All posts by NCB

Crabby Chic!

July 8, 2014Dining, Uncategorizedalligator, crabbing, fan boat, outfitter, swamp, TexasNCB

I have lived in Houston since 2004. I am not a Texan or even from the South for that matter, but recently I went on an adventure that makes me feel like a true Southern. Let me introduce you to the sport “crabbing”. Some people go fish, others hunt, well how about digging for crabs? Blue shell crab! On a hot summer Friday a good friend of mine, business social colleague too, invited a group of us to venture out East of Houston bordering Louisiana for a rustic day of swamp adventure fun to “fish” for our lunch, cook it, and enjoy some exploration on the bayou/marsh as well. The closest city I can mention in the county we called home for the day was called Winnie. Some outfitters shared their acres of land to help us explore and experience a day of off-roading, boating, and fishing for crab.

My first concern for this outing was “attire”. What do you wear? The city girl that I am definitely spent too much time worrying about this factor. My wardrobe is full of dresses, heels, and handbags. My casual clothes are fit for a yoga studio. Definitely a stretch for me to wear shorts and shirts ready to get dirty, but I sucked it up and decided fashion was not my forefront for the day. In the 95 degree heat plus scattered showers the best option was shorts and very casual/comfortable shoes. Definitely a hat of some sort, or visor, and sunglasses. Here is a real video of a “true catch” yay! Click this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYZ1Czb1IF8

Crabbing is quite simple by the way. By land, we attached string to posts from the shore. The bait was raw chicken! All we had to do was drop the chicken string into the swamp, wait a few minutes, then slowly reel it in w/ a net ready to swoop the crab and place it into an ice cold cooler! The crab would roam around and eventually they would end up somewhere “hot” you can say. This sport is effortless, just dirty, hot, and time consuming. Note though, there were 6 foot long alligator in the swamp eying our activity, our bait, and our crab. It is kind of freaky to see them pop up and out of the water. All I could do is pray they would not bite our bait and join our fishing party.

To top off our outing, we took a fan boat ride in the swamp. Our guide insisted we all take a spin as the driver. I hesitated but rallied when it was my turn. What a rush! I literally drove through brush, weeds, lilipads, I could drive over anything and everything with no impact just a smooth ride!

The day ended with our great feast. I am not a fan of working for my food…yes I am a city girl. Not interested in cracking legs, pulling pinchers, and getting little meat for my hard work. But in the long run, it was the freshest you could get, it was hard earned, and very social as we all sat together and shared in the experience.

Overall, this Trende Brende girl would recommend this experience to all of her city slicker friends. You must purchase a fishing license, FYI. Worth the day trip, photo ops, and stories to tell. Yes, you will be a dirty mess, but at least there is a good excuse!

Crab Crowd: Jan-Oliver Schmidt, Kara Jacobson Schwartz, Jessica Brown, Tammy Bateman, Melissa Guggisberg, Robin Hargrove Rowley, Blake Kunetka.

The Estate Life in Houston

June 17, 2014Living, Million Dollar ListingFrench architecture, Houston Luxury Realtor, million dollar listing, Nicole Brende, peacocks, Rivercrest Estates, Robert Dame Designs, Sotheby'sNCB

I just acquired my dream listing in my dream neighborhood. Let me introduce you to a little piece of heaven called Rivercrest Estates. At any time imagine seeing peacocks, rabbits, horses, and other creatures. In the massive pines, live oak trees, and vast lawns, this neighborhood offers the country life with the city amenities. By neighborhood code all properties must be at least 3 acres and with at least a 100 ft set back from the street. Here is your exclusive video tour of this luxurious estate: http://youtu.be/v2kkjQ1QW8I

“Rivercrest Addition” was created in 1946, far from the hustle and bustle of the city. This neighborhood originally totaled 367 acres with 95 estates. In the early 1950’s Rivercrest became part of the City of Houston and in the late 1950’s part of H.I.S.D. The first property owners in Rivercrest wanted to be able to keep horses, which allowed them to saddle up their horses, hitch up their buggies and maintain the simpler things in life. The street began as a quiet horseshoe shape with a tail called Crestbend, which follows the curve of Buffalo Bayou. As development progressed west, Briar Forest was cut through, in 1988. For a quaint neighborhood full of lush landscape just imagine it is minutes from The Galleria and City Centre!

