Barker Street Bakery

Oh, for the love of dog!

Business Spotlight April 2012

We’ve been members of the South Montgomery County – Woodlands Chamber of Commerce for going on three years now and have had the opportunity to meet a number of wonderful business owners throughout our community. But all of us have such busy schedules, it’s rare when we can sit down and talk for any length of time about who we are and what we do. We had the chance to do just that, however, when we sat down with Tanya and Aaron Ogden, owners of Barker Street Bakery just the other day.

Barker Street Bakery didn’t always belong to the Ogdens, but like parents to and adopted stray, you’d never know the difference, as they pour their hearts into building a business they can be proud to call their own. The original owner’s concept was born from a need to fill a niche – they had an English Bulldog which suffered from nearly every allergy a dog can, and finding foods, treats and toys that were both safe for their pet as well as nutritional and enjoyable was difficult at best. It seems that though one can pick up a bag of dog chow or a box of treats at any Petco, PetSmart, Target or Wal-Mart, it’s surprisingly hard to find specialty items for those that have the need without going directly to your vet, and quite possibly considerable expense. And for those that think hey, my dog’s fine eating any old thing he finds on the ground, so what’s so bad about bargain dog food? Consider this – many of those cheaper chows are chock full of additives, and some of those can be of such dismal quality you may be shocked to learn they can even include – ugh – dog!

Aaron and Tanya have a love of dogs that goes far beyond what (we think) a majority of people who say they “love dogs” have. As founders of Guardian Pitbull Rescue – which they established together in 2010 after having both served as volunteers in animal shelters and seeing countless Pitbulls passed over for adoption year after year – Barker Street Bakery felt like the perfect fit in combination with their mission to give as many dogs as possible a better life. “There’s this deep-set, false belief that Pitbulls are the most dangerous breed [based on media coverage],” Tanya told us. “It makes people shy away from and fear some of the most wonderful and loving dogs; they don’t even know what they’re missing.” In fact, it’s statistically more likely that an unprovoked dog bite will come from a Labrador than from a Pitbull. But it’s far more likely that you’ll hear about it on the news when it’s a Pitbull.

In August, 2011, the opportunity to purchase Barker Street came about – through The Chamber, no less. Tanya had been assigned to Barker Street as their ambassador (ambassadors in The Chamber help newer members to meet other members and establish a strong foothold in the community) when the then-owner asked if she knew of anyone who might be interested in taking over. “Did I know anyone? Yeah!” And in less than a year’s time, the Ogdens have remodeled the store, added some great loyalty programs (with some new ideas in the works), changed the logo and changed the hours. But they haven’t changed the mission.

Gourmet Dog Treats

Barker Street Bakery offers a whole range of 100% human-consumable, hand-made dog treats. You read that right; everything they make is perfectly safe for humans to eat. Not that you’d want to eat everything they make (liver cookie, anyone?). But Tanya laughed at the skepticism in our eyes and told us everyone always thinks it can’t be true, and she loves to surprise them with a little something from the glassed-on treat cases. “Here, try a peanut butter cup,” she said. We ever-so-cautiously tried the tiniest of nibbles as she explained that as chocolate is toxic to dogs, they make their peanut butter cups with carob, a legume that is used as a chocolate substitute and does not contain theobromine, the alkaloid found in chocolate which is toxic. The peanut butter of course is just peanut butter. We wouldn’t have believed it had we not tried it, but actually? Those peanut butter cups are delicious! And addictive!

In addition to the peanut butter cups, Barker Street bakes up pastries, cookies, cakes and pup-cakes. They can and do make special cakes for special occasions. Birthday cakes decorated with a yogurt-based frosting, as well as decorated cookies suitable for gift-giving. Barker Street also carries a full line of all-natural, specialty foods from Taste of the Wild and Origins that can’t be found anywhere else in the area, not even most vet’s offices. And while these foods may be slightly more expensive that commercial foods, when you consider you only need to feed your dog about two cups of these foods, versus the five cups of the bargain brands to get anywhere near the same nutritional value, there’s really no comparison.

Barker Street also carries a huge assortment of collars, leashes, dishes, treats, shampoos, accessories and more. Tanya tells us she puts hours of research into every item they sell, ensuring the quality of the items offered and that they’ll be both safe for your pet as well as long-lasting. There’s even a local vendor that supplies them with custom-made collars and dog beds. They even offer dog beds in a suitcase – the interior of the suitcase is waterproof and can easily be cleaned out as needed in order to eliminate spills and other canine mishaps.

