What I'm Reading Today: Decor Ideas, Kozm-ic and Teenage Dreams Revisited

Home:
10 Decorating Ideas to Steal from the World's Most Stylish Restaurants (Apartment Therapy)

My immediate thought when I saw this title was, "I wonder if Sketch is in there?" Yep!

If you're ever in London, you just stop in for afternoon tea or in my case, some bubbles. It might set you back a few but it will be worth it especially when you have to go to the bathroom. You're welcome.

Speaking of ladies' rooms....

Business:
How Cinnabon President Kat Cole Went from Hostess to COO: 9 Tips for Success

I love reading about successful women and how they got to where they are. And, if you have a Linkedin profile, I will definitely be looking at it. Granted, time has flown this coop to get an MBA without a bachelor's degree for me but there are some insightful points on how to run 1,100 stores of gooey goodness.

Delivery Start-Ups Are Back Like It's 1999 (NYTimes)

Wow, remember Kozmo? I was hoping that it was going to happen especially with living in Austin at the time. I remember seeing signs for it in Los Angeles, too. But, nope.

Having just killed our Plated subscription (the veggies were arriving rotten a few too many times...hope you fix it!), I nearly felt compelled to use Burpy for grocery delivery so I could avoid the inevitable trip. We use Grubhub for very rare food deliveries (c'mon Houston, make food delivery a real thing with a low enough minimum for one person!) And, this whole delivery thing isn't so much about being lazy but about being more efficient and paying for convenience...ahem.

Life:
Revisiting Teenage Dreams (WSJ)

Oh, teenage Heather. Sometimes I still wonder about you! Any way, I really think my favorite part is what I've been told all along - you can never have enough education. And, don't look back! Keep moving forward. What would you tell your teenage self?

What I'm Reading Today: Ambition, Tacos, Coffee, Google, Humans

Here are some headlines that caught my eye today in Career, Food, Business and People...and explains the photos on Humans of New York...!

Career: 
Dads' Housework Inspires Girls' Ambitions (Wall Street Journal)

Photo by vibeke b

More and more I am seeing fathers taking their children out and about than I ever saw before and I'm loving it. With roles in families changing, there's no doubt we are seeing more men in the kitchen, taking out the garbage, and making the beds.

Now, whether or not this really holds true - I still admire the hard work my parents did to raise a family. They both worked and I'm still trying to figure out how my mother always put steaming hot, delicious meals on the table at just the right time despite being at work at 7 a.m. and coming home around 5 p.m.

I'm also posing a thought: that your career can sometimes be pre-determined by what your parents did. What are your thoughts? Do you work in a similar field as your parents?

Food: 
Taco Recipes from Saveur (Saveur)

I have yet to make a recipe from Saveur but tacos seem easy enough (right? I hope), this could be the start of a beautiful beginning. And, if you love, food, I love g

P.s. If you're looking for some good street tacos in Houston, please check out Tacos La Bala. Bring cash and your hunger.

McDonald's coffee to hit supermarkets (USA Today)

A few weeks ago, I had a cup of coffee picked up for me. They asked if I wanted three creamers in it. Three creamers? That's insane but it was too late.

Be a Houston tourist - How to go on an architectural treasure hunt

After spending a week in the historic Northeast where towns were vibrant before the U.S. was (and with a general fondness for history), I'm happy to have stumbled upon this article in Houstonia magazine highlighting just a smattering of some really great homes sprinkled throughout Houston. The homes featured range from nearly as old as our city to just recently erected.

Despite our city being a little younger than some of our East Coast friends, these walls still have plenty to talk about and there are plenty of ways for you to experience how those before us may have lived and how their caretakers live now. (See below for a list of Houston home tours)

A few tales of my own with some of the homes include:

I had the wonderful opportunity to put on events at Ima Hogg (now MFAH's) Bayou Bend. At the time, a few of her staff that had worked there when she was living would share some stories of the goings-on of Bayou Bend. One included an artist by name of Andy Warhol that was interested in visiting one of the bathroom's on the second floor. Ok...

Being a member of the Menil Contemporaries also landed a few invites to events at the de Menil home which is also one of the homes featured here. Plenty of Warhol's there, too.

Nash home in Westmoreland.
Photo by Ed Uthman

The one that is most memorable to me is the Nash home. For a few years, it looked like it was going into some serious disrepair (or at the least the exterior paint job was) and it was definitely a front runner for the home most likely to house the Addams Family. I'm happy to see it now looking back to its stately former self.

With Houston being a giant treasure hunt in itself, go on a treasure hunt of the city (of course, be mindful of owners/fences. some of them won't be accessible but you can at least get a feel for the landscape). Below you'll also find home tours that will be happy to have you step inside and see some real architectural beauty in Houston.

More ways to enjoy Houston residential architecture:
AIA-Houston Home Tour (Spring)
ArCH Walking Tours (year-round)
River Oaks' Garden Club Azalea Trail (March)
Eastwood Civic Association Home Tour (Fall)
Houston Heights Spring and Holiday Home Tours (Spring and December)
Houston Modern Home Tour (In January)
Houston Preservation Alliance Architecture Walks (year-round)
Rice Design Alliance Home Tour (April)
Southhampton Civic Club Home Tour (In December)

Have others? List them in the comments section!

What's your favorite home?