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T his fall, you don't need to head to London or Manhattan: One of the must-see blockbusters in the art world happens right here in Texas this month. "Mark Rothko: A Retrospective" — the artist's first American survey in 17 years — unveils Sunday, September 20, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, with more than 50 seminal canvases. The MFAH is the only U.S. venue and the final stop of an international tour that began last fall; it was first mounted by the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague, Netherlands, followed by a stop this spring at the Hangaram Art Museum in Seoul. Comprised largely of the holdings of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. — which owns the trove of the paintings the artist kept for himself, aka "Rothko's Rothkos" — the collection spans the definitive decades of the painter's career, 1936/37 to 1970, to reveal the development of his mature style: those signature glowing rectangles of pigment that appear to levitate off the canvas. The exhibition wraps with the somber late work, which foreshadows Houston's own Rothko Chapel commissions. Three works from the MFAH and four from The Menil Collection join the National Gallery Rothkos. Regarding how the exhibition came to Houston, MFAH director Gary Tinterow notes, "The National Gallery of Art originally planned an exhibition only for The Hague and Seoul. However, my good friends at the National Gallery knew I wanted to mount a great Rothko show, and they moved quickly to secure it for Houston." The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's Alison Greene, organizing curator for the Houston exhibition, weighs in, "This city hasn't seen a retrospective of Rothko since the Guggenheim's survey traveled to the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in 1978. To be able to see the full range of the artist's achievement, from his early cityscapes to his final canvases, is the kind of opportunity that comes along only very, very rarely." "Mark Rothko: A Retrospective," September 20 – January 24, 2016 at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; mfah.org. Catherine D. Anspon Céline opens a Dallas storefront Thursday, October 8, at 47 Highland Park Village. Designer Phoebe Philo's elegant, strong womenswear, accessories, bags, sunglasses, and shoes stock the shop, with bespoke furniture designed by Danish artist FOS, including a sunglass and jewelry display in pink Portuguese marble. Highland Park Village recently welcomed Five Creeks Tavern, which serves handcrafted pizza, pasta and wine; this fall, Dior Beauty — the first boutique of its kind — opens in the luxe shopping center, while the Hermès boutique celebrates its grand reopening Friday, November 20, in a space redesigned by Parisian architectural agency RDAI … Etro opens a Dallas boutique in December; stay tuned for location details … This November, NorthPark Center adds AG Jeans and The Theodore, a restaurant serving twists on American classics from famed chef Tim Byres and bakery goods from Austin-based shop Easy Tiger. Linden Wilson THIS JUST IN… Available Listings: 3704 Alice Circle | $7,995,000 10718 Bridge Hollow Court | $5,995,000 4000 University Boulevard | $5,199,000 3615 Amherst Avenue | $4,695,000 5536 Greenbrier Drive | $3,305,000 4312 Beverly Drive | $2,449,000 3520 Blackburn Street | $2,495,000 4220 Normandy Avenue | $1,195,000 Robin McMonigle 214.543.6903 rmcmonigle@briggsfreeman.com Elizabeth Hutchison 214.663.5831 ehutchison@briggsfreeman.com Jonathan Rosen 214.927.1313 jrosen@briggsfreeman.com New Construction 5024 Lilac Lane | $1,950,000 6330 Pemberton Drive | $2,100,000 6130 Stefani Drive | $2,695,000 6322 Prestonshire Lane | $2,750,000 3221 Rankin Street | $1,750,000 Developments: The Creeks at Preston Hollow 5th at State Residences at Turtle Creek Resplendent ROTHKO Mark Rothko with No. 7, 1960 Ladies and gents, it's time to polish those Luchesses and pull out your leather, suede and fringe, as the American Cancer Society invites you to Cowboy Up and Take Cancer Down. Chairs Mary Martha Pickens and Tia Wynne expect everyone to be ready to rock Saturday, October 3, when the 2015 Cattle Baron's Ball takes place at Gilley's Dallas. Team CBB is throwing another huge name into the ring this year: the man, the myth, the legend — Tim McGraw! The country megastar brings his A-game in the performance of a lifetime. After all, Mr. McGraw always brings a little