Besides being open six days a week, and running a Pitbull rescue, and having events throughout the community to support shelter animal adoptions, and meeting up with other Pitbull owners for weekly walks on The Waterway, and both Aaron and Tanya having full-time jobs and being parents – they still find time to offer a once a month Yappy Hour at Barker Street. Each Yappy Hour event is held for the benefit of a local animal rescue organization (there’s one for any number of breeds), with 100% of the day’s proceeds going to the particular organization of the day, as well as 10% of all sales made at the bakery that day. As it turns out, this month’s Yappy Hour is for the benefit of Guardian Pitbull Rescue, and will be held on Saturday, April 15 from 1:00 – 4:00 PM. At each month’s Yappy Hour, some fabulous raffle prizes are given away. And you don’t even have to own a dog to enjoy what they have to offer. For example, this month’s prizes include a ride in a biplane along with VIP passes to Wings Over Houston and the Blue Angels, a golf outing, an iPad, a “date basket” with gift certificates to a high-end eatery and other assorted goodies. The raffle prizes are on display throughout the month at Barker Street, and tickets may be purchased for specific items. Tickets are only $5 each, or get five for $20 or 15 for $50. But if you do have a dog, be sure to bring him or her along! Camp Bow-wow will be on hand, giving some lucky bitches (you knew we had to throw that in there) a “pawdicure” and Elements Massage will be providing puppy massages.

As the expression goes, this one’s for the dogs. All dogs are welcome at Barker Street Bakery. It’s perfectly ordinary to walk in and find members of the staff down on the floor playing with visiting dogs, or dogs running around playing together. Barker Street does ask that if you know your pet is especially skittish or nervous that for safety’s sake you keep them leashed. Still, don’t be surprised to see someone come around the counter or out of the back and want to love all over your dog.

If you’d like to learn more about Barker Street Bakery, you can visit their website, but really there’s no better way to get a feel for all the love they have to offer your special pet than by stopping in. Barker Street Bakery is open Monday – Saturday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. They’re located at 442 Sawdust Road, at the northeast corner of Sawdust and Budde Road behind the Verizon Wireless store. Give them a call at (281) 465-1703. Guardian Pitbull Rescue is a 501(c)3 nonprofit establishment. If you’d like to know more about Guardian Pitbull Rescue, or about Pitbulls as a breed, you can visit their website, or better yet, stop in during Yappy Hour next weekend or on any given Sunday out on The Waterway, where they meet with other Pitbull owners at 4:30 PM in front of the Waterway Parking Garage.

Jerry Built Homegrown Burgers

They’re From Here

Jerry Built Homegrown Burgers are definitely homegrown. Most of their ingredients are organic, including most of the condiments and according to their website, obtained localy when available. Jerry Built is always fresh, and committed to sustainability. Originating in Houston, this burger restaurant should be a boom to local farmers and suppliers.

It was opening weekend and the parking lot was crowded. The line looked daunting, but they had a large staff on hand and the line moved quickly. My order was written right on the bag to ensure that it was prepared accurately. I ordered the ¼ lb burger with Ernie’s sauce and creamy jalapeno cheese on thier fresh-baked bun. I had them add lettuce, tomatoes, & jalapenos…all at no extra charge. I couldn’t make up my mind to order crinkle-cut French fries or the crinkle-cut sweet potato fries, so my order taker suggested a combo. I’m glad I did as I was able to sample both, and never having eaten French-fried sweet potatoes, I actually liked them better than the traditional fries. You get a big box of fries which is a bargain at $1.99. The price of the burger might be a buck and a half more than the national chain stores’ deluxe burgers, but a buck and a half lower than you would pay at Fuddruckers.

Now on to why I dropped by this organic, homegrown, sustainable hamburger restaurant. I have this chronic problem that occurs if food has been off-temperature or ill prepared. If there’s a trace of bacteria in the meat, I’ll know within just a couple of hours of eating it. I’ve learned to detect the early warning indicators and have to pop the antibiotics before the chills and fever set in. I’ve had too many problems with burgers from the franchises, so I’ve had to avoid them. I didn’t have room after finishing the burger and fries, but definitely noticed that the ice cream served in their shakes, malts, and floats, was Blue Bell ice cream…no whar but Texas!

Every one of the Jerry Built employees must have had extensive training in friendly. They were all smiles, and no less than five stopped by to check if everything was OK. Unbeknownst to me, one was a business partner. Brooksy Smith (one of the five partners) said they source seasonal ingredients from local and regional farmers during each harvest, from their freshly-ground brisket and chuck, daily baked buns, and including the crinkle-cut fries. I asked if there are plans to open up more restaurants, but he said not right away. This is not a national chain. He said they don’t want to rush their expansion, and there were no plans to franchise the business. There are only two restaurants…one in the medical center area, located at 3501 W. Holcombe, which just opened in February, and this new one north of The Woodlands Mall next door to the Container Store.

