Kendra Scott and buzzy Texas blogger unveil new bridal capsule collection

KENDRA SCOTT x CHAMPAGNE & CHANEL

Photo courtesy of Kendra Scott

Two Texas-based female powerhouses have launched an exclusive collaborative bridal collection. Popular jewelry designer and philanthropist Kendra Scott and Austin lifestyle blogger Emily Travis of Champagne & Chanel co-designed the collection, marking the first-ever influencer-designed partnership for the brand.

As Travis is a dedicated wearer of the brand, Scott’s line has been with Travis during monumental moments in her life. While on her own wedding journey, Travis couldn’t imagine celebrating her special day without Kendra Scott and had a vision of what she wanted for her bridal party: timelessness.

“I’m a firm believer that when you find accessories you love, that give you the extra boost of confidence, the rest falls into place — especially on your wedding day,” Scott says in a statement. “We were in the process of expanding our bridal variety and it felt serendipitous when Emily shared her vision for her wedding. I was honored to help her bring this to life for her big day.”

The capsule bridal collection, named after female figures in Travis’ life, features a variety of classic shapes like emerald and round-cut crystals and timeless designs. Included in the capsule collection are dainty drop earrings, tennis bracelets, and necklaces. Together, Scott and Travis created quality pieces at an attainable price point ranging from $58 to $148.

In addition to creating keepsake styles, Travis wanted to design versatile pieces that could not only be worn for black-tie affairs but also more casually every day.

When co-designing the collection, Scott encouraged Travis to incorporate other elements from the big day, such as her floral arrangements. This inspired the Cameron Statement Earring, crafted to effortlessly transition from a formal showstopper to a stud with a unique detachable piece.

“Getting the chance to design a collection with Kendra Scott has definitely been one of the biggest ‘pinch me’ moments of my life,” says influencer Travis in a statement. “This collection is very special to me because it’s inspired by the happiest day — my wedding. I am so proud and honored to have my name on each of these pieces and I hope you love them as much as I do!”

Travis started her blog in 2016 while she was a senior studying at Texas A&M University. What began as a creative outlet has garnered more than 1 million followers. The collection can be shopped in stores and online.

Per a release, Scott reminds us that not all that glitters is gold, that life is as messy as it is magical, that bad things can happen to good people, and that even in our darkest of days, there is always a light to shine.

The Kendra Scott x Champagne & Chanel capsule collection is available now.

Photo courtesy of Kendra Scott

The Kendra Scott x Champagne & Chanel capsule collection is available now.

Photo courtesy of Whataburger

Whataburger says ‘I do’ with new WhataWedding collection for brides and grooms

Love at first bite

Texans planning a wedding anytime soon may want to scrap the tux and gown in favor of some new eat-your-heart-out apparel from a cherished San Antonio-based burger chain.

Just in time for wedding season and Valentine’s Day, Whataburger has released its new lineup of WhataWedding garb and accessories, augmenting its plentiful collection of burger-branded garments and gifts.

The new collection includes designs for her and him in the form of short-sleeved WhataBride and WhataGroom T-shirts, as well as a WhataWedding shirt design, each selling for $25. The sweetheart styles are part of an ongoing collaboration between San Antonio-based Whataburger and Frisco-based apparel business Tumbleweed TexStyles.

The new T-shirts are a cotton/poly blend and are available in — what else? — white for the WhataBride style and black for the WhataGroom style. The WhataWedding style comes in gray, and all three designs are embellished with Whataburger’s iconic orange brand elements.

Whataburger lovers who want to do more than wear their heart on their sleeve can also opt for an additional “touch of elegance” with the new James Avery heart charm ($72), which is crafted in sterling silver and bedecked with Whataburger orange enamel stripes.

Couples getting hitched won’t want to forget to scoop up some of Whataburger’s classic table tents emblazoned with a new “Just Married” script design ($3.99). They’re even available in five-packs for $10.99, so the bride and groom can share the love with their wedding guests.

All of the new WhataWedding designs are currently available for purchase through the online Whatastore.

Whataburger and couples: a match made in burger heaven.

Photo courtesy of Whataburger

Whataburger and couples: a match made in burger heaven.

