| Okay,
ladies and gentlemen, this is an equal-opportunity guide to
planning an unforgettable Valentine’s Day for the special
someone in your life or if you have your heart set on becoming
somebody’s one and only, this day’s events could
be what will seal the deal for you. I will offer suggestions
for both men and women to give or receive, along with places
to eat, drink, or spend the night. This issue will feature
V-day ideas and so will the February 1st issue. This is longer
than the usual-sized newsletter, so if you want to just skim
through the paragraphs and read about whatever grabs you, be
my guest. Come back later and read through the entire issue
when you have more time. If you’re single, don’t
fret, there is still event news in here for you.
It's not
old, it's VINTAGE, baby! Beyond Entertainment continues their
massive
after-hours theme-parties each month. This month’s
event takes place on Saturday, January 22nd at Dean’s Credit
Clothing located at 316 Main Street. Doors open at 3:00AM Remixer/DJ
Ric de Barros (Brazil/Austin) will be throwing the beats in the
Main Room, while Houston DJ Jessica Lozano will be spinning your
world in the Groove Lounge. Vintage attire is suggested. For
further details, or to be added to the invitation list, email
ChasSolomon@aol.com. Mark your calendars for the February after-hours
event on Saturday, February 12th. Stay tuned for details, I’ll
have the 411 in a future newsletter.
Engines of
Elk will host its ENGAGE 2.0 party at 6º Lounge
on January 27th. 6º is located at 911 Franklin in the Bayou
Lofts. Engines of Elk is an emerging clothing company with an
eye for new designers. They love keeping their style fresh, and
what better way than by letting young designers submit their
ideas for possible production? If you are a young designer, then
this is an event you don't want to miss. The party is from 9PM-2AM
and will have Houston's finest in attendance, including radio
personalities from KRBE. You can visit their website at www.enginesofelk.com
and check out pictures from the ENGAGE 1.0 party that took place
in Dallas. Don't forget to check out the newly released EOE hoodies
and cuffs for sale online.
I received
some incredible bath salts for Christmas and I was extremely
pleased with the
healing results I felt after using
them. Order them at www.triplemoonreflections.com. Three moons
represent the universal life stages of womanhood: youth, maturity
and old age. The symbol is associated with feminine energy, mystery
and psychic abilities. Bath Salts are available in Lavender Lullabies,
Aphrodite, Jolly Holidays and Soul Soother. Bathing in sea salts
is a healthy, refreshing way to escape from the cares of the
world. These bath salts contain therapeutic mineral concentrations
with healing aromas for twice the therapeutic benefits and bath
enjoyment. I give them the thumbs up. You could get creative
and put together a gift basket with all of your amore’s
favorite things in it and include a variety of these bath salts.
It’s better to make the basket yourself and show how much
you care than to buy a ready-made basket at the store.
Here are
a few suggestions for either gender from Best Buy www.bestbuy.com.
Make your
mate in-tune to loving you with the iRiver-512MB
Digital Audio Player with FM Tuner. It weighs only 1.4 ounces and holds
up to 40 hours of playback on 1 AA battery for $199.99. For a
gift that is picture-perfect the Canon-Power
Shot 5.0MP Digital Camera S500 has 3x optical, 4.1x digital zoom, a compact metal
body, DIGIC imaging processor and a Print/Share button and it
will only set you back for $399.99. Hewlett-Packard offers your
sweetie a Pavilion
330 Notebook ze4906us Intel Celeron M processor
330 with DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive, 15" display, 40.0GB hard drive,
256MB PC2100 DDR SDRAM when you open your wallet, pull out $749.99
and press send for that baby. Best buy has a great selection
of DVDs too. Snuggle up and watch some flicks for a romantic
tryst at home.
This can
be a gift for yourself, for your mate, or an activity you can
do together.
Dance Force teaches private lessons in the
Galleria area. Usually DF teaches hip-hop, but they can help
people putting together short numbers for talent shows or company
parties too. Dance Force can teach partner-dancing (disco, salsa,
swing, two-step, slow dancing) which might be cool for a Valentine’s
gift or for a couple getting married to learn how to dance together
at their wedding reception. Contact Robin at danceforcepro@yahoo.com for details and pricing.
Single? If
you plan to stay home and read on Valentine’s
Day here are two books I recommend. The first is The Three-Week
Rule by Llona Doubet. Llona lives in Houston and is a friend
of mine. She has written a practical and inspiring book that
can help change the way you go into relationships. It will also
help you improve the possibility of staying in a relationship.