It wouldn’t be a grand opening without a balloon artist and he was fast and efficient. I mention this because my only complaint had nothing to do with Jerry Built Homegrown Burgers, the food, or the balloon artist. It was the adults who allowed their children to run through the restaurant with their balloon swords and light sabers, oblivious to the fact that the children were interfering with the staff performing their duties, and the other patrons who were trying to enjoy their meals. The children were not only sword fighting each other, but even turned on staff members. There’s a place for this kind of behavior when the parents don’t want to bother controlling their children…the ‘kiddie cage’ at McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A. I’m sure after the grand opening there won’t be swords and light sabers to contend with; and hopefully children who’ve been fed a steady diet of bad burgers (and who wouldn’t know a good burger from a bad burger) will want to go back to the other locations where they can be incarcerated.

I loved the Jerry Built Homegrown burger and had absolutely no repercussions from it. I’ve finally found a good burger I can safely eat, and I like that there from here.

author – Janet Warner

Related:

Jerry Built Burgers Review

Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch

We first told you about Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch (PCI) about a year and a half ago. In that time, some amazing changes have taken place out at the ranch – and many more are in the works. The one thing that hasn’t changed and won’t change is PCI’s dedication to help kids from all walks of life. And they do that the best way they know how – with their horses.

Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch is growing at a steady rate and continues to expand on the services they can provide to children in need. The Ranch has partnered with Montgomery County Youth Services (MCYS) to offer their newest program, Heart. Heart is a special program designed to help at-risk children. These children may be experiencing trouble at home or depression, maybe they ran away from home or perhaps through no fault of their own face homelessness. It’s something many of us don’t often think about, yet we were informed that there are actually camps of homeless children living right here in The Woodlands. One of the not-so-pretty facts about The Woodlands.

In addition to the children in the MCYS program, there are also more than 5,000 special needs children currently enrolled in the Conroe Independent School District; the district which currently services the majority of children in The Woodlands. It is from among these children that counselors may refer candidates to PCI Ranch for their Equine Assisted Mental and Behavioral Health Therapy. In these one-on-one sessions, sometimes the kids are riding, sometimes they’re grooming, sometimes they’re simply helping out with the tack or clean-up. But they’re always accompanied by a professional therapist who listens, interacts, watches and counsels these kids through their struggles. These instructors are volunteers, as our the various assistants helping with the sessions.

These unique therapy methods are producing many measurable results. Kids who may be living with limited social interaction can find that they are able to open up and speak what is on their mind, without fear of rejection or judgement - because the non-judgemental horses are there and they are a constant. Whether they are standing still or in motion, many horses behave the same way and they walk the same way at every session. The rhythm of the walking is always consistent and the children can tune in on this allowing them to relax and open up.

Horses also have a keen intelligence, and are extremely sensitive to human emotion. Even when the children say little or nothing, the horses are generally reflective of the child’s emotional state, giving cues to the therapist as to what’s going on with the child and providing insight as to which direction to go with their therapy.

Each week over 70 volunteers, four certified equine therapy instructors and the mental health therapist work with 45 special needs kids, 20 at–risk teens and six families. All of the programs are very labor intensive, each requiring an instructor or therapist and as many as three volunteers for each client and horse. The outcomes from these specialized programs are frequently life changing; children that could not speak their first words learn to do so, kids that could not walk, take steps towards learning how to put one foot in front of the other, and those that have lost hope due to depression or abuse learn to overcome their demons. In combination with standard support resources, the Equine therapy results at Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch are truly inspiring.

Despite that these methods are tried and true they aren’t widely known so PCI operates on limited public funding, occasional insurance reimbursements and donations to keep this going for then next child and the one after that. That being said, Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch runs almost entirely on donations, financial, physical and material. And it is by those donations that the needs of the Ranch continue to be met. At it’s present state, the Ranch has ten working horses, but needs to retire two of them based on their age and ability. Since opening in 2008, the Ranch has yet to own a horse barn. The planned building will house the horses protecting them from the elements and providing safety. Additionally, because the Ranch does not have a covered arena, anytime there is inclimate weather or the fall/winter seasons when the days grow short, therapy sessions are occasionally rescheduled or sometimes cancelled. For some of the children the Ranch helps each week, a disruption in routine can cause setbacks that are difficult to overcome. It’s because of this that a covered arena with lighting would go a long way in aiding the amount of therapy sessions PCI Ranch can offer. The barn is a most desirable goal, providing a secure and safe place to stable the horses, PCI Ranch can increase the number of horses available for therapy while rotating the horses between sessions thereby providing a wider base of contact per child.