Photo courtesy of LovBe

Brides will swoon for sparkly rings from this female-founded jewelry line

I Do

Spring — and love — is in the air. If finding the perfect engagement ring is on your horizon (or maybe upgrading the one you already have), consider LovBe lab-grown diamonds.

In addition to their ethical and environmental benefits, LovBe has a few dazzling attributes special only to them:

Twice the carat weight of a mined diamond for the same price. Talk about more for your money!
Superior color and brilliance. Not all diamonds are created equal, whether lab-grown or mined. Only two of every 10 lab-grown diamonds examined by LovBe's experts are accepted as part of their collection. 98 percent of LovBe diamonds are graded Ideal or Excellent Cut — their diamonds are literally the best of the best, for the best value.
A female-founded brand. In a very male-dominated industry, LovBe is unique in that it was started by a woman — who actually had no background in the jewelry industry!

Lab-grown diamonds have identical chemical, physical, and optical properties to an earth-mined diamond. As testimony to this, the Federal Trade Commission removed the word "natural" from the basic definition of a diamond in 2018.

And launching this month is LovBe's first exclusive collection: LovBe Eternal, a capsule collection of nine engagement ring designs featuring fancy shape side stones.

From sleek, tapered baguettes to sophisticated pears to timeless round brilliants, LovBe Eternal allows couples to build their perfect engagement ring. Simply select a center stone of your choosing that fits both your design desires and budget, and then marvel at the ring that exemplifies your unique past, present, and future.

This new collection also marks the introduction of the LovBe Hallmark, a single, round brilliant lab-grown diamond securely placed where only the wearer will know of its presence. The diamond sits close to the vena amoris, which according to the ancient Romans went directly to the heart.

The diamond will be accompanied by LovBe’s signature "L heart" engraved stamp, ensuring the authenticity of each LovBe Exclusive Collection ring.

From customized designs to unparalleled customer service, your LovBe experience will be as rare and refined as your chosen diamond. Let LovBe be your guide to the perfect engagement ring — begin exploring your options today.

Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds!

Photo courtesy of LovBe

Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds!

Photo courtesy of HAR.com

Rule this Texas fairytale castle for a princely $6.5 million

Lakeside palace

A five-story fairytale castle on Lake Whitney that easily could be a fixture at Disney World or along the Las Vegas Strip just hit the market for $6.5 million.

The 10-bedroom, 15-bathroom Parsons Castle — complete with a drawbridge and moat — is just north of Waco in the Lake Whitney town of Laguna Park promoted as the Getaway Capital of Texas. Adam Musiel of eXp Realty has the listing.

Built in 2017, the property features 11,500 square feet of living space on a more than 2-acre site. The castle has served as a venue for weddings, corporate events, reunions, graduation celebrations, parties, and other gatherings.

Highlights of the castle include:

balconies on each floor
a 3,000-square-foot ballroom
a bridal suite
a groom’s dressing room
gazebos
a pool and hot tub
two fireplaces

Hundreds of commenters on Zillow Gone Wild’s Facebook page posted thoughts about Parsons Castle — dubbed "Taj Ma Y’all" by one commenter — that likely would disturb a king or queen.

“This looks like what happens when you start putting all the leftover LEGO pieces on top of each other,” one critic wrote.

“Looks like the home of a Texan oil baron trying to copy Middle Eastern oil barons’ houses, but confused Middle East with Middle Ages halfway through designing it,” another critic observed.

Several kinder, gentler commenters accurately noted that the castle looks like an ideal wedding venue.

Stuart and Rebecca Parsons built Parsons Castle.

“When we bought the property in 2005, we weren’t sure what we were going to build here. But before we even poured the slab, we had already had three or four weddings here. So that’s sort of how this all developed,” Stuart Parsons told Waco TV station KWTX in 2019.

Rebecca Parsons told the Waco Tribune-Herald in 2019 that her husband started drawing up design plans for the castle shortly after they bought the land.

“The castle evolved after years of design changes on the original building drawings,” Rebecca Parsons said. “The original drawings did not look like a castle, but with the help of Sterling Thompson Architects and John Rogers, the structural engineer on the project — who are both from Waco — the castle emerged, to everyone’s delight.”

