the new shop where I couldn't resist taking a picture of the owners' adorable little baby. If you're looking for a job, there are opportunities for hairstylists. Are you looking to open a small business of your own? I also saw signage for opening a Sports Clips Haircuts franchise.  Now that sounds like fun! Photos by HEIGHTSTONIAN.

I am a huge fan of " Portlandia " on the IFC . So much so, that I have decided my friend Natasha Rauf is Carrie Brownstein's doppelgänger. She too lives in Portland; is a writer , calligrapher, blogger , and campaign manager for a ChickTech , a Portland-based nonprofit fostering growth of women in the tech field. Side-by-side I'd call it a match: Natasha Rauf (left). Carrie Brownstein in Portlandia (right). Natasha is "Portlandia" personified. I'm serious. Put a bird on her. She surely deserves to have "birds suddenly appear every time she walks by." Yes I went there. Natasha is living art, an intellectual creative in Portland I'm honored to call "my friend with the famous face." Thing is, I love the show and Natasha adores the show just as much as I do. Only she's lucky enough to run-round with a face that looks like Brownstein's.  What a gal! I hope these two will soon be friends.

Let me just start by saying that this recipe honestly rocked my kitchen this Sunday morning.  So, I wanted to pass it along to anyone trying to cook healthy this winter season. Enjoy! It's the  perfect remedy for great eating if you're staying indoors during this cold snap and trying to avoid gaining weight. First of all, it's gluten-free (whatever that now means to most people these days).  I'm calling it Paleo. I just know it's mostly egg, plus banana and coconut which is ground into actual  flour. A main ingredient is to make everything with love. My lovely friend Stacy and I, as a team, pulled these together and they were magnificent!  Click the photo for the original recipe: I've made coconut pancakes  before, but these have an  even better pancake texture, which is really why I really thought it was worthy of sharing online. So batter'up!  Thank you Food and Wine Magazine online for a fabulous recipe I would love to see in new H

What Tina and Amy will say. I really am looking forward to the Golden Globes tonight. I don't view regular programming but I'll admit, I 'love-me-some' red carpet and I love celebrities, like a lot of other women in our era. With media so widespread these days it's hard to miss. I love the spectacle. ALL of it! I love Tina Fey & Amy Poehler. I love what they represent for women in this country & the ability for us as women, to be able to have a voice about anything... To not be censored by our county nor allow any other another country's convictions to shut us down or instill fear in Americans. Plus, they make us laugh, hard! Don't get me wrong. I'm aware of what's happening in other parts of the world. It's rough folks. I get it. Today, I'll let someone else fuss about that. It's cold & it's rainy here in Houston, so yeah, I'm going to relax. Back to what I enjoy...  Top clips of Tina and Amy in

With social media, texting and swiping, courtship has turned on its side... So, is dating really dead? I mean, what's the first hook and line? Well, it all begins with flirting and here's how it's done, according to Buzzfeed ... and if you don't consider Buzzfeed an authority on pop culture and in this case, dating, then you're dismissed! That is because I too held onto my 'Guide for Dating Etiquette' and it never got me anywhere. Now - if you're still with me, roll'em!: and  No wonder you poor guys are confused: If this is flirting, I'm willing to work on it, but I refuse to tell my imaginary grandchildren "if it weren't for that  ♥   Emoji you wouldn't be here." Next up, another option trending big in Japan, to the point experts say it's endangering the global economy... It's where young people are simply opting out of relationships due to an emerging phych-trend called called  "celibacy syn