A native Houstonian who loves the city and its cultural diversity, Bria grew up the eldest of two brothers and two sisters. Most of her family lives in Hawaii, but her appreciation for Houston keeps her here, along with an immense love of food that leads her to call Phoenicia home.

Bria was a born foodie, raised by her mom, a chef. Her adventurous eating began when she was very young, tasting and sampling the many treats her mom made. Some of her favorite delicacies are the exotic pastries her mom creates, but her food adventure doesn’t stop there. On her many travels to Hawaii, she has enjoyed some of her most memorable meals from the food trucks that dot the island, always managing to find poi, a Polynesian staple made from the taro root. She’ll soon travel with her family to Laos and Thailand, where she is excited to try new foods and see elephants up close.

With a deep passion for animals, Bria is currently studying zoology. When she graduates from college, she would like to work in conservation, with a focus on elephants.  She loves the “gentle giants” and becomes all smiles as she discusses her thoughts on coexisting with all things and maintaining the balance of nature for generations of people to enjoy.

When Bria isn’t studying or helping customers have the very best shopping experience, she likes to relax with a good book. She’s an avid reader of many different genres and her favorite books are the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward. A fan of the band A Perfect Circle, Bria listens to all genres of music with a book in one hand and a cup of tea within arm’s reach.

Tea is another passion for Bria, one she researches to learn about its natural holistic powers. While Phoenicia stocks so many healthy and amazing teas, Bria’s favorite tea is Zhena’s Gypsy Tea Mojito Mint, which she thinks is refreshing and flavorful.

Bria’s passions take her around the world, but she’s in her element in downtown Houston. She enjoys working downtown, loves the people, atmosphere and bookstores. She and her boyfriend often lunch at Phoenicia and explore museums, Discovery Green and all that downtown has to offer.

When asked about her favorite food at Phoenicia, there’s no hesitation. “Croissants!” Bria thinks our buttery, flaky pastries are perfect and she enjoys them whenever she can.

Come visit Bria downtown and explore everything that makes our city, our store and our employees unique.

For deep, rich red wines, explore the Priorat region of Spain. Here, Grenache and Carignan top the production charts, resulting in beauties that perfectly pair with fall steaks and stews. White lovers savor the Rias Baixas region’s Albariño varietals, and we especially love the story behind the Santiago Ruiz label. Read more about our Spanish faves and come find them at Phoenicia.

Priorat Region

This region is known for its deep, rich red wines. Priorat is one of only two wine regions in Spain to qualify as a Denomination of Origin (DO), the highest qualification level for a wine region according to Spanish wine regulations, alongside the more well-known Rioja. Grenache and Carignan are the top two red grapes in terms of production in the region, and are typically both blended with other grapes to produce Priorat’s powerhouse reds.

Our favorite, Rotllan Torra, is a blend of 35% Grenache, 35% Carignan and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Pair it with a beautiful rib-eye steak or hearty beef stew this fall.

Rias Baixas Region

Located near the Atlantic Ocean in the northwestern part of Spain, over 90% of the wines produced in this region are white, predominantly using the Albariño grape varietal. Blends with heavy concentrations of this grape represent Spain’s standard of white wine across the country.

Winemaker Santiago Ruiz is referred to as “the father of Albarino” as he claims to be the first to harvest it decades ago. His 2013 version is a lively white that offers lots of juicy pear and citrus fruit with a soothing mineral finish. We especially love the story of the label as it’s the exact drawing that Ruiz’ daughter had scribbled to direct guests to the winery for her wedding reception. Papa decided to use it as a memorable wine label.

Summer vacation time may be over, but the opportunity to travel the world and sample unique wines is a year-round luxury at Phoenicia! Before Phoodies naturally turn to drink more reds in the late fall and winter weather, we decided to highlight a few unique whites to pair with fall soups, salads and snacks made with fresh seasonal ingredients we all love.

The Wolftrap White – South Africa
Plum, apple and fresh green almond flavor come out clearly in this beautiful blend of grapes commonly used by South African vintners (Viognier/Chenin Blanc/Grenache Blanc Blend). Screams “pair me” with a seasonal salad topped with toasted pumpkin seeds or delicious Italian-style fried zucchini slices.

Becker Family Pinot Blanc – Germany
Crisp, clean and refreshing with melon and stone fruit taste, finished nicely with marvelous minerals. Arugula, pomegranate and fresh goat cheese salad sounds like a nice partner for this gem.

Aegerter Chardonnay – France
Rich wine with pear notes rounded out with white peach. Classic-styled white Burgundy that is a joy to drink year round. Try a comforting bowl of butternut squash soup with this French trademark.

A native Houstonian, Michael Bateman traveled the world only to return to his favorite spot: Phoenicia! He’s lived in many different places, and as the son of a military family, Michael became immersed in distinctive cultures and customs early in life. His great appreciation for diversity and unique background make him an important part of the Phoenicia management team.

Graduating from high school at the tender age of 16, Michael attended the University of Mississippi and the University of Houston, where he studied history. With deep roots in the military, he felt a calling to serve his country and joined the Air Force. Michael was stationed in South Korea, the Philippines, Europe and several locations in the U.S.

After completing his duty with the Air Force, he returned to Houston and promptly joined the Army. In both military branches, Michael served in the military police, where his aim and purpose was to protect and serve. The Army sent him back to Europe, then returned him stateside where he married his long-time love and began his family. Michael beams with pride as he talks about his children, who are currently carrying on the family’s military tradition. His son, Robert, currently serves in the Coast Guard in Virginia Beach and his daughter, Christine, is at the Air Force Academy in Officer Candidate School.

When his wife enlisted in the military, Michael supported her and moved to Wiesbaden, Germany, a favorite spot because he loves bratwurst and brötchen! Michael eventually came back to the States and worked for the school district at Fort Riley as a computer proctor. A return to Houston soon followed where Michael worked as a sales manager for a tool company. Houston was experiencing an economic downturn and the tool company was facing impending layoffs. Anxious for a fresh start, Michael took the advice of a coworker who suggested he contact a long-time friend who was a manager at Phoenicia. The simple referral led to his perfect job and Michael has now been with Phoenicia for five years.

Michael becomes very thoughtful when he talks about his love for his job. The employees, office team and Tcholakian family mean a lot to him. He is especially appreciative of the family and their generosity, their loyalty to employees, and the caring environment they provide for their employees. His passion for Phoenicia is evident when he talks about his job. “When I go home, I feel good about the job I do. All of it!”

When asked to reveal his favorite food at Phoenicia, he laughs and says, “Everything!” He’s established himself as a bona fide taster, earning the nickname “Honey Badger” because he will eat anything. Lucky for Michael everything at Phoenicia is YUMMY!