Workers started pouring the slab for the project in 2009.

“It has been a long project with a lot of changes over the years,” Rebecca Parsons told the Waco newspaper. “But the finished product speaks for itself. It is absolutely amazing and beautiful inside and out, and the perfect venue for a wedding, big event, or big party.”

Parsons Castle sits on the shores of Lake Whitney in Laguna Park.

Photo courtesy of HAR.com

Parsons Castle sits on the shores of Lake Whitney in Laguna Park.

Photo by Straughan Photography

Here's your chance to own a true castle in San Antonio

Haute Property

950 E. Grayson St.
San Antonio, TX 78208

Location: Conveniently close to downtown
Style: Historic European
Square footage: Over 9,000
Beds: 8
Baths: 8 full, 2 partial
Price: $7,000,000

The lowdown: You read that right: a castle. This is a rare and unique opportunity to purchase a historic castle that was once a private residence and is currently used as a wedding and events venue. The limestone structure is built in Richardson Romanesque Revival architecture, offering 16 rooms and nine fireplaces throughout four stories, in addition to a brick carriage house with apartment living quarters.

Situated on one lush, treed acre at the periphery of San Antonio's ongoing rejuvenation near Broadway, the castle is just over a half-mile to The Pearl and northeast of downtown. The property was uniquely designed by renowned British architect Alfred Giles in 1894. Grand, elegant and inviting, the event venue has eight fully accommodated bedrooms for overnight guests furnished with tasteful antiques.

There's even an opportunity to turn the first level into a cafe or fine dining establishment to go along with the multiple public spaces: foyer, grand hall, cozy inglenook, front parlor, library, music room, dining room, and butler's pantry with prep kitchen. The oversized veranda patios are adorned with wood beams and limestone balustrades, and along with the lush lawn have served beautifully as dining and entertainment outdoor spaces

This enchanting building is only steps away from popular coffee bars, boutique shops, and local restaurants, with the Riverwalk less than one mile down the road and The Alamo only three miles away.

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This property is on the market with Julie Alexander of Kuper Sotheby's International Realty. Click here to see more photos, details, and to contact the agent.

The dwelling-turned-event venue at 950 E. Grayston St., which also has overnight guest rooms, is listed for $7 million.

Photo by Straughan Photography

The dwelling-turned-event venue at 950 E. Grayston St., which also has overnight guest rooms, is listed for $7 million.

Photo by Julia Alison

Whataburger says 'I do' to free Valentine's Day wedding at San Antonio store

Burgers and brides

If you’re in love with Whataburger, like so many Texans are, and planning to get hitched, then prepare to flip over the burger chain’s Valentine’s Day promotion.

On January 17, the San Antonio-based company launched its first-ever WhataWedding contest. The six winning couples will be able to get married or renew their vows on Valentine’s Day at one of six Whataburger restaurants in Texas, including a location in Converse.

“From engagement photos to wedding cakes and cookies — even late-night Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits for their guests — our fans have come up with really creative ways to include Whataburger [in] their big day,” Pam Cox, vice president of HR and brand communication at Whataburger, says in a release. “Nothing says love at first bite like wedding bells at Whataburger, and we can’t wait to celebrate a couple of love stories with some of our very own Whataburger super-fans!”

So, what’s involved in a WhataWedding?

Well, each couple will receive a wedding prize package worth about $1,970. The package includes a photographer, an officiant, a wedding cake, a $100 Whataburger gift card, and up to 20 Whataburger meals. The grand-prize-winning couple also will get $5,000 in cash — enough money to buy about 1,600 regular Whataburgers (or take a honeymoon).

Contestants will be judged on an essay of up to 500 words that describes a couple’s love story and explains why they want to get married at a Whataburger restaurant. The deadline for entries is 5 pm on February 2.

In addition to the Converse store a 3839 E. Loop 1604 N, orange-and-white-adorned WhataWedding ceremonies will be held at these five Whataburger locations:

College Station, 451 Wellborn Rd.
Corpus Christi, 121 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Fort Worth, 2209 N. Tarrant Pkwy.
Grand Prairie, 930 E. I-30
Houston, 1110 Silber Rd.

