Every week “My Top 5” showcases an enterprising and creative Houstonian, asking them to share their own Houston favorites in their downtime. This week, we’re pleased to feature Vanessa O’Donnell, pastry chef and owner of Ooh La La Dessert Boutique in Katy.
My Top 5 Things to Do in Houston
by Vanessa O’Donnell
- Texans Games – Something that I look forward to as the summer is coming to an end is Texan’s season starting. I love getting to go to the games on Sundays. There’s something about being in the stadium where everyone is united in cheering for our Texans and, of course, JJ Watt.
- Urban Harvest Farmer’s Market – My favorite part of the day is early in the morning, and there’s nothing better then getting up early on a Saturday morning and going to the Urban Harvest Farmer’s Market; meeting the local farmers and getting fresh produce and meat for the week.
- Church and Sunday Brunch – My husband and I attend Second Baptist in Katy. It’s a Sunday tradition for us to go to church followed by brunch. Some of our local favorite brunch spots are Tiny Boxwoods, Empire Turkish Grill, Backstreet Café and Dish Society (expecially now that they have a Katy location).
- Texas Wildflowers – I grew up in Sealy, a small town west of Houston. One of my favorite memories as a child was driving down the farm roads and seeing all of the beautiful bluebonnets and wild flowers in the Spring. There’s nothing like loading the dogs in the car, rolling down the windows and taking it all in.
- Kuhl-Linscome – I am a beauty product junkie and Kuhl-Linscomb is my one-stop shop for all of my product needs. You can get lost walking their five different show rooms. My favorites are their bedding and arrays of soaps, make up, candles and perfumes.
About Vanessa O’Donnell
Vanessa opened her first bakery at the age of 26 and her third by age of 30. Today, along with her husband Michael, she owns and operates Ooh La La Dessert Boutique with two locations in Katy, at Cinco Ranch and Park Row, and one at Town & Country Village. All three locations, Vanessa offers fresh, made-from-scratch desserts, including award-winning cupcakes, cakes, pies, cookies and more. She is currently nominated for Best Pastry Chef and Favorite Sweets in My Table Magazine’s 2015 Houston Culinary Awards.
