Casually strolling.  Totally candid. — Casually strolling. Totally candid.

Okay Houston...I see you, slowly but surely trying to make this entire city #basic and #igworthy (worried that when I say stuff like that it's not coming off as ironic anymore...). Take Heights Mercantile, a little shopping center at Heights Boulevard and 7th Street. I couldn't even tell you what was at this intersection a year and a half ago. One day I'm driving by and out of nowhere has appeared a path lit with string lights, ice cream and crepe shops built into "old houses," several clothing/apparel stores (including Chubbies, Warby Parker, and Marine Layer), a yoga studio, and a new location of my favorite restaurant (Local Foods, obviously). I'd love to tell you about all of these things, but today we're talking about crepes and wine.

Melange Creperie

Melange Creperie used to be located inside of Conservatory, and was one of my favorite Treat Yo Self Friday (a totally real thing my work BFF and I made up) lunch spots, until it tragically moved to Heights Mercantile. Tragically might be the wrong word; I'm actually very excited that there is a full restaurant now. The menu has expanded, and for lack of a better term, the space is pretty freakin' adorable. The crepes are just as delicious as they were at Conservatory. I think there might even be some non-crepe options, but why would you order anything other than a crepe here? I usually go for one of the savory varieties, although I am a huge fan of anything involving Nutella. They also serve coffee, which is obviously a plus in my book. Many a girly lunch/brunch/snack/break on a walk along the Heights Hike and Bike Trail has taken place in this little house.

Postino Wine Cafe

Across the street from Melange is an even newer establishment called Postino, and if you've driven down Yale Street recently you have no doubt seen the yellow umbrellas. As the name implies, wine is the draw here, but the panini I ordered was great. Your food options are pretty much as expected for this kind of place - salads and sandwiches, plus cheese boards, bruschetta, and such. I need to return and acquire one of these cheese boards. There is also a sizable beer menu, which on the 95 degree day we were there seemed like the move. PSA: before 5 every day (including Saturday), glasses of wine and pitchers of beer are only $5. This is how I accidentally ordered an entire pitcher of beer for myself. But I mean...it was only $5. And it was Buckle Bunny, which is local and falls under my "actual good beer" category. Neither of us actually ordered any wine, but the options were extensive. This place fits in with the area pretty seamlessly - cute lighting on the patio, a little bougie, food presentation made for social media. I don't even know where that sticker that my friend Magi is holding up came from, but I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment.

After you've eaten, check out some of the stores in the area, or take a walk down the Heights Hike and Bike Trail that passes right through this shopping center. I mean...hypothetically. It's like 392487238 degrees outside right now.

<3 liz