As the expression goes, you get what you give and it’s obvious Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch gives a whole lot of good – because good things are coming back to the Ranch. This winter they have been able to break ground for the new barn, and where the offices and family center will eventually be constructed. Currently, the preparation of the land is being completed with donated hours of service, using a bulldozer and track hoe donated by Mustang Caterpillar. It is the hope of founder David Darnall that come this Spring, group work on the buildings could get underway, based on funding and volunteer base. With a little luck, maybe come April they’ll be able to host a good old fashioned barn raising!

So what can you do to help? You can make cash donations through PayPal. Riding helmets and any other donations of grain/feed, tack or volunteer work are greatly appreciated; just give them a call and see what you can do to help! Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch is a 501(c)3 nonprofit establishment. Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch is located at 25902 Glen Loch Drive, just outside of the Village of Panther Creek. If you’d like to know more about Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch, you can visit their website, or better yet, call them at 713 302-3640 or drop them a line and arrange to come out to the ranch and see for yourself all the goodness they can accomplish.

Related: Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch Our first visit
Google Map location

What is Zunum?

Zunum is designed to be unique among restaurants in The Woodlands offering more than just lunch and dinner.

The Woodlands has been growing and evolving for more than 30 years. The master planned community offers a unique suburban environment complete with nearly everything required for “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Unlike any other major city, The Woodlands has more trees than people,
more parks per household, and more miles of pathways than just about any other city out there. So if you want to create something unique, The Woodlands is a great place to do it. And if what you want to create is a unique restaurant, all the better.

Because when it comes to restaurants, The Woodlands has more than 400 places to grab a bite to eat, all of the standards places and varieties you might expect to find in most major cites. Sure there’s Chili’s, IHOP, Saltgrass Steakhouse and Pappadeaux’s along with a plethora of other restaurants offering everything from breakfast to late night tacos – not to mention all the counter service and drive thru window burger joints. Many of us are becoming bored with the world of franchise restaurants, no matter which store you visit, it’s the same decor, the same menu offering the same selections. It’s up to the kitchen to prepare them correctly so that the flavor comes out the same way in the various dishes which sadly, is infrequent. Zumum hopes to change that by bringing an updated version of the family restaurant to The Woodlands.  While the idea of having a restaurant with a play area for the kids is not new (see McDonalds & Burger King), those venues also offer food that is kid friendly as well. Kids can be quite happy with food made by kids but most adults prefer something better than the standard grill fried hamburger with mustard, ketchup and pickles. Zunum is not Burger King or McDonalds and definitely not fast-food either. The menu at Zunum has some familiar titles with some unique twists on the various entrees so be sure to read the menu carefully.

The word “Zunum” is derived from a Mayan term “Tzunum” meaning “Hummingbird.” Developed by the owners of multiple restaurants and bars in Houston, they wanted to bring to The Woodlands a different type of restaurant never before seen. It is different than anything here in The Woodlands – or the greater Houston area altogether. More aptly described as a world of it’s own, the Zunum World tries offer something for everyone, young and old. It’s not so much that it’s mysterious, it’s just that it’s difficult to describe without the risk of pigeon-holing it into something that it’s not. The restaurant offers a discrete birthday party room and a lounge type area and table seating for the adults to relax or enjoy a meal while the kids play.

Zunum attempts to offer guests a unique experience with something for everyone. This new dining venture has completely renovated the space on Research Forest Drive from which Casa Rico’s vacated in 2011. Zunum occupies some 5,000 square feet allowing for it to evolve while offering complete immersion for it’s visitors. The open dining room is adjacent to a secure, children’s play area complete with XBOX and Playstation setups, play structures and a padded floor. The toddler area is rated for ages 6 – 24 months and the junior play area is for ages 2-12. The play area is supervised and affords sound proofing from the dining area.

We’re really looking forward to seeing if the fruits of all these labors will create and maintain a steady customer base. Zunum promises to be a place everyone wants to go, to relax and enjoy, a place where young and old agree without anyone having to compromise. Will it live up to the hype? We’ll keep you posted!

A “GenuWine” Good Time in Magnolia

February Business Spotlight

Tucked away in the corner of the Westwood Shopping Center in Magnolia is GenuWine, a wine tasting room offering some 250 different wines (on average) to enjoy by either the glass or the bottle. But GenuWine is more than just a wine bar; at the helm of the kitchen you can find their well-kept secret Kacy – an accidental chef who recently introduced his own version of the widely known stuffed mushroom.