There is a vast variety of homes situated here today from Ranch style to Mediterranean, Traditional, and French. My new listing seen here is 1 E. Rivercrest. This home was designed by famed architect Robert Dame Designs. This 7500 square foot beauty offers immaculate detail throughout, dome ceiling, winding statement staircase, formal study, media room, game room, and plenty of entertainment space with its summer kitchen and butler’s pantry. For complete details on this $5.7 million listing view my other website at www.NicoleBrende.com .

Texas Wine Country, Y’all!

May 27, 2014DiningBrenham, texas wine country, windy wineryNCB

Trende Brende enjoying her first Texas wine tasting!

I love to explore and take day trips. On my recent day off we headed an hour NW of Houston just outside of Brenham in Washington County. A cool historical fact, Washington County is the birth place of Texas. Another fun fact, Brenham is home to the Blue Bell ice creamery. The day was perfect, sunny, blue sky, and minimal traffic. As we were enjoying the countryside terrain we stumbled upon a sign on Hwy 105 directing us to a place called Windy Winery. Being the wine lover that I am, we took a spontaneous detour on its Hwy 50 exit to check it out. Two miles up the road there it was. Amongst some farms, cattle ranches too, the grape vines gave us a warm welcome. In a quaint little house we were greeted by owner August Meitzen and his wife Linda who managed the tastings behind the bar. Native Texans and wine makers for over 25 years they were very informative about the area, open to the array of their traveling guests, and very proud to be serving what they love.

For $10 enjoy an individual tasting of 5 wines or for $15 you can do a couple’s tasting. They offered a variety from dry white wine, to dry red, semi sweet wines, sweet wines, port, to sparkling wines. Their touted best sellers are the Lady Lavender semi sweet blanc du bois, the Heritage blanc du bois & cranberry, the Jal-Spice (sweet jalapeno), and the Tejas port.

Windy Winery is home to many events throughout the year too. Coming up at the end of July is their Harvest Grape Stomp. Kid friendly too. I think I just might have to come back for this adventure. Other events include the Lavender & Wine Fest, Wine & Pottery Celebration, Special Dinners, and pickup parties for their Four Winds Wine Club!

Admittedly, do not expect to taste mature vintages equivalent to your Napa Valley favorites. This place is convenient, less expensive, yet still gives you the ambiance and wine tasting thrills. It’s social too. People stop in from all over Texas and love to share their experiences. I walked away with a bottle of the Lady Lavender and the Tejas Port. For more info check out www.windywinery.com . The tasting room is open Fridays from Noon-5pm, Saturday, 11am-6pm, and Sunday Noon-5pm. Explore away y’all!

The Annual Brende Beer Hunt!

April 26, 2014Uncategorizedbeer hunt, Easter, family tradition, los angelesNCB

Most of my family lives in sunny southern California. Every year it is tradition to visit. My uncle hosts a massive party on Easter Sunday. Besides all of the festivities including egg decorating contests, pop quizzes, egg hunts, count the jelly bean in the jar contest, traditional holiday food like lamb, ham, and the fixings, the adults participate in a beer hunt / poker game! In the past few years I have shared this concept with my friends and some have reported back to me and decided to create one of their own as well!

In simple terms this is how the official Brende Beer Hunt game works: count your hunters, hide beer bottles knowing that each hunter can pick up 6 beers or whatever amount you decide, place a poker card on some of them, money on others for fun, then the hunters can only pick up 5 beers with cards (a complete poker hand) then the rest is a free for all. When all hunters gather they get one chance to trade cards they do not like with the dealer. The person with the best hand gets 1^st prize, and so on. Basically we all get a prize. We have a table full of prizes including bar accessories, liquor, BBQ stuff, etc. If you are not a beer person substitute it with soft drinks, champagne, wine (mini bottles), or flavored waters. Get creative. I recommend getting a big plastic pail to carry the goods in too. A basket would not be strong enough.

So have fun hunting your favorite liquids next year! No matter how old I get, this is something I truly get excited about. It’s fun, some of us get really competitive, and a cool bonding experience too.

