Creative Houston

Good Place to Grow

In the Houston Business Journal, Christine Hall interviewed Joel Kotkin about Houston's recent recognition by Inc. magazine as a great job market: Inc. ranking shows Houston has good business sense. 2007-Apr-23:  "Many cities such as New York and Los Angeles can't generate the job growth because people can't afford to live there," he said. "Houston, on the other hand, is in a good place, and has surfaced as a good place for young, educated people.

Foodie Hero

Teresa Byrne-Dodge celebrates a local culinary creative in a recent edition of SideDish (Issue #18): Wooohoo! Monica Pope, owner and executive chef of Houston’s t’afia restaurant, has been named one of the five nomineees for 2007 Best Chef of the Southwest by the James Beard Foundation. She’s the only nominee from Houston. The winner will be announed at an awards ceremony in New York City on May 7. You go girl!

Awarding a Livelihood

In a recent Houston Press review of three art exhibits, Kelly Klaasmeyer finds some Houston art institutions are doing more than showing art, they are sustaining local artists. Core Artists-in-Residence Exhibition - Working It Out: Studio Program Residents - Artadia at DiverseWorks. 2007-Apr-5: Artists are always on the lookout for studio space, exposure and cash -- not necessarily in that order. Programs that offer one or all of the above are helping to fuel Houston's dynamic contemporary art scene.

Houston Firsts

Berkeley Breathed, author of cartoon Bloom County, recently told Lana Berkowitz about his Houston experiences. Houston Chronicle: Opus creator more satisfied writing children's books. 2007-Apr-4: His memories of Houston are firsts. "Hearing my first Southern accent. My first horizon without mountains. My first 100 percent humidity. My first inside mall. Catching my first snake. My first kiss. In 100 percent humidity, come to think of it..."

Entrepreneurial Opportunities

In the past, universities were anxious to license the patents created in their research wings. Now they are asking the professors to spend more time meeting with entrepreneurs. The Rice Alliance pioneered this approach in Houston, but the University of Houston is now catching up: Houston Business Journal: University of Houston System to launch new Center for Industrial Partnerships. 2007-Mar-30

Seeing, Believing

Inviting people to experience Houston is a reliable strategy for improving our image, as found by Ken Hoffman in the March 28 Chronicle article, Houston makes good impression. "Lindsey Brown, marketing director for CVB: 'Generally, if they visit, they're sold. When a meeting planner visits Houston, they are more than likely to book....