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FEBRUARY | PAGE 6 | 2016 You don't have to be an automotive fan to appreciate one of the most unique exhibitions the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, has ever mounted. "Sculpted in Steel: Art Deco Automobiles and Motorcycles, 1929 –1940," unveils at the MFAH this month, serving up a delicious slice of 20th-century design, specifically the dazzling steel and chrome coupes, speedsters, roadsters and sedans that were the calling cards of the international Deco movement in America and Europe. The exhibition features 14 automobiles and three motorcycles, including the 1934 Model 40 designed by Ford Motor Company's styling wizard Bob Gregorie for Ford progeny and company president Edsel Ford — the only one in the world. The Great Depression notwithstanding, was there ever a more glamorous age for motoring? Guest curator Ken Gross is a man passionate about cars whose street cred includes his former directorship of the Holy Grail, L.A.'s Petersen Automotive Museum. He joins Cindi Strauss, MFAH curator of modern and contemporary decorative arts and design, in organizing this car-centric exhibition, inspired by a concept originally developed for the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville. (The motorcycle component reminds us of the Guggenheim's mighty homage to Harleys and more, mounted in 1998.) We're going for marvels of aerodynamic design, with swoops and curves and assertive grilles such as those featured on the 1938 Dubbonet Xenia Coupe by luxe Spanish/French car maker Hispano-Suiza, or the long, sleek excess of the Delahaye 135MS Roadster, a special design by Joseph Figoni and Ovidio Falaschi for the 1937 Paris Auto Show with an all-aluminum body complemented by a cosseted leather interior and matching car carpets from Hermès. American manufactures such as Packard (represented by a stately, stoic 1934 Twelve Model 1106, bodywork by LeBaron) and Chrysler (the sturdy 1935 Imperial Model C-2 Airflow Coupe with its commanding presence, articulated by designers Carl Breer and Norman Bel Geddes) exude attitude that makes today's luxury rides look too tarted up or plain prosaic. Among the three motorcycles presented, we were won over by Indian's classic Chief from 1940. The strangest offering among "Sculpted in Steel" prefigures our era's minivan: a 1936 Scarab crafted by American airplane and auto designer William Bushnell Stout for his eponymous engineering firm, featuring moveable seats, a folding table and a back seat that transforms into a settee. "Sculpted in Steel: Art Deco Automobiles and Motorcycles, 1929 –1940," February 21 – May 30, at the MFAH, Beck Building; mfah.org. Catherine D. Anspon COLLECTION LARRY SMITH, BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI. IMAGE © 2008 PETER HARHOLDT. William Stout, Stout Motor Car Company's Scarab, 1936 COLLECTION THE REVS INSTITUTE FOR AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH, INC., NAPLES, FL. IMAGE © 2008 PETER HARHOLDT. Bodywork designed by Figoni & Falaschi, Delahaye, 135MS Roadster, 1937 LET THEM EAT CUPCAKES M uch like a '90s R&B ballad, the conventional wedding cake is due for a remix. For the non- traditional bride, towering tiers of white fondant have been replaced with playful motifs and flavor-intense frills, eschewing the postnuptial centerpiece in favor of a more intimate dessert experience. Here, three culinary trailblazers think outside the fondant. DOWN UNDER DESSERTS LISA DRIVER, MAPLE AND LOVE Maple and Love, 832.781.7790, mapleandlove@gmail.com, mapleandlove.com Resume: Aussie by birth, tax consultant by trade, this self-taught baker got her start making cupcakes for her co-workers. Word of mouth jolted her part-time business in Melbourne, but her move stateside sealed her fate as a full-time cuisinière. Flavor profile: Part cake, part objet d'art, Maple and Love's whimsical confections capsize tradition with vibrant hues, edible ornaments and flavor profiles reminiscent of childhood ( Funfetti cake, Oreo-infused icing and homemade honeycomb). X'S AND DOUGH MATT OPALESKI, HUGS & DONUTS Hugs & Donuts, 1901 N. Shepherd Dr., 713.485.6443, love@hugsanddonuts.com, hugsanddonuts.com Resume: After working in kitchens such as the now-shuttered Aries, the Omni Hotel and the Houston Country Club, this pastry chef gave up the restaurant line for the sweeter life. Flavor profile: Making the case that donuts are much more than a morning delicacy, Hugs' gourmet morsels are everything from fruit-filled (with house made preserves, of course) to candy- coated to covered in bacon. MAD, MAD, MACARONS ASHLEY ROSE, SUGAR & CLOTH sugarandcloth.com Resume: After a brief stint in graphic design, Rose embarked on a path to self-discovery through her DIY blog, Sugar & Cloth. After three years of blogging, she's been featured in Oprah magazine and on hgtv.com and teenvogue.com, among others. BY JAILYN MARCEL. PHOTOGRAPHY AND PRODUCTION ON MAPLE AND LOVE AND HUGS & DONUTS MICHELLE AVIÑA AND MAX BURKHALTER. T he promised land awaits at West Ave, where the much- loved Austin-based spa Milk + Honey makes its Houston debut early this month. The 8,250-square-foot spa takes over the former Trenza restaurant space and is the company's largest location to date (topping the four Milk + Honey spas in Austin). In the queue are eight salon chairs, six mani-pedi stations, 15 treatment rooms, steam showers, lounge and locker room for massages, facials, peels, waxing, lash extensions, natural nail therapy, haircuts, color, styling and bridal services. Expect Milk + Honey's signature line of natural and organic products, plus wine and beer, and complimentary touch-up trims between haircuts. Appointments can be booked in advance online. Milk + Honey, 2800 Kirby Dr., 713.231.0250, milkandhoneyspa.com. Jailyn Marcel The LAND of MILK + HONEY Lisa Driver Ashley Rose Matt Opaleski's Hugs & Donuts Milk + Honey spa Flavor profile: The classic macaron gets an artful facelift as Rose wields her paintbrush, transforming the French meringues into edible works of art. JARED SMITH JARED SMITH JARED SMITH LUCKY NUMBER EIGHT When reflecting on the classic Texas icehouse, beer comes to mind. But bourbon takes center stage at Eight Row Flint, an icehouse of sorts and the latest venture from chef Ryan Pera and Morgan Weber (Coltivare, Revival Market). More than 100 bottles of bourbon-centered whiskey are merely the start of the bar's burgeoning stock — hence the name, which refers to the first corn distilled into whiskey stateside. Weber, a champion of the storied libation, elevates Eight Row's cocktail program with proprietary single barrels of bourbon; a custom-made spout pours directly from the aging barrel. But bourbon isn't the only swig on tap. Pre-batched carbonated cocktails known as draft swigs (tequila and tonic) are accompanied by 16 craft beers. Bottled brews and frozen cocktails such as Eight Row's signature margarita and frozen gin and tonic round out the bar's offerings. Craftsman Steve Walters outfitted the space, which was formerly a mid-century Citgo station, with residual bourbon barrels: a bar front is fashioned with donated staves from Buffalo Trace, Jim Bean and Four Roses. In the parking area, the bar's namesake food truck is the domain of chef de cuisine Stephanie Harmon, who serves up tacos wrapped in organic, heirloom corn tortillas made in-house alongside house- made guacamole, salsa and chips. Eight Row Flint, 1039 Yale St., 832.767.4002, eightrowflint.com. Jailyn Marcel Eight Row Flint whiskey, beer and tacos JENNY ANTILL CLIFTON JENNY ANTILL CLIFTON Morgan Weber Eight Row Flint whiskey, beer and tacos