“Houston Is Haute” fashion show at Tootsies

April 23, 2014Charity Eventfashion show, Houston Realtors, real estate, The Womens Home, tootsies, West Ave, womens council of realtorsNCB

Glamour girls, real estate gurus, and industry friends came out for one haute night here in Houston. April 16^th The Women’s Council of Realtors hosted a fashion show at Tootsies in West Ave benefiting The Women’s Home. Over 250 fashionistas filled the 15,000 square foot fab retail space for a sold out event raising thousands of dollars for the charity. I was honored to be the event chair of this inaugural fashion event. A special thanks to our amazing food sponsors Mr Peeples restaurant, Chef Soren Pedersen, and Osaka sushi. Food was definitely abundant as well as wine and sippings from Dripping Springs Vodka.

Our models for the evening strutting their stuff on the Tootsies catwalk include top performing area realtors Peggie Pentecost, Stephanie Finch, Monica McNeill, Tammy Bateman, Barbara Vaughn, and MaiLan Trinh. The lovely Rachel McNeill from KPRC Local 2 was our emcee. These spring trends are sure to keep us cool this summer. Let’s go shopping!

Sunshine, Shades, Selfies and a Tennis Tourney!

April 11, 2014UncategorizedLori Freese, Lori Lemon Geshay, Nicole Brende, River Oaks Country Club, Tennis, U.S. Men's Clay Court ChampionshipNCB

Laura, Lori Lemon Geshay, Nicole Brende, Lori Freese

Sunshine, shades, selfies, and a tennis tourney! For the past two days I had the pleasure to attend the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship at the River Oaks Country Club here in Houston. Admittedly, I did not see much tennis as I was socializing amongst the fabulous patrons.

Ladies were all dolled up in their dresses, big hats, and spring colors. The Gents looked ever so handsome in their suits and boasting their summer hues too. All day and to the night there was plenty of activity. From fashion shows, luncheons, live bands, to tented areas catered by Beck’s Prime and cocktails galore, photo booths, and outdoor TVs, it was quite the set up!

Enjoy schmoozing? This is the perfect event to take a client by the way. It’s on my list every year! Oh, and no worries if you parked a mile away from the club. PediCabs or bike taxis are at your service, and so much fun too!

Laura Cernock, Lori Lemon Geshay, Nicole Brende

Bryan/Bryan vs. Guccione/Hewitt photo by Lori Lemon Geshay — Bryan/Bryan vs. Guccione/Hewitt
photo by Lori Lemon Geshay

“Houston Is Haute” Spring Trends Fashion Event at Tootsies

April 3, 2014Charity Eventdripping springs vodka, fashion show, Houston charity, Mr Peeples, Nicole Brende, osaka sushi, rachel mcneill, real estate, thewwomenshome, tootsies, wcrNCB

Get ready to be Wowed! April 16th the Houston Chapter of the Women’s Council of Realtors will be holding their inaugural fashion event, “Houston Is Haute”, at Tootsies. The night will feature a runway fashion show filled with the latest spring trends and will be emceed by KPRC Local 2 anchor, Rachel McNeill. I am the Event Chair and would be honored to have you there to support such a wonderful cause. ALL proceeds from tickets sales will directly benefit The Women’s Home and their WholeLifeSM model of care. It’s fashion with a heart; fashion with a purpose, and a really fun way to give back. Perks include lite bites from Mr Peeples restaurant, cocktails by Dripping Springs Vodka, wine served by Tootsies, and raffle prizes galore!
To reserve yours today, go to The Women’s Home website at www.thewomenshome.org and click on the “Houston is Haute” event link. VIP tickets are $50.

Event coordinators are asking guests to bring one or more gently used designer clothing or accessory item for The Women’s Home. All those donating items will receive a $25 gift certificate to Tootsies.

The De Gaulle Grand Opening Soiree

My friends and I only drink champagne and wine, for the most part. Finally, Houston has figured this out and is accommodating our champagne wishes! New to the Washington Ave. entertainment corridor is The De Gaulle, next to Hughe’s Hangar. This is H-town’s first official champagne house and home to over 50 types of champagne. This town just got a bit more bubbly and I like it! Saturday, March 29th I attended the VIP grand opening reception . Thank you for the invitation Ms. Lori-Lemon Geshay! The theme was midnight in Paris! Ok, I thought it was spring time in Paris hence my floral Alice + Olivia pants, but I won’t worry too much about it. I had a wonderful time with my lovely friends and my handsome man!

The venue took me back to Paris, drinks were flowing, the DJ had us dancing, and fashionable eye candy everywhere. Tres chic crowd! I love my Veuve, Dom, and Moet, but a taste of Perrier-Jouet Nuit Blanche had me at HELLO! They had a champagne tasting bar set up and I learned very quickly, the smaller the flute, the more expensive the taste!

