Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1543122
november | page 8 | 2010 POP. GOSSIP. Wayne Smith of Wayne Smith Jewels is packing up his bijoux and moving lock, stock and beryl to Uptown Park, next to Gittings. His new doors swing open mid-November. Meantime, his precious-jewels salon remains open until the move at 2736 Virginia near Westheimer … Handbag designer Elaine Turner opens a 1,500-square-foot boutique (her second Houston location) in CityCentre at 800 Town & Country Boulevard this month … In January, Ann Taylor Loft opens in the Village Arcade, next to Banana Republic on University Boulevard … Polished Day Spa has opened at 3910 Kirby Drive … The first annual Montrose Bazaar takes place November 13, at 4317 Montrose Boulevard. Shop for fashion, furniture, accessories and art from local designers and stores including Kwanda Klothing, Fashion Plate, Chile De Anya and Nation Collaborative, and artist Juan Carlos DeLeon … Shop for antiques at Fall's Urban Market Saturday and Sunday, November 6 and 7, at The Knights of Columbus Field, north of the Heights at 607 E. Whitney. Info theurbanmarkethouston.com … Kuhl-Linscomb hosts an Ila & I jewelry trunk show November 6, 11 am to 6 pm. Can't make it? Check out the collection at a second trunk show at Cotton Club November 13, 10 am to 6 pm … Luxury jeweler Bulgari hosts a trunk show of its latest timepieces, including Grand Complications, November 24 through December 2 at the Galleria boutique … Tootsies hosts a bevy of trunk shows this month, including Michael Kors spring, November 4 and 5; Miriam Haskell jewelry, November 12 and 13; Elizabeth & James jewelry, November 19 and 20; Naeem Khan spring, November 22 and 23 … Joseph hosts a trunk show for designer Meredith Wendell's bags and belts that dazzle with colored glass on November 19 and 20 … Casa de Novia bridal boutique now carries Reem Acra and Melissa Sweet bridal-gown confections … Neiman Marcus' upcoming trunk shows include Dolce & Gabbana on November 3; Chanel cruise, November 4 and 5; Jason Wu resort and spring, November 10; Christian Dior spring, November 13; and Oscar de la Renta, November 22 through 24. Don't miss personal appearances by housewares designer Michael Aram in Gift Galleries on November 17 and jewelry designer John Hardy in Precious Jewels Salon on November 19 … Fashion boutique Linda Cunningham (3310 Edloe) hosts a Lisa Keeper Neuhaus Jewelry trunk show November 17 through 19. Kate Allen Stukenberg Keys to the Door: Owners Oscar Aguilar and Alejandro Garcia of Ceteris Hospitality Group; executive chef Emilio Chacon. What's on the Menu: Freshening up the restaurant at the Decorative Center Houston is akin to reupholstering your favorite chaise with a Lee Jofa print: Every few years, you crave something new. We fondly remember when caterer Jackson Hicks opened an eatery in the grand atrium at the to-the-trade space. Next came A Fare Extraordinaire, which echoed the catering tradition by hosting events that reached far beyond the design-centric world. Now the powers that be have tapped Oscar Aguilar and Alejandro Garcia of Ceteris Hospitality Group (Mexico's Deli) to create the aptly named Decco Café. With the help of Area Architecture, they've switched out some fixtures, bar decor, flatware and the like, and brought in Emilio Chacon (La Griglia, Ruggles Grill, Mexico's Deli) to create breakfast and lunch menus that will grab the attention of their captive audience, as well as anyone who stops by from the neighborhood. Wake up to homemade croissants with house-made jam and agave-nectar whipped butter ($4), breakfast tacos ($2.50), or a hearty Chilaquiles ($9), perfectly spiced with a tomatillo sauce. Lunch brings entrée salads such as the never-remove-from-this-menu steak and avocado salad ($12), Mexican torta ($9), Decco burgers ($10), even pastas ($10). Does furniture shopping have you famished? Try the three-course prix fix for $14 — quite affordable for the interior designer who calls this cantina his or her very own cafeteria. Laurann Claridge Keys to the Door: Owner Hayri Gurbuz, chef David Luna. What's on the Menu: The latest concept to bloom in the CityCentre complex off Interstate 10 is Flora & Muse — a flower shop, bistro and European- style patisserie bundled into one pretty bouquet by Turkish-born veteran hotelier Hayri Gurbuz. Architect Ted Heesch of Mitchell Carlson Stone and interior designer Laura Umansky of the Laura U Collection designed the whimsical 6,000-square- foot space, where a flower cart brims with sunflowers, roses and spider lilies, and the patisserie counter boasts a hearth oven. The dining area invites you to settle into a banquette patterned after a Victorian tufted sofa or one of the vintage mismatched chairs amid tables lit by chandeliers. Chef David Luna (Shade, Canopy) and pastry chef William Carlisle serve breakfast, lunch and dinner — not to mention afternoon tea — daily. The ambitious menu includes Belgian waffles and sweet and savory breakfast crêpes; stone-oven flatbreads (such as earthy roast pear, gorgonzola, onion jam and hazelnut pizzette); pressed hot sandwiches (Black Forest ham Monte Cristo, anyone?); and salads (the crab salad on tender butter lettuce in a citrus vinaigrette is so "ladies who lunch"). For dessert, ask for Carlisle's seasonal fresh fruit crostata on a puff pastry à la mode. Even the check is unique: It arrives in a clever leather journal, where you can read notes left by other diners and leave your own musings. Laurann Claridge New DO RS Stocked Goods: Fashion and chocolate — many a lady's first two loves — come together at Linda Cunningham's new Houston boutique, Haut Chocolat (Cunningham also owns Linda Cunningham boutique). At Haut Chocolat, shop contemporary collections from Robert Rodriquez, Catherine Malandrino, Ali-Ro, Poleci and Robbi & Nikke, and boost your energy with chocolate bars made especially for the atelier and emblazoned with memorable quotes like the ones that grace the walls of this inspiring 3,017-square-foot boutique that was designed by Cunningham. In the chocolate and lime-colored space, you'll find delicious jewelry by A.V. Maxx, Danielle Stevens, David Aubrey and Deborah Grivas; belts by Sandy Duftler; and evening bags by Moyna and Santi. Kate Allen Stukenberg Keys to the Door: Owner Elizabeth Glanville. Stocked Goods: Her CV includes glittering tenures at both Cartier and Bulgari in the Galleria, as well as bringing Ashford.com (the once booming Houston Internet behemoth) into the realm of fine jewelry and gifts. Now Liz Glanville is hanging her own shingle in a showroom in Tanglewood, where her DeVille Fine Jewelry is showcased in quite a different way. Gone are the foreboding locked glass cases, which can discourage touching and trying on. Instead, the atelier displays its jewelry collections in frosted acrylic cubes. You won't find designer labels here, as the collections are made in small boutique workshops in Europe, Asia and the States, where custom pieces are also created. Since she started doing trunk shows in the city 2 ½ years ago, she has quietly garnered a reputation for keeping her retail prices reasonable, preferring to forgo wholesale clients and deal directly with those who will wear the jewelry instead. Open Wednesdays and by appointment only. Laurann Claridge jaCk tHoMPson rom a raucous costumed art bash to a poignant luncheon dedicated to Holocaust survivors — plus some gents on the catwalk — this month has it all. And PaperCity is front and center as media sponsor. We begin with Holocaust Museum Houston's Guardian of the Human Spirit Luncheon Tuesday, November 2, at Hilton Americas–Houston, honoring Mayor Annise Parker (spiritlunch@hmh.org) ... Get ready for back-to-back events, starting with Saks Fifth Avenue's Catwalk for the Cure, which benefits the Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation Thursday, November 4; Kara Howes and Melissa Mithoff do chair honors at the Westin Oaks Galleria, while designer Carolina Herrera showcases her Spring 2011 collection (info@ sarcomacancer.org) ... Friday, November 5, it's another catwalk, with roles for men from sports, big biz and high society, as Family Services of Greater Houston's Una Notte in italia unfurls at the InterContinental Houston, chaired by Joyce Echols and Millette Sherman, and honorary chairmen Debbie and rudy Festari, whose Festari for Men provides fashions (familyservices. org) ... Rumble on Saturday, November 6, at the orange Show's 29th Annual Gala, "Kaleidoscope," at Finger Furniture, 4001 Gulf Freeway; chaired by gallerist Franny Koelsch, who's coaxed the band War to perform (713.926.6368) ... Gracie Cavnar's recipe for Success cooks up its Blue Plate Special Cafe Luncheon Wednesday, November 10, at Hilton Americas, with a market of 30-plus farm-to-table vendors (events@recipe4success.org) ... Acquire top Texas art Thursday and Saturday, November 11 and 13, as Art on the Avenue presents its Preview Party, followed two days later by the Art Auction. Winter Streets Studios is the venue for 200 silent-auction artworks (Lizbeth Mejia, lizbethm@avenuecdc.org) ... The Trees of Hope Gala on Saturday, November 13, at Hilton Americas, honors Lynn Wyatt and benefits Star of Hope (713.942.8733) ... On Tuesday, November 16, the genders divide for two big-ticket soirées benefitting Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and Contemporary Arts Museum Houston — respectively, one Great Night in November at the MFAH and Another Great Night in November at a private residence (Ashley Sneed at MFAH, 713.639.7523; agn@camh.org) ... Citizens for Animal Protection's Celebrity Paws Gala on Saturday, November 20, at Hilton Americas, features a Celebrity Pet of the Year Contest (Kappy Muenzer, kappycap@ comcast.net) ... It's A Night out for the ladies: Dress for Success Houston's seated dinner on Wednesday, December 1, at the Westin Galleria, with fashion presentations by Cathy Fitzpatrick Cleary and Holly Thompson (Ray Rivas, 713.276.5508). See you there! Catherine D. Anspon