We stopped in for a late lunch/early dinner in between clients the other day and sampled a variety of refreshingly simple dishes from Kacy’s kitchen. After placing our order, we relaxed and took in the cozy, relaxing atmosphere of GenuWine, while also enjoying a little shopping. Because on top of being a Wine Tasting Room and Bistro, GenuWine is also a wine store and casual gift shop! A variety of wine-related gifts, everything from witty cocktail napkins to unique wine glasses, classy t-shirts to eclectic décor, and of course, wines of all sorts, are available at GenuWine.

Kacy was discovered quite randomly by Rhonda, one of GenuWine’s owners, while he stood outside GenuWine holding a sign to advertise another establishment there in the Westwood Shopping Center. Starting out simply helping in the kitchen, he quickly began offering ideas and input to the menu which are becoming quite popular. Now heading the kitchen team, his current crowning achievement is the newly added Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms. Kacy doesn’t want to give away all his secrets, but these delightfully sautéed (not fried) mushrooms are stuffed with black and white balsamic vinaigrette, garlic, spinach, prosciutto and parmesan.

Our Flight

Of course, I’m more of the wine drinker, too, and was eager to come in to GenuWine for a wine tasting. The day we were in, we sampled Mont Paral Cava, a fruity sparking brut that reminded me of green apples and white grapes. Next up was my favorite of the day, Las Lilas Vinho Verde Rose – It’s fresh and quenching the way a Vinho Verde was intended to be, but offers exciting flavors of strawberry soda, watermelon, and fizzy sweet tarts. Plus I love it’s electric pink color. Our third tasting was the 20 Barrels Chardonnay; a Chilean white that sounded better in its description than I found it to be. My favorite red of the day was the Cuvee A Pinot Noir. It was garnet in color, and had aromas of spices, fresh black raspberries and hints of toasty oak. I liked the cranberry and black cherry flavor which was highlighted with a hint of cinnamon. Immediately after the Pinot Noir was The Chocolate Block, my first (and probably last) South African wine. Mia cautioned us when pouring this bold red that many of the South African wines tend to be dense in flavor and not something she cared for personally; but more of an acquired taste. And for those who do love it, this one tends to be their favorites. Alas, it wasn’t mine (or his) – I gave up after the first sip. Our final sample was the Barr Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon; if a Cab is your red preference, this versatile selection could be just what you’re looking for. It was what I would call a nice “middle of the road” Cabernet Sauvignon – not too heavy, not too sweet and pairs well with the stuffed mushrooms.

The Wine Club

Wine Tastings are available anytime, and are very reasonably priced at just $12 for six different samples. What’s more, as a Wine Club member, Wine Tastings are only $3! The selection of wines for tasting varies each week, and of course all wines being sampled are available for purchase. There are two levels of Wine Club membership – The Corker at $39.50 per month, which includes two bottles of wine (valued at ~$20-25 per bottle) and a 10% discount on all wine purchases. The Collector, at $79.50 per month includes two bottles of wine (valued at ~$45-50 each), 10% off all wine purchases as well as retail purchases. Which means that this month, not only could you be enjoying 10% off of some tastefully assembled Valentine’s Day gift baskets – but you can always enjoy 10% off some unique and wonderful boutique wines which are typically crafted in small batches.

A Woodlands/Magnolia Wine Bar

By the way – you may have noticed I’m not exactly poetic or professional when it comes to writing up the wines. But that’s just the point in going to a tasting at GenuWine; Rhonda, Barbara, Mia and the rest of the staff are all very knowledgeable, and are the furthest thing from “wine snobs” that tend to scare off the casual drinker of wine. Additionally there are a multitude of small-batch, hand-crafted beers for those who enjoy a grain beverage versus that from select fruits or berries. GenuWine is very relaxed and laid back – which explains why on a typical Friday or Saturday night, it’s not unusual to have a standing room only crowd as they do not accept reservations.

GenuWine offers live musical entertainment Thursday – Saturday, 7:30 – 10:00 PM. For more information, call GenuWine at 832-934-CORK (2675) or visit their website at MyGenuWine.com

The Woodlands Waterway Cruisers

The Waterway Cruisers, previously known as the Waterway Taxis and sometimes humorously referred to as “Nelda’s Navy” were recently overhauled but might still be taking on water. After some 3 years of service, the Woodlands Boats have received some much needed updates to both the interior and exterior surfaces. The question is will these efforts help to increase the annual ridership.

Hours of operation have been reduced, down from an average 6,814.5 hours in 2008 and 2009 to 4,500 hours in 2010 and 4,400 hours in 2011. In 2012 the hours have been cut once again by some 2,200 hours limiting operations to weekends and 25 holiday and event related weekdays. This change should show some improvement in the averages as more than 80% of the ridership took place during the weekends in 2011.