The second book, and this one is for the ladies He’s Just
Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo. Two consultants
for TV’s Sex In the City have compiled a guide to understanding
men. It’s an easy read and it’s humorous. I was searching
Amazon.com and found these other interesting (more like ridiculous)
titles Stop
Getting Dumped! All You Need to Know to Make Men Fall Madly in
Love with You and Marry "The One" in
3 Years or Less by Lisa
Daily, Date
Like A Man: What Men Know About Dating and Are Afraid You'll
Find Out by Myreah
Moore,
Men
Are Like Fish: What Every Woman Needs to Know About Catching
a Man by Steve
Nakamoto. I’m no Dr. Ruth, but if you want
my advice on getting a man, it is to put all the books down,
leave the house and go out, have fun and meet them. Sit through
a few toads, and maybe someday, you’ll find a prince. They
key word there is "maybe," but taking applications
for Mr. Right and the process of conducting ‘interviews’ sure
is a lot of fun.
On Thursday, January 27th, there will be a Cadre Social Mixer
at Scott Gertner's Sky Bar located at 3400 Montrose Avenue on
the top floor. Gentlemen pay $5.00 and need to wear professional
business attire (suit or sport coat required for gentlemen) and
ladies are in for free. There will be 3 cash bars, a complimentary
dinner buffet, a DJ, a large dance floor, free salsa lessons
from 8:30-9:30PM and a live band at 10PM. Valet parking is available
and there is free self-parking. See www.thecadre.org.
Vargo’s is hosting a Valentine Singles Dance on Sunday,
February 13th from 6:00-10PM Entertainment will be provided by
Lawrence, Liberty & Mario Productions and a Gourmet Buffet
is included. The event is designed for singles, but couples are
also welcome. The dress for the affair is dressy, black tie optional.
Tickets are ONLY available pre-sale, nothing will be sold at
the door and they are priced at $15 each or 2 for $25 and the
yummy buffet is included in your ticket price. For additional
information or tickets, contact: Lawrence@academicplanet.com.
Vargo's is located on Fondren Road, two blocks north of Westheimer.
There is free parking and valet parking is available.
Also for
Singles, there are a couple of speed-dating events being held,
both
on February 10th 8-minute dating for ages 27-35
will be at 6º Lounge at 911 Franklin at 7PM, to register
go to www.8minutedating.com. Pre-dating will be at the Ruby
Room at 7PM for ages 26-36. The Ruby Room is at 509 Main, and
you can register at www.pre-dating.com.
Ladies, a
way to spoil your dude is with a hot stone massage. I guess
you can preface
the event by saying "honey, let’s
get stoned." Here’s how it works, start with 8 smooth,
oval stones which you can either find outside or buy at a spa
boutique or a beauty supply. You’ll also need massage oil
(olive oil, sunflower oil or vitamin E oil will work) The next
step is to soak the stones in hot water and use the oil on his
back, shoulders, arms, legs, feet or whatever spots you plan
to massage. Have a warm washcloth on-hand to wipe your hands
off and the oil off once your massage is completed. Use the stones
to massage rather than your hands. This will get his rocks off.
Just kidding. Ha ha ha, stones, rocks, get it? There’s
a great pampering gift for your guy called the Present Set by
Philosophy. It is the ideal gift for the man in your life. The
special kit for men is only available through www.philosophy.com
and contains a 16 oz. ‘power shower’, a 3.3 ounce ‘common
man,’ and a tube of ‘kiss me lip balm.’ It
sells for $42.50. Other great Philosophy products for both sexes
can be found at Sephora or Nordstroms, both in the Galleria.
I love the Cinnamon Buns or Pumpkin Pie scents of their 3-in-1
line (shampoo, body wash and bubble bath) Pumpkin Pie won an
Allure magazine best of beauty award in 2004.
Everyone
loves a little bling-bling. Watches and pen sets are always
welcomed gifts
for men and of course, for ladies, we all
know diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Stop by Houston
Jewelry to see one of my dearest friends, Rex Solomon (of Kit
Kat and Kit Katz fame www.kitkat.org) at his store at 9521 Westheimer
713-784-1000, or see what they have to offer at www.houstonjewelry.com.
Give Rex a big hug from me while you’re there. Also, you
cannot go wrong with a little bauble from Tiffany and Company,
located in the Galleria or you can view all the treasures at
www.tiffany.com.