Bad news for residents of Florida, New York, and Rhode Island: You’re not eligible to enter the contest.

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American Airlines adds summer travel perks including Wi-Fi enhancements, meals, and movies

Airline Food News

Fort Worth-based American Airlines has made some additions to its in-flight lineup for summer 2023, including new meals and foodie snacks, Wi-Fi updates, and new movie options to stream. That includes a special selection of films celebrating Pride Month in June.

Food first!

Food
The new food options include chef-curated menu options in premium cabins and choices for the indulgent or health-conscious traveler in the main cabin.

Plant-based: Customers flying on transcontinental American Flagship service flights have a new premium entrée and it's plant-based, woo-hoo: The new Plant-Based Bulgogi Noodle Bowl entrée comes with yakisoba noodles, stir-fry vegetables, and plant-based beef crumbles — offering a new meal option that is both nourishing and delicious.

Avli on the Park: Customers flying in premium cabins to Europe from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport this summer can enjoy dishes from Avli on the Park, a Greek restaurant in Chicago and a Michelin 2023 honoree. Options include a Greek Beef Orzo Stew and a Kagiana Egg Scramble for breakfast. These items from Avli on the Park are available on six nonstop flights to Europe: Athens, Barcelona, Dublin, London, Paris, and Rome.

Wi-Fi updates
Wi-Fi enhancements for the summer months include:

Complimentary Wi-Fi for T-Mobile customers: By July, 100 percent of American's Wi-Fi-equipped regional and narrowbody aircrafts will offer T-Mobile In-Flight Connection On Us, allowing eligible T-Mobile customers to enjoy complimentary connectivity with streaming on domestic flights.

Summer streaming: Travelers to international destinations should be able to enjoy faster Wi-Fi speeds and a more reliable service for all their connectivity needs thanks to increased bandwidth planned for American's widebody aircraft, offering 100 percent mainline aircraft with video streaming capabilities.

Entertainment
New film and viewing options include:

Monthly exclusives: New movies will be offered monthly which customers can watch exclusively inflight such as the new AppleTV+ movie Ghosted.

Pride Month: American is offering an entertainment channel featuring top LGBTQ+ talent; customers can choose from a list of movies and series.

American Black Film Festival channel: This summer, American is bringing new content to the American Black Film Festival channel, elevating the unique voices and power stories of the Black community to offer a deeper understanding of the Black experience.

"Our customers are the inspiration behind everything we do, and American is committed to consistently deliver a world-class experience for them,” said Kim Cisek, Vice President of Customer Experience. “We know customers want a convenient travel experience throughout their journey on American and to arrive at their destination satisfied and ready to explore — a focus we keep in mind when refreshing and creating new experiences for them to enjoy on the ground and in the skies."

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is ridiculous and fun at the same time

Movie Review

The Transformers series has been one marked by near universal derision by the critics and (mostly) massive box office, highlighting the divide between those who watch movies for a living and those who just go for fun. Given that history, it seemed unlikely that the latest film, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, would unite the two factions.

Like the last film, Bumblebee, Rise of the Beasts is a prequel to the Transformers films directed by Michael Bay from 2007-2017 (Bay remains as a producer). Set in 1994, it features a way-too-complicated story involving something called the Transwarp device prized by three separate groups of Transformers: The Autobots led by Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen); the Maximals, animal-esque bots led by Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman); and the Terrorbots, led by Scourge (Peter Dinklage). One guess as to which of those groups is the evil one.

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Mirage (Pete Davidson) in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) is a former soldier in Manhattan who can’t find a job and tries his best to take care of his sickly brother, Kris (Dean Scott Vazquez). Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback) works at a museum on Ellis Island, where she encounters an artifact with unusual markings. Through a series of unlikely but still fun events, both of them are dragged into the conflict between the Transformers, with nothing less than the fate of the universe at stake.

Directed by Steven Caple Jr. and written by a team of five writers, the film is as ridiculous as any of the previous iterations, and yet somehow it becomes the most entertaining entry yet. Some of this has to do with the human characters, who are given engaging scenes outside of the ones with Transformers, allowing them to be relatable instead of just pawns in the robot battles.

