My flickr stream stats, with more than 2,000 uniques in a single day, the day of the Caroline Collective Opening Party, are testament to the fact that Houston is onto something. I took the weekend to go explore what that “it” is. To discover the je ne sais quoi that makes Houston an up-and-coming city. Named Best Place to Live in 2008 by Kiplinger’s, one needn’t look far to discover what they’re getting right.

Yet many of my friends, when they heard that Houston was in first place expressed disbelief. Houston!? What could Houston possibly have going for it? I thought it was all strip malls and interstate?

Well, yes…and. The and is what I want to explore here. The food and the people and the events and the conversations to be had. You won’t be disappointed if you visit Houston and you know the right folks. Houston takes real good care of its visitors.

The Food: An Eclectic Mix of Whatever Ya Like

The first day I got into Houston Monica Danna, event planner extraordinaire with a penchant for sharing the joys of Houston with strangers (she’d probably call them friends-in-the-making) took me to Chuys. She had quesadillas and I had enchiladas. The art deco displayed haphazardly all over the walls coupled with the enthusiastic patrons made the stress of my arduous two hour journey from Denver to Houston well worth it.

Throughout the weekend I had the pleasure of attending a number of Houston’s finer establishments. We went to Leon’s on Friday night and danced the night away to 80s country tunes by Vinyl Ranch. I was like, “retro country? I’m in it to win it!”

I didn’t actually see food but I smelled it. There were rumors of food. You’ll have to ask a Houstonian if they do actually serve food. We drank $2 LoneStars. I wore a plastic cowboy hat. What more could you want out of your first night in a new place?

I had some coffee at Diedrich’s a couple of times. We had some interesting interactions with wheat- and sugar-free muffins (in the words of one taste tester: “If I threw that thang against the wall it woulda bounced off!!”). One morning a few of us enjoyed the deliciously dipped Texas French Toast at The Breakfast Klub (where everything on the menu with the letter “c” in it was replaced with the letter “k.”) The last night I was there we went to Benjys which was totally killer. Have the salmon tacos.

The Main Event: Caroline Collective Opening Bash

I have to say, I’ve never been part of the planning of an event for +/- 500 people. It was a first for me to imagine the number of hours, people and behind-the-scenes conversations that must take place in order for an event of this size and caliber to be pulled off.

Because I was staying with the event planner I got an inside view of what it takes to make a party really come together. You have to balance the seemingly mundane (What if we run out of toilet paper? Who’s going to handle trash bags?) and the high level questions (Are the vendors there? Well then where the bleep are they?!?). Monica handled questions, problems and changes to schedule with ease. And managed to look smashing at the event. I mean, she’s basically my hero.

The actual event was well-attended, upbeat and funny. I met some of the coolest folks. The Bloggess, Gary Vaynerchuk from Wine TV, Alexis Bledel—all of these people seemed to be the similar IRL to the “characters” they portray online or on tv. The creative energy was palpable as photographers circled the perimeter and djs Dave and Phil dropped the hot hot beats. Founders Matthew and Ned seemed to be thrilled, dancing and entertaining guests all evening. (Thank you, guys!!)

The event lasted several hours and the party continued with an after-party hosted by Gary Vaynerchuk at Corkscrew. The wine bar was lovely, outfitted as it was with solid oak paneling and an intimate back room where we had our private gathering. Bottles were on hand, the wine flowed, conversations gathered steam. Monica and I talked with Gary about branding, a subject close to both our hearts, and we wound down as the bar announced last call.

The People: I Left My Heart with You Gals in Texas

I fall in love pretty easily. When I travel I find myself in an even more open, vulnerable state with people. I fell in love this weekend.

With Monica, her kindness, hospitality, ease with people and herself. With Maggie, her honesty and ferocity. With Happy Katie, her laughter and willingness to be herself. With Michelle, her ability to crack open anyone’s heart with a smile. With Imelda, her lovingkindness towards others. With Stefanie, her get-er-done attitude and honest evaluations. With Hala, her modesty and gestures. With Tiffany, her ability to make you feel completely at ease. With Annelies, her wit and humor. With Laura, her we-are-going-to-rock-this-completely-out-starting-today-ability.

What an incredible group of women. These girls made the trip extraordinary. I can’t overstate what meeting and getting to know them better, in the case of the couple I knew before, meant to me. Houston is blessed to have these lovely ladies in their presence. I am blessed to call them friends.

Thank you, all of you.