Boys who
like sports are easy to shop for. Get them tickets to the sporting
event
of their choice. Package the tickets with
a jersey or hat from their favorite team. Here in town, we’ve
got the Astros, the Rockets and of course my favorite team,
the Aeros! I love those boys and I love my ticket rep with
the team, Mr. Jason Elliot. The schedule is posted online at
www.aeros.com and there are 14 home games left after February
14th. Contact Jason at 713-361-7951. It’d be a nice thought
to buy a boys’ night out gift for your man with tickets
for him and his friends to attend a game if you aren’t
a big hockey fan yourself. You could also score points with
your honey if you want to splurge and get him season tickets
to the Astros games. Season ticket packages for all 83 home
games start at $830 and mini-packages start at $270 and are
available at www.mlb.com. The first home game is on April 5th.
Tuck the Astros tickets away in a gift from M Penner for Men,
a boutique at 2950 Kirby, 713-527-8200.
The gift
of art is a gift that never stops giving because when your
loved one
sees it in their home or office each day, they
are sure to remember YOU as the one who gave it to them. On
Saturday January 29th, three local artists will be present,
showcasing their masterpieces at a Champagne Art Reception
presented by Artists at Large, at the Ruby Room. The show will
feature original abstracts and mixed media by Alexis Andrei,
Carolyn Coates-Cohen and Ronnie Queenan. Two other artists
in town that I’m extremely fond of are Maia (www.erosartglassbymaia.com)
who could be commissioned to paint a sexy portrait of you for
your other half and Mollie Moore who is famous for her abstracts.
I own a Mollie Moore painting myself, and it is one of my most
beloved possessions. Mollie’s work will be featured at
Eastman Gallery at 7026 Old Katy Road, Suite 255, 713-426-6669.
The gallery hosts an art opening on Thursday, February 24th
and then there will be an event called "Evening with the
Artists" on Friday, March 4th, both at the Eastman Gallery.
Mollie’s work will be displayed for 5 weeks starting
the 24th of February, and can be seen by appointment. Call
the gallery for more information on the two events I mentioned
above. Mollie’s work can also be purchased and viewed
at Crossover Gifts at 415 Westheimer 713-523-5201. The website
is www.crossovergifts.com and store hours are Monday - Saturday
10AM to 9PM and Sunday 10AM to 7PM. Crossover has other great
finds like martini glasses and candles. Visit soon to see what
other cool V-day gifts are sold there.
Gift idea
for both guys and girls are waiting for you at the Upper Hand
Salon
(three locations.) Upper Hand has gift cards
for their services and they will customize each gift card to
the recipient's desires. The card doesn’t expire for
an entire year, so it may be redeemed at the leisure of the
recipient for any product or service. Some of their most popular
gifts include Spa Therapy Manicure and Pedicure $80, Aromatherapy
Massage or Facial $70 each, Woman's Cut/Style $50 and up, Man's
Cut/Style $29 and up. Ladies, does your man need a new look?
Did you know that the Upper Hand is the home of the Roula & Ryan
Show's Man Makeover Contest on Mix 96.5? This Valentine's Day
give your man a makeover. Click on the Upper Hand box to the
left on this newsletter to see locations.
Here are
some great romance resources I found on the internet while
researching
ideas for this issue: Draw closer together
with 1000 questions for couples at www.questionsforcouples.com.
Spice up your love life with 500 lovemaking tips & secrets
www.theromantic.com/lovemaking.htm. Discover 300 creative dates
at www.theromantic.com/creativedates.htm.
Are you ready to "take
the plunge" of marriage? Read this guide to popping the
question at www.howtoproposemarriage.com.
A few great
Valentine’s Day dining destinations… Massa’s
Restaurant at 1160 Smith Street has a superb Valentine’s
Day men created by Chef Brian McNamara. Make your reservations,
pronto, by calling 713-650-0837. Bossa restaurant is located
at 610 Main Street. They scored high ratings for their Latin
food and their wine list on citysearch.com. Bossa promises a
sensual, almost taboo experience with an intoxicating balance
of exotic food. Sambuca is at 909 Texas and rates #1 as Citysearch’s
most romantic restaurant. How about a spicy rendezvous at Beso,
at 2300 Westheimer? The name means "kiss," so it’s
sure to be romantic. Arturo Boada (formerly of Solero) is the
proprietor and he is an incredible chef. I worked at Centanni
Restaurant with him when I was in college. Zulu, at the corner
of Main and Capitol, is a spectacular place for a special occasion
date, and their GM, Shepard Ross is a terrific guy. Go visit
Shepard after you visit the website at www.zuluhouston.com. See
more about these and other fine restaurants at Citysearch.com.
Citysearch is a great source for restaurants and also includes
reader reviews, pricing, editorials and ratings in various categories.