The trifecta of Transformer groups turn out to be actually interesting, rather than an excuse to fill the screen with CGI nonsense. The Autobots, as usual, are the main heroes, and with Bumblebee using movie quotes to talk and Mirage (Pete Davidson) lobbing wisecracks constantly, they’re rarely unentertaining. Having the animal-like Maximals on board gives a new dimension, and the seemingly unstoppable Scourge makes for an intimidating villain.

That’s not to say, of course, that the film doesn’t devolve into chaos on multiple occasions. Several of the battles, including the final sequence, seem designed to be almost incomprehensible. But Caple and the visual effects team appear to have understood that clarity makes for a better moviegoing experience, and so even as bedlam reigns, there’s a level of focus to the film that other films in the series have not had.

Even though his character isn’t fully fleshed out, Ramos brings a kind of streetwise energy to the role that makes him stand out. Fishback is not given as much to do, but she’s still highly enjoyable. Cullen, who’s been voicing Optimus Prime since the 1980s, is still a commanding presence, allowing Davidson, Michelle Yeoh, Perlman, and more to bring their own unique flair to their characters.

It may be a low bar to jump, but Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is the best film so far in the series, cracking the code of pairing humans with robots for a (semi)intelligible story. A late movie teaser will have fans geeking out over the future, but it’s best to enjoy this film for being as good as it is.

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Transformers: Rise of the Beasts opens in theaters on June 9.

San Antonio had the 3rd largest population increase in the U.S., new Census report says

POPULATION REPORT

We already know things are changing in Texas at large, but how about San Antonio? Now, six out of the 15 most populous cities in the United States are in the Lone Star State, and the Alamo City had one of the largest numeric population increases in the nation. The U.S. Census Bureau's latest findings add more validity to reports that less people are interested in living in the city proper, and are seeking residence in the suburbs.

San Antonio added nearly 18,900 new residents between July 2021 to July 2022, bringing the city's total population to nearly 1,473,000. That put San Antonio at No. 3 on the list of numerical increases (as opposed to proportional growth). For scale, the report lists Austin at 1.0 million. Fort Worth took the top spot with its gain of 19,170 residents, and Phoenix, Arizona earned No. 2 after adding 19,053 to its population count.

The top 10 cities with the largest numeric population increases are:

No. 1 – Fort Worth, Texas
No. 2 – Phoenix, Arizona
No. 3 – San Antonio, Texas
No. 4 – Seattle, Washington
No. 5 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 6 – Jacksonville, Florida
No. 7 – Port St. Lucie, Florida
No. 8 – Cape Coral, Florida
No. 9 – Houston, Texas
No. 10 – Georgetown, Texas

New Braunfels also earned a nod in the report for being the No. 13 fastest growing city in 2022, and crossing the 100,000 population threshold. The city grew by 5.7 percent, adding up to 104,707 residents.

In an overall analysis of the 15 largest American cities in 2022, San Antonio ranked No. 7. Houston was the only Texas city that ranked higher at No. 4 with its population of over 2.3 million people. Dallas came in at No. 9 with a population of just under 1.3 million, and Austin barely made it into the top 10 with a population of 974,447 residents. Fort Worth ranked outside the top 10 at No. 13, with a population of 956,709.

The top 10 most populous American cities are:

No. 1 – New York City, New York
No. 2 – Los Angeles, California
No. 3 – Chicago, Illinois
No. 4 – Houston, Texas
No. 5 – Phoenix, Arizona
No. 6 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. 7 – San Antonio, Texas
No. 8 – San Diego, California
No. 9 – Dallas, Texas
No. 10 – Austin, Texas

The report additionally discovered that housing inventory skyrocketed by 1.6 million units between 2021 and 2022. Texas had the third fastest housing growth with a rate of 2.3 percent, versus Utah, which had the fastest growth at 3.3 percent.

San Antonio didn't make the cut in the list of the 10 most populous U.S. metro areas (as opposed to the cities, themselves), but Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington ranked No. 4, and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land ranked No. 5.

The full report can be found on census.gov.

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