Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1300183
Round About Round Top WhAt's neW, WhAt's next in AmeRicA's AnTiques meccA chRisTmAs Comes eARly K evin and Brandi Harper, along with partners Steve and Lisa Khoury, are developing the old Merry Christmas space on North Washington into a retail venue dubbed The 303. When we spoke to them at press time, the Harpers had already moved four buildings to the property, with an additional three on the way. The seven buildings, preserved from area farms, are all more than 100 years old, including a 1907 Montgomery Ward kit home. In the restored buildings, with a soft opening on October 15, the Harpers will sell their own Worn & Weathered handmade and vintage clothing and furniture, and host other vendors including Age of Industry and Design, Mallory et Cie, Teal Sky Studio, and Bombshell Betty jewelry. Also coming this fall is Bandanas bar and restaurant, serving up drinks from a converted chicken coop turned bar, with plenty of porches, gardens, and al fresco places to enjoy chef Eddie Hill's tomahawk steak (on weekends) and other offerings. The 303, 303 N. Washington, instagram.com/ the303roundtop. Anne Lee Phillips an architect by profession. A wash of charcoal-gray paint ties the cottages together, while lush grounds, an herb garden, and a meditation water garden encircled by walls of jasmine were designed by Melissa Flowers of Brenham-based Glasco. Shimmering within the gardens is the town's only pool; expect people gazing in a Slim Aaron's kind of way. Hotel Lulu's mindset is inspired by '60s/'70s Italian culture — the concept of settling into a dark corner of the hotel bar with no plans of going anywhere while Domenico Modugno croons in the background — something nostalgic for experienced travelers and refreshingly cool for a younger crowd. The pool, the herb garden, the formal garden, the restaurant, and the intimate bar, Il Cuculo, that make up Hotel Lulu embrace slowing down. Armandos Round Top Houses, consisting of three vintage homes located just blocks away, will now come under the Lulu lodging umbrella as well. Hotel Lulu, 204 E. Mill St., Round Top; room rates $175 to $350, hotellulu.com. Catherine D. Anspon "A full-service h o t e l e x p e r i e n c e and a little dolce vita" is how Cinda Palacios describes her most recent Round Top endeavor — a project she shares with her husband, restaurateur Armando Palacios. As you read this, they're racing to unveil Hotel Lulu, timed for an early 2021 opening. Sited in the heart of Round Top on a one-acre property (formerly Bybee Square), the 13-room hotelcita is adjacent to Cinda and Armando's popular Lulu's Italian restaurant (the couple also owns Mandito's Mexican restaurant and Popi Burger in Round Top and Armandos restaurant in Houston). Hotel Lulu's six vintage guest cottages were once small shops in Bybee Square and the interiors have been restored and updated by designer Richard Holley who worked hand-in-hand with Cinda, LA doLce ViTA Round top Cinda and Armando Palacios jack thompson Brandi Harper and Mike Wallace (Continued) 90