The Waterway Cruisers were losing some $240,000 a year in 2009 forcing a need to make the cuts thereby making the Woodlands Boats more cost-effective. The (then Waterway Taxis) were initially owned and operated by a private company who sold the boats to The Woodlands Development Company while they were operated by “The District” (previously the Brazos Transit District). “We never wanted to be a water taxi operator,” said  Alex Sutton, then co-president of The Woodlands Development Company and member of the township board. “We stepped in to help out.”

The Crusiers began their journey in 2008 which incidentally is the same year that their greatest ridership occurred with some 53,408 riders (nearly 8 riders per hour). Ridership in 2009 was at 44,238 falling to 6 and  a half per hour followed by a slight increase to more than 7 per hour in 2010 with 33,989 total riders. The 2011 season clocked in at 27,563 riders dropping to an all time low of right at 6 riders per hour, including a slight uptick in riders at the end of the year.

The Township bought the Waterway boats in early 2011 and the renovations were implemented in August of the same year, as well as the construction of the new location for storage and maintenance of the cruisers. Total cost for the removal, restoration and return of the six Waterway Cruisers was approximately $40,000 per boat including the complete refurbishment of interiors, exteriors and hull, and repair or replacement of a number of mechanical functions on each boat as required. 2011 was also the year that the cruisers were all renamed – The Cynthia, The George, The Lone Star, The Puffy, The Waterway and The Dreamer. The last name was originally “The Woodlands” but was later changed to reflect the outdoor sculpture and became “The Dreamer.”  The names were intended to liken the boats to offer a differ net experience as well as educate riders regarding the history of The Woodlands. The Cruisers are now open to dinner cruises with food catered by Landry’s Seafood Restaurant and advertising opportunities / sponsorships on them is hoped to help pay for operating costs.

If the President and Chief Operations Officer of a major food chain comes to town, you can bet it’s a big deal! Chick-fil-A’s President and COO, Dan T. Cathy, flew in for a VIP Premier Party which included 2012 VIP Membership cards, Cow calendars full of coupons, and complimentary valet parking at the Houstonian Hotel. The party not only premiered their new menu options but officially kicked off their new nutritious meal for kids, making it one of the healthiest in the nation being offered by a major food chain. It’s their ‘moove’ to the ‘Let’s Move’ initiative to combat child obesity.

The new Kid's Meal is 'utterly' delicious and healthy!

One in three American children is considered overweight or obese. Children consume 31 percent more calories and 56 percent more fat, than their peers did 40 years ago. Due in no small part to the proliferation of readily available fast food restaurantssuch as McDonalds, Burger King and Pizza Buffets. The Centers for Disease Control report that Americans are choosing convenience over nutrition which will likely result in more children becoming overweight or obese.Chick-fil-A is the first national fast food chain to serve a healthier entrée’ in addition to new healthy side options, offering Grilled Chicken Nuggets as part of their children’s menu. Paired with the Fruit Cup and one-percent milk, the meal has only 210 calories and 3 grams of fat, an 86 percent cut in fat grams and a 56 percent calorie reduction over its previous offerings. The gluten-free Grilled Nuggets are made from a boneless, skinless breast of chicken. Their squeezable fruit pouch is also gluten free, all natural, and contains 100 percent pure fruit. It is 60 calories, 0 grams of fat and equals one serving of fruit. Improved Kid’s Meal beverage options will be changed to only feature one percent milk, 100 percent apple juice, Chick-fil-A’s freshly squeezed lemonade (30 percent DV vitamin C), or water as drink options.

This further demonstrates Chick-fil-A’s commitment to children as a part of its “Growing Kid’s Inside and Out®” Kid’s Meal program, nourishing their minds as well as their bodies with premiums that encourage interaction between children and their families, like Little Golden Books, VeggieTales CDs, Discovery Kid’s activities, and books adapted from the Martha Speaks PBS series.

It sounds like Chick-fil-A is ‘mooving’ in the right direction. Hmm…I wonder if there’s an age stipulation on the Kid’s Meal? It sounds ‘utterly’ delicious! To read more about Chick-fil-A’s new Kid’s Meal program view the Chick Fil A press release.

"Growing Kids Inside and Out"

We here at TWE! Woodlands Blog don’t normally write about retail stores or their grand opening exploits but, this one warrants some time and text. The Container Store, for those who are unaware, is now located in what was previously Circuit City, where the prices could sometimes be… short-circuit-ed. While the name might initially conjure thoughts of a store that offers boxes and bags, cabinets, glasses and other things to hold the things that would otherwise be rolling about and becoming play toys for the cats, it’s a bit more than that. The container store has thousands of organizational tools, hangers, stuff to stick on the walls and erasable boards to write notes and reminders for everyone in the house or office to read.

