La Colombe d’Or, Houston, Texas
I enjoy getting together with Sisterwoman (Julie Boggio) every week for dinner. Last week she was headed in from Memorial on a Friday night—we had plans to attend art openings and then have dinner. In the meantime I received a call from dear friend Shannon Schrader. He and Charles Leigh III were dining at La Colombe d’Or and requested that we join them.
Located in the heart of Montrose, La Columbe d’Or occupies the historic Fondren mansion which was originally built in 1923—the Fondrens being the founders of Humble Oil, which with Standard Oil would become Exxon. On the first floor Restaurant CINQ indulges diners with European style cuisine in various settings from the formal main dining room to the terrace, to the library.
Sisterwoman and I drop in on occasion for a bottle of wine, but CINQ is out of our usual price range for casual weeknights. Neither Sisterwoman nor I was properly dressed but knowing Shannon & Charles’ busy schedules, never knowing when we might have another opportunity for some face time, we agreed to join them.
Restaurant CINQ at La Colombe d’Or, photo courtesy of La Colombe d’Or
The handsome main dining room is paneled and filled with outstanding original art. Our table sat just beneath a most extraordinary Raoul Dufy. It has always been my contention that good friends, fine art, and fine dining are a mighty fine combination. Other artists that can be viewed in the various spaces include Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Man Ray—a feast for the eyes and the soul indeed.
Despite the beauty of the surroundings or the $50 entrée, once Sisterwoman and Charles start working an air weave and launch into a ghetto dialect, no one in the general vicinity be immune—gurl, least of all Shannon and me!
And while the prices are considered high by most standards (average appetizer $20; salads and sides, $12; entrees, $35-$56) this is not a quick bite on the way to another event. The meal IS the event, and it is as much about the environment as the food.
La Colombe d’Or Grand Salon de la Comptesse, photo courtesy of La Colombe d’Or
Many people are familiar with the La Colombe d’Or Grand Ballroom. In my opinion it is one of the most splendid rooms in all of Houston—it is considered one of the finest examples of authentic French Regence décor in North America. The room is constructed to feature 300-year-old carved oak panels from the chateau of Comte Henri Greffulhe and Princess Elisabeth de Caraman-Chimay, La Comtesse Greffulhe. Created in 1715, the paneling was installed at an estate near Fontenailles (outside of Paris) in 1891 and was the scene of the last great ball of European royalty prior to World War I. Ready for some hefty name-dropping? Guests at the ball included Czar Nicholas of Russia, Enrico Caruso, Richard Wagner, Louis Pasteur, Marie Curie, Guglielmo Marconi, and Marcel Proust. (Make sure to click the picture for an enlarged view.)
Shannon, Charles, & Sisterwoman perusing art in La Colombe d’Or Gallery
After dinner we retired to the clubby bar for champagne. And once our flutes were properly poured we ventured up. La Colombe d’Or has many secrets–see, it is also a boutique hotel. In fact, it is where Madonna stays when she is in Houston. This visit there were no hotel guests so all of the rooms were open. But these are no ordinary rooms. Each guest suite has its own formal dining room. It seems to me that the mansion’s original sleeping porches morphed perfectly into spacious private dining rooms. And each room is named for a French Impressionist—the Van Gogh Suite, the Monet Suite, and so on. We all have our favorites. Guess which one is mine…
But what goes together better than fine dining and art? Champagne and art! Thus, the main reason for heading up the stairs is for one of the best kept art secrets in Houston—La Colombe d’Or Gallery.
Works by Francesco Caraccio at La Colombe d’Or Gallery
Located on the third floor, La Colombe d’Or Gallery represents established artists, primarily European, with a broad range of styles from Abstraction to Impressionism. The current exhibit combines the works of French Impressionist Gerard Valtier, realist Guy Van den Bulcke, and abstractionist Francesco Caraccio. Caraccio studied in the 1970’s with Marc Chagall who told him, “…you can continue the work of Picasso.” We all love his work; in fact Charles has the urge to buy a collection of his paintings, not just one.
Fine art, architecture, culinary arts, spirits, and friends together for an evening—it was quite the night with Shannon, Charles, and Sisterwoman. We cannot wait to meet up again.
Troy, that sounds like perfection! Miss you.