razzle- dazzle wherever he goes. Come cowboy-boot clad with checkbooks in hand, as this is the fall fund-raiser. Underwriting from $2,500 per couple; 214.443.9222, cattlebaronsball.com. Jane Rozelle URBAN Cowboy Tim McGraw M onograms have been civilization's way of marking personal territory for thousands of years, from Charlemagne to the modern-day boardroom. In Texas, we understand the importance of well- placed initials — haven't we always branded our cattle? While hand- embroidery on linen is much more refined than searing hot iron into flesh, it makes sense that a Texan would explore the history and modern uses of the monogram in depth. Monograms for the Home ($40, Gibbs Smith) debuts Tuesday, September 1 ,and is Kimberly Whitman's seventh book. The Dallas- based lifestyle expert makes regular TV appearances, has been covered in national magazines from Vanity Fair to Town & Country. Beautifully photographed by Dallas photographer John Cain Sargent, her book is packed with good information, stories and traditions from Whitman's own family. There are clever bits, such as monogram etiquette (what to do when your initials spell out something unfortunate, for example) and historic traditions meant to be ignored (according to old-school rules, the man's initials always grace the barware). At its best, a monogram reminds us of our roots. Rebecca Sherman Initial THOUGHTS Circuit 12 Contemporary is off to a totally fresh start for fall. Owners Dustin and Gina Orlando not only relocated their gallery from Dragon Street to a new 3,000-square- foot location off Riverfront in late July, but they've totally rethought their concept. Along with the gallery's existing core group of artists, Circuit 12's new blood includes emerging and established artists from New York, Los Angeles, Miami and London. "We're putting Texas artists right alongside these new international artists. It's a way for the area to see artists they might not otherwise," Dustin says. For the first time, the gallery is presenting large-scale site- specific installations, such as "The Story with No Ending," a solo exhibition by Quebec artist Simon Bilodeau, which runs September 12 – October 12. The Orlandos also found a way to bring in more art-loving customers — not just the small percentage who buy expensive art. "Maybe 5 percent of the people who attend a gallery opening will actually buy a work of art," Dustin says. "We needed to give the rest of the people who come something to buy, and a way for them to feel a part of things." The result is Primer, a clever design concept store located in a separate space within the gallery. The Orlandos hired friends and retail branding consultants Joseph Steffen and Dan Rodriguez of Dan & Joseph to get Primer off the ground and run the day-to-day business. The former Neiman Marcus visual designers have provided their signature, smartly curated spin with an array of hard- to-find art-related gifts, fashion accessories and children's educational toys. Look for sculptural plants such as small succulents and jade trees, carefully sourced design and art books from Assouline and small imprints, niche magazines such as Dallas-based Theorie and Dan & Joseph's own handmade crazy leather hats, crowns, fascinators, purses, pillows and small accessories, which range from $150 to $645. The children's selection is so much fun you'll want to buy things for yourself, such as the multicolor wood slingshots handmade by a San Francisco artist, and teaching robots from Vex Robotics including a robotic dinosaur you assemble using supplied mathematical equations. Separated from the main gallery by sleek iron and glass doors, Primer provides entrée into the rarified world of art, without draining your pocketbook. "We are self-publishing books and producing small objects in-house with our own artists to sell at the store," Dustin says. "It gives the artists a platform to reach more people they didn't have before." Dustin is also working with artists to design limited- edition pieces for Primer, such as a coloring book or small objects, such as a knife. "I had a space in Miami eight years ago with this kind of idea," he says. "But I don't know of any galleries here doing what we're doing." Circuit 12 Contemporary, 1811 E. Levee St., 214.760.1212, circuit12.com. Rebecca Sherman RE-WIRED Primer concept store inside Circuit 12 Contemporary Circuit 12 Contemporary Gina and Dustin Orlando HOT TICKET PHOTOGRAPHER UNKNOWN, COURTESY THE ESTATE OF MARK ROTHKO