So what is it about this particular grand opening that makes us want to write about it here? Well, a lot of things actually – from having what can only be described as my favorite checkout counter ever, to the the various departments featuring culinary delights in very unique displays, to the live band, to local celebrities, this event had it all!

Entry to this ‘private’ event was held outside where everyone obtained a self-completed badge, with whatever one chose to write upon it; in typical fashion, most everyone simply wrote or signed their own name – it might have been nice to know where at least some of these people were from – businesses and such. Or maybe I am simply too accustomed to The Woodlands Chamber events where names and businesses are the norm… We then ventured into the brightly lit emporium of goods similar to what one might find at Target or IKEA, yet at pricing that is definitely not the same.

The Food

The various foods were interesting but the placement / location for the foods didn’t really seem to be in any particular order. The entry way into The Container Store is centered and you had a choice of going left or right (seemingly preferred by the greeters) through a second set of doors and then on into the retail area. By proceeding to the left, you first hour d’ oeuvre station was about halfway down to the left. Had you not stopped at the (soon to be) check out stand, you would arrive at this initial station and have both hands free which is great for being able to grab a plate, napkin and some grub. We had our choice of some skewered grilled chicken, some interesting little vegetable combo rolls (which were quite tasty) and tortilla-like chips. These items were served in small containers and trays that were on display, which tended to make you look twice at the food – is it really food or just part of the display. Very creative and entertaining placement of food mixed in with their products brings about thoughts of holiday office parties.

The center area of the store was occupied by the band “Fried Ice Cream“, and a portable dance floor otherwise known as ‘no mans land’; for the first hour or more of the evening as no one seemed to venture out on to it for more than the time it took to pass around the crowd and back to the presumed safety of the carpeted floor. The band was really quite good playing a variety of jazz and easy listening type music; even some of the little people we saw were moving themselves to and fro to the rythm of the beat. As we made our way behind the stage, we happened upon the second food station featuring additional finger foods – some flatbread (naan) with smoked salmon and Parmesan, others with what appeared to be steak tartare, and other items on toasted baguettes. And so our journey continued around the store, food plate in one hand and napkins in the other we still had nothing to drink (well not really, but that could have been the case).  Fortunately, there were plenty of service staff floating around to pick up empties and other discarded items.

The third hour d’ oeuvre station we happened upon featured an Asian assortment of foods including some sushi and other Japanese delicacies delightfully dressed up and ready for the taking – literally some in actual genuine looking, asian take-out style boxes! We didn’t spend much time in this area as neither of us are sushi or sashimi fans. Not far from this area and definitely the closest of any two food areas was a dessert bar. Oh yes, chocolates and other confections – personally, I really liked the bars with chocolate and walnuts; walnuts go with almost anything in my book. As this had us back around to the other side and near the front door, we happened upon a line of servers each with a tray of drinks at the ready. Had we not actually scanned the overall area before getting any food, we might not have found these beverages for quite some time. Strangely enough, there was a large number of food servers walking around the area with fried mushrooms, and fried green beans for the guests to sample yet the servers with the drinks were few and far between, and mostly stationed in one place – and on the far side from where the store personnel were directing new arrivals into the facility. But there were two bars, the larger of which in the aforementioned check out area in the front of the store; with literally tubs full of wine, champagne, beer and this tasty little concoction of ginger-lemonade and vodka.

Local Celebrities

Lest anyone doubt the level of excitement revolving around the opening of the Houston area’s third Container Store, the A-listers in attendance would confirm this was in fact, a very big deal. We ran into

KTRK-TV 13′s Art Rascon and his lovely wife Patti

Fox 26 Houston’s Melissa Wilson along with her mother Wanda

Newly elected Oak Ridge North mayor Jim Kuykendall, his wife JJ Kuykendall, and Dr. Ann Snyder of Interfaith of The Woodlands/The Woodlands Chamber and Conroe ISD
as well as a multitude of area movers, shakers and business owners.

Charitable Integration with The Woodlands

In The Container Store’s “Commitment to the Community” statement, the company says since they opened their first store in 1978, they have proudly supported their stores’ local communities and they know the importance of being a good corporate neighbor. In continuing to give back to the community with a focus on supporting nonprofits that promote women’s and children’s well-being and health – they announced that a full 10% of sales (not net profits, total sales) from their grand opening weekend would be donated to Interfaith of The Woodlands; something that every one of us was happy to hear.