There is also a great editorial on Citysearch called "Plan
the Best Date Ever." If you’re on a budget, skip the
restaurant idea and cook your sweetheart a homemade meal of all
their favorites and serve it by candlelight.
Okay, so
this might be a little out of reach, but here’s
what I want for Valentine’s Day. You can buy it for your
special someone and pretend it was your idea, instead of mine.
Feast your eyes on the 2005 Ford Mustang www.fordvehicles.com/cars/mustang/.
I’m not too demanding, either the V6 or the GT would do.
Surprise me. On the topic of cars, ladies, why not look into
renting a Ferrari or a Hummer or another exotic car for your
favorite member of the male species? Just call Elite Rentals
at 713-572-6666 for pricing and details.
6º Lounge has a new addition to their place and (drum roll,
please) IT’S ME! I have not left Slainte and the Ruby Room,
but I’ve joined the ranks as Crystal Lee’s sidekick,
and together, we plan to put 6º on the map with our happy
hour parties and late–night promotions. If you want to
host a happy hour party email me at kim@sixdl.com. Happy hour
is 6 hours long, 5 until 11PM, Tuesday through Friday. Call either
one of us to book your special event and join us at 6º for
the Queen of Clubs Valentine’s promotion on February 10th,
11th and 12th. It will be called "Queen of Hearts Weekend" and
it’s a party SO BIG that it spans over three days. Each
night we’ll treat our guests to $1 glasses of champagne
from 9-11PM and all the ladies will enter a drawing for a prize
giveaway each hour beginning at 9:30. Our sponsors include Erotic
Cabaret, It’s All About You Boutique, the Houston Symphony,
Personal Trainer Chuck Stephens and the Houston Aeros, among
many more. On Saturday, there will be a grand prize drawing for "something
sparkly." Come in all three nights for three chances to
win. If you are on my email list or on the 6º list you will
receive an email invitation.
Rodeo tickets
are now on sale, so dust off your cowboy hats and pray your
Wranglers
from last year still fit you because
the
big event will be in town at Reliant Park March 1st - 20th.
To see the line-up of concerts, visit hlsr.com. Tickets to
the Rodeo could make a fun Valentine’s Day present, and
then next month, the two of you can enjoy the rodeo, the shopping,
the food, the carnival and my favorite event, the BBQ cook-off.
The World's Championship BBQ Contest will be Thursday, February
24th through Saturday, February 26th. Tickets to the cook-off
are available to the public for $6. This price includes entrance
to the event and a free chopped brisket sandwich meal upon
presentation of a ticket stub. Tickets can be purchased through
ticketmaster.com or at contest entrance gates on the days of
the event and at the Metro Park and Ride lots.
Corny, but
cute and romantic for your Valentine; instead of a singing
telegram,
why not send an Elvis Impersonator to your
mate’s office to deliver a message of love through an
Elvis song? It will be an unforgettable way to send your Valentine’s
Day greeting. Contact Mike Powell eb_elvis@yahoo.com or visit
www.texaselvisexplosion.com. There are several Elvis love songs
like "Can't Help Falling in Love," "Are You
Lonesome Tonight," "You Don't Have to Say You Love
Me", "Always On My Mind" or "The Wonder
of You."
Sundown at
the Social on January 9th was off the hook. I was accompanied
by Bill
Cotton, David Jeffcott and Heather Mowery
and we had an absolute blast. It was great to see Sean Carnahan,
who gave me a CD he made. I will treasure it! DJs Champa Moore
and special guest, Randall Jones were equally amazing. The
place gets packed, the parking gets scarce and the line gets
long, so arrive early for Sundown at the Social next month.
DJ Lo-Phat of Amsterdam will be in town for Joia’s official
Grand Opening party on January 22nd and he will return for
another stint at Joia at 2511 Bissonnet the weekend of February
4th and 5th. I was delighted to learn that DJ Lo-Phat reads
the Queen of Clubs!
Join the
masses at the Ruby Room at 509 Main on February 11th and 12th
for ‘Hugs and Kisses weekend’ featuring
DJ Joey V and a special martini menu created by the sexy staff
of the Ruby Room exclusively for this event. Wear red to show
your holiday spirit. Pucker up, because there will be Hershey
kisses for everyone, too.
I’ll have another newsletter focusing on more Valentine’s
Day news on February 1st. Look in that issue for the Queen’s
INS and OUTS list for V-day 2005, romantic hotel packages, more
Valentine’s weekend events in bars and clubs and more gift
and date suggestions. The February 15th issue will be back to
normal with less Valentine’s Day love crap and more news
about events, people and places in Nightclub Land. |
