Inside C. Baldwin’s Grand Opening Blowout!

Gloria Gaynor Performs
Gloria Gaynor Performs

Natalie Chambers and Michael Chabala

Nearly 2,000 hip Houstonians — including Lynn Wyatt, Becca Cason Thrash, Houston Ballet and Houston Texans stars, and hometown hip-hopper Slim Thug — hit the C. Baldwin hotel for a first glimpse of the glam new common spaces, including Chris Cosentino's Rosalie restaurant and the lobby's Sloan/Hall boutique.


The hotel, a Curio Collection by Hilton property that was previously a DoubleTree, adopted a theme of powerful women throughout its renovation. The C. Baldwin is named for Charlotte Baldwin Allen, the unsung “mother of Houston," and the leadership team that brought it to life is made up almost entirely of females. Not to mention, Cosentino's Rosalie, inspired by his Italian grandmother, homages another great gal.

So it's no surprise that the grand-opening festivities were inspired by girl power. The famous quote, “Well behaved women rarely make history," lit up as a popular photo backdrop, and a 111-foot “living wall," made of plants," displayed the letter “X." This gesture was inspired by a time when Baldwin was prohibited from signing her own name on biz documents, and served to remind party guests to make their mark on the world.

Surprise concerts by The Suffers and Gloria Gaynor continued the theme.

Party People

Toca Madera Bird's Nest patio (photo by Connie Anderson)

FINALLY, FALL WILL arrive this week. Grab a bite and a drink or linger over a multi-course meal at these cool spots — the patios are calling!

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The Camino Huichol over the Wet Deck

VERDANT, WINDING BRANCHES arch up and over a pathway as a soundtrack of herons and chachalacas (and the occasional monkey) plays overhead. Concrete rectangles artfully jut up through the green, painted in rays of sunlight. Eventually, the path leads down to the beach, where the streaks of sun create a cinematic moment: A slim, tan couple emerges from the ocean with their surfboards in hand and their dogs at their heels, the scent of the Pacific lingering in the thick, humid air.

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