Explore the painting, drawing, printmaking techniques and childhood images of artist Gissette Padilla as she constructs multi-layered images that evoke the experience of fragmented spaces. Her work addresses memory as a series of shifting views composed of the real, the distorted, and the perceived elements that make up a single recalled moment. She layers images and patterns to fill in the gaps of what is missing.
All artwork will be available for purchase. Exhibition organized by Megan Badger.
A native Houstonian who loves the city and its cultural diversity, Bria grew up the eldest of two brothers and two sisters. Most of her family lives in Hawaii, but her appreciation for Houston keeps her here, along with an immense love of food that leads her to call Phoenicia home.
Bria was a born foodie, raised by her mom, a chef. Her adventurous eating began when she was very young, tasting and sampling the many treats her mom made. Some of her favorite delicacies are the exotic pastries her mom creates, but her food adventure doesn’t stop there. On her many travels to Hawaii, she has enjoyed some of her most memorable meals from the food trucks that dot the island, always managing to find poi, a Polynesian staple made from the taro root. She’ll soon travel with her family to Laos and Thailand, where she is excited to try new foods and see elephants up close.
With a deep passion for animals, Bria is currently studying zoology. When she graduates from college, she would like to work in conservation, with a focus on elephants. She loves the “gentle giants” and becomes all smiles as she discusses her thoughts on coexisting with all things and maintaining the balance of nature for generations of people to enjoy.
When Bria isn’t studying or helping customers have the very best shopping experience, she likes to relax with a good book. She’s an avid reader of many different genres and her favorite books are the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward. A fan of the band A Perfect Circle, Bria listens to all genres of music with a book in one hand and a cup of tea within arm’s reach.
Tea is another passion for Bria, one she researches to learn about its natural holistic powers. While Phoenicia stocks so many healthy and amazing teas, Bria’s favorite tea is Zhena’s Gypsy Tea Mojito Mint, which she thinks is refreshing and flavorful.
Bria’s passions take her around the world, but she’s in her element in downtown Houston. She enjoys working downtown, loves the people, atmosphere and bookstores. She and her boyfriend often lunch at Phoenicia and explore museums, Discovery Green and all that downtown has to offer.
When asked about her favorite food at Phoenicia, there’s no hesitation. “Croissants!” Bria thinks our buttery, flaky pastries are perfect and she enjoys them whenever she can.
Come visit Bria downtown and explore everything that makes our city, our store and our employees unique.
For deep, rich red wines, explore the Priorat region of Spain. Here, Grenache and Carignan top the production charts, resulting in beauties that perfectly pair with fall steaks and stews. White lovers savor the Rias Baixas region’s Albariño varietals, and we especially love the story behind the Santiago Ruiz label. Read more about our Spanish faves and come find them at Phoenicia.
Priorat Region
This region is known for its deep, rich red wines. Priorat is one of only two wine regions in Spain to qualify as a Denomination of Origin (DO), the highest qualification level for a wine region according to Spanish wine regulations, alongside the more well-known Rioja. Grenache and Carignan are the top two red grapes in terms of production in the region, and are typically both blended with other grapes to produce Priorat’s powerhouse reds.
Our favorite, Rotllan Torra, is a blend of 35% Grenache, 35% Carignan and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Pair it with a beautiful rib-eye steak or hearty beef stew this fall.
Rias Baixas Region
Located near the Atlantic Ocean in the northwestern part of Spain, over 90% of the wines produced in this region are white, predominantly using the Albariño grape varietal. Blends with heavy concentrations of this grape represent Spain’s standard of white wine across the country.
Winemaker Santiago Ruiz is referred to as “the father of Albarino” as he claims to be the first to harvest it decades ago. His 2013 version is a lively white that offers lots of juicy pear and citrus fruit with a soothing mineral finish. We especially love the story of the label as it’s the exact drawing that Ruiz’ daughter had scribbled to direct guests to the winery for her wedding reception. Papa decided to use it as a memorable wine label.
Got your velvet suits and go-go boots ready for the Love Street Art Ball? Join us this Halloween as we become a party Factory filled with LOVE STREET art, ’60s mod fashion and groovy tunes. A fun event for all ages, starting at 6PM, you can experience over 70 cool works in the art crawl, see painter and illustrator Katsola‘s live art performance, sample YUMMY! treats from numerous in-store tasting stations (Bacon Wrapped Figs, anyone?), and let the kids partake in our urban trick-or-treat stations and “get inked” at our spooky tattoo and face-painting parlour. With a best-costume contest, awesome prizes from Phoenicia and the Houston Museum District Association (think gift cards, museum swag, a chance to win a membership and more!), groovy bites, Halloween drink specials and Karbach‘s Love Street Summer Seasonal on tap, you can bet it’s gonna be fab!
JUST ANNOUNCED!
At 9PM when it’s time to go mod at MKT BAR, Houston artist Pablo Gimenez Zapiola will illuminate the space with a live performance of projections of ’60s and Halloween-themed video, animation and photos to create a spooky, MOD mood. This is not to be missed.
Dazzle at dinner with this roasted whole sea bass drizzled with a spicy pepper-infused oil and slivered garlic, which develops big flavors using unique ingredients. Also known as Mediterranean sea bass, the bronzini has a taste and texture that is similar to the red snapper. It is often served whole and filleted at tableside.
