Today is a rejuvenation of our old True Beauty series. Whereas in the past we’ve featured businesses, nonprofits, and similar organizations, we are somewhat shifting our focus to feature influential women in Texas instead. We’ll take a peek inside their closets, their minds, and their hearts to find out exactly what makes them truly passionate.
On a sleepy Saturday morning, my daughter and I climbed up the steps to a quaint bungalow near the Pearl in downtown San Antonio. As we nudged the bright turquoise doors open, the clinking and twinkling of glass beads cheerfully greeted our senses and made my sometimes-shy toddler immediately feel at home. “My mom made those for me,” our hostess tells me, referring to the beads. Today we’re visiting the home of Emily Reynolds: mother of two, master thrift store shopper, and founder of Defining Delicious, a food and beverage PR firm that boasts all the “it” restaurants in town on its roster. She also happens to be a friend, and one that can relate to the juggling act of being a mother and a career woman.
I ask Emily to show me her favorite items in the closet of her warm and cozy bedroom. She immediately begins pulling dress after dress, explaining that she hates to wear pants, especially in San Antonio. The occasional high heel makes an appearance as well, but everything is light, flowing, and feminine. “I’m always mixing pieces, but I love turquoise, white, reds, and yellows,” Emily smiles. “I’m from NYC, but I never wear black so my family thinks I’m strange.”
When it comes to the part of her wardrobe that she collects the most, Emily immediately mentions necklaces. “I collect rings and necklaces made by my mom, or when I travel I’ll buy a piece of jewelry instead of a souvenir,” she says. “They all have various meaning to me, and I always want to feel creative with whatever I’m wearing.” Cora is constantly interrupting to ask questions and inquire as to exactly what we are doing every five minutes. “I love how inquisitive she is,” Emily laughs, and it’s one of those moments where you know a fellow mom gets that that can be both the most adorable and slightly mind-numbing thing. We step outside again to take some pictures on the porch and Emily gives Cora a miniature pig watering can to occupy her for a few moments.
When I ask Emily’s favorite places to shop, she mentions Creature Boutique in Austin, and Buffalo Exchange here in San Antonio. We laugh as we try to fit into our foreign roles of photographer and model for the moment. Emily is one of those women that are quietly beautiful, not in your face look-at-how-hot-I-am. She has the subtly strong presence of a mother who has been there, and a business owner who is used to asserting herself.
Her firm, Defining Delicious, has recently announced Charcuterie Week, an opportunity for San Antonio restaurants to highlight their local, homemade cured meats for one week only at the end of July. She also just co-launched The POWdER House Gallery, an art gallery meets collaborative work space in Sunset Station where she hopes other female entrepreneurs will feel welcome.
When asked what she’s most passionate about, the list for Emily is longer than most. She mentions the budding foodie scene in San Antonio, and the Food Policy Council of San Antonio, where she’s helping to coordinate an event on July 26th to bring together San Antonio’s top chefs and restaurateurs to discuss urban farming. When she’s not busy making someone famous, she paints and writes as a creative outlet. “Writing for me is like painting but with words,” she says. “I feel like I can fully express myself through words or a painting, and it’s important for me to use my creative energy.”
Emily’s entire home is filled with artwork, personal mementos, and unique pieces that give the whole place a lived-in chic feel. “I love to decorate with my kids’ art,” Emily says, just as Cora takes a swat at a toilet paper roll animal craft her daughter made. It’s obvious every room has a purpose, and every decoration has a story. It’s the kind of place you imagine would be very difficult to leave, just for the sheer amount of memories it appears have been made there.
Finally, I shoot Emily the classic Haute in Texas question I ask every person I interview, “Pancakes or waffles?” Emily doesn’t hesitate before choosing pancakes, and tells me that she makes them in the mornings with her kids on a regular basis. “Being from New York, I love good maple syrup, and pancakes are comfort food to me,” she says. That’s a darn good reason to choose pancakes.
For more information on Charcuterie Week, visit the Facebook event here. And to WIN a ticket to the participating restaurant of your choice, enter the giveaway below!
XO,
A
P.S. If you know a woman in Texas who has a great sense of self, style, and significance, email hauteintexas@gmail.com to nominate them for a True Beauty post on Haute in Texas!