The evening would not officially go down in style without its charitable efforts. A suggested $20 donation at the door helped support the Pink Door nonprofit. Well, I am looking forward to more nights at my new favorite place. Chin chin!

Host Committee Members in the crowd included Cortney Cole Hall, Jared Lang, Kim Padgett, Lori Lemon Geshay, Lisa Gochman, Mark Sullivan, Tiffany Halik, just to name a few.

Thank you, May I have another?

The Candlelighters 6th Annual YPG Margarita Taste-Off featuring some of Houston’s finest restaurants took over Hughes Hangar off Washington Ave. and I was there. Saturday, March 29th the charity hosted hundreds as we mixed, mingled, and sipped competing margarita recipes and voted for the best concoction all for charity. 100% of the proceeds benefit Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance. What a fun way to spend a sunny Saturday afternoon! The place was packed, girls rocking their summer dresses and fancy flats, and the guys rocking their duds too.

Tents set up from corner to corner included favorites like El Tiempo, Escalantes, La Tapatia, Soto’s Cantina, Emma’s Grill, El Big Bad, Sorrel Urban Bistro, Maria Selma Restaurant, etc. I was a big fan of El Big Bad! Their presentation was killer….decked out in wrestling masks…shaking ritas like the old Mr Flannigan days from the movie Cocktail. What a hoot!

To complete the whole event, there was a silent auction, live music entertainment, and plenty of chips, queso, salsa, and tacos to soak up all of that tequila. Every restaurant walked out a winner in my opinion. I am definitely adding this event to my list for next year!

About the organization: Candlelighters Young Professionals Group was created to support the Candlelighters mission to provide emotional, educational and practical assistance to children with cancer and their families treated at the Texas Medical Center and/or who reside in the 13 counties of the greater Houston area. The YP group demonstrates their commitment through fundraising and volunteer activities while offering members social and professional networking opportunities. Members of the Young Professionals Committee are asked to attend meetings where they are given the opportunity to take part in the inception, planning and ultimately the success of several social functions throughout the year aimed at raising both funds and awareness for Candlelighters.

Caught In An Oil Spill

March 26, 2014UncategorizedGalveston, Houston Ship Channel, Lakewood Yacht Club, Lori Lemon Geshay, Nicole Brende, sinking oil barge, Texas oil spill, Trende Brende, YachtNCB

I love boating and what better way to entertain your clients and friends than on a gorgeous 40 foot motor yacht! March 22, 2014 I took 12 of my gals on an outing from Clear Lake to Galveston aboard the “Sea Tejas”. Our Captain and 1st mate took command of the waters while the rest of us enjoyed cocktails and lite bites. It was a foggy day causing us to take our time. What would have been a 1.5 hour trip took us 3 hours! Along the way dolphins entertained us with their jumps and tricks. Who would guess in the brown murky Houston Ship Channel dolphins would call it home? Well, just three miles out of Galveston is when the real attraction hit….literally! Around 11:30 am (the news incorrectly reporting 12:35) an oil barge carrying over 900,000 gallons of oil was struck by the motor vessel Miss Susan. Miss Susan was transiting from Texas City to Bolivar at the time of the collision. I must say we were all in shock. We witnessed the thick oil in the waters; in fact we motored through it and the smell was very potent.

We were eyewitness to the sinking barge. In fact, here is a video I took from my I-Phone which was broadcasted all over the CBS news stations in Texas. Yep, my two seconds of fame! : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xGdGFD9w9U

We ended up docking at Willie G’s in Galveston and had a nice lunch. The Coast Guard announced the closure of the ship channel so we were not able to come back via boat. The boat to this day is still docked in Galveston. I won’t even discuss the financial impact on my pocket book for this diversion. But, we were able to get back to Lakewood Yacht Club safely via cars. This was definitely a trip to go down in history. I am saddened by the accident for the sea animals. I hope we can get the wildlife protected and clean up their homeland soon.

On Board: Annette Amaya, Anna Kaplan, Laura Cernock, Marina Kaplan, Laurie-Leigh White, Jan Vitenas, Colleen Nichols, Liliana Cuellar, Jennifer Gravenor, Nicole Brende, Lisa Bridle, and Lori-Lemon Geshay.