“Diamond in the Woods” — TRAPS 75th Anniversary

2012 Institute and Expo in cooperation with TPW and NRPA Southwest Region

The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (8/22 /11)

Monday, February 27

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 pm CPSI and AFO

Tuesday, February 28
8:00 am – 5:00 pm CPSI and AFO
8:00 am – 5:00 pm Lonestar Decorators move in to set up exhibit hall and registration
1:00-5:00 pm Playground Maintenance Academy (DeFillippo)
3:00 – 5:00 pm Early Registration
6:00-10:00 pm Student Retreat and Institute Orientation (tentative)

Wednesday, February 29

7:30 am – 5:30 pm Registration
8:00 am – 3:00 pm State Maintenance Rodeo

9:00 am – 4:00 pm Exhibitors move in and check-in at the TRAPS’ Exhibitor Relations Table

9:00 am – 3:30 pm Golf Tournament
9:00 am. – 4:00 pm Pre-Institute Workshops
(all day or half day)… Activities for All
9:00 am – 2:00 pm Tours
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Volunteer Orientation
3:00 pm – 3:45 pm First-Timers Orientation
4:00 pm – 6:45 pm General Session & SW Region Awards
7:00 pm – 9:30 pm All Institute Social

Thursday, March 1

7:30 am – 5:30 pm Registration

9:00 am – 4:00 pm Exhibit Hall Open …
Student Posters in Park or Lobby

9:00 am. – 10:15 am Educational Sessions
10:30 am -11:45 am Educational Sessions
11:45 am – 1:15 pm LUNCH with the Exhibitors …
Visit the Vendors
1:15 pm – 2:30 pm Educational Sessions
2:45 pm – 3:30 pm Exhibit Hall Only …
(no educational sessions) … vendors may begin
moving out @ 4:00
3:45 pm – 5:00 pm Educational Sessions
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm TPRF Auction – Live
TBD Paddle Fest
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm TAAF & TPPC Social @ Riva Boat House

Friday, March 2

7:30 am – 12:30 pm Registration
8:30 – 10:00 am Past Presidents Breakfast
9:00 am – 10:15 am Educational Sessions

9:00 am – 1:00 pm Exhibitors move out

6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Awards Dinner –75th Anniversary

Saturday, March 3

8:30 am – 12:00 pm TRAPS Board of Directors’ Meeting

9:00 am – 12:00 pm CTRAC Exam

Click here for more information on this event

Want a Free

Date Night?

We’re Giving Away Two Free Tickets!

Paula Nelson, daughter of the legendary Willie Nelson, is performing at Crescent Moon Wine Bar on Thursday, July 21. Paula continues to make a name for herself, with her torchy vocals and smart collection of jazzy rockers, seductive love songs and heartfelt ballads.

Paula was born on October 27th, 1969 in Houston to Willie Nelson and Connie Koepke. She is the fourth of seven children. She learned to play the piano at age 7 and has been singing ever since. Her band, the Guilty Pleasures, has been with her since the summer of 2004; they have just completed their second European tour together.

Paula has performed with her famous father on numerous occasions. Perhaps the best-known duet is their joint rendition of “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” But when she’s not performing, she has quite the range of activities to keep her occupied. For instance, did you know she’s raced in a Nascar truck and did a little stunt driving for the TV show Friday Night Lights? Or that when Willie asked her to quit smoking, he recommended she take up Tae Kwon Do? And of course, she also has her own Paula Nelson Wine bottled by Wine Vingettes!

So how do you win tickets (retail value $50 per person) to this legendary act’s show? We hope you’ve been paying attention; All you have to do is answer these five (5) questions correctly, then send in your answers and hope your entry is selected! One lucky entrant and their guest will be added to the list for Dining with a Star – to include a starter, a main course, dessert… and the sweetest part, an intimate performance by Paula Nelson and the Guilty Pleasures!

• Where was Paula Born?
• What tour has Paula just completed?
• Where is Dining With a Star taking place?
• Who is Paula’s father?
• Name at least one of her non-music-performing hobbies.

Submit your answers to contest@woodlandsevents.com, along with your first and last name, telephone number where you can be reached and the name of your guest (if you’re not sure yet, just tell us “+1″). Random drawing to be held Tuesday, July 19 and winner will be notified by email that evening (in plenty of time to get a ‘sitter!) Good Luck!

Deep among the pine trees just south of The Woodlands bordering Spring Creek and slightly north of the proposed path of the 180-mile-long Grand Parkway, you may have noticed a large number of large trucks and earth moving equipment entering and exiting the I45 feeder. Over the past several months, a lot of trees have been removed from the area and while Exxon Mobil continues to say they are only evaluating the land, rumor has it that they plan to consolidate some 17,000 employees to (yet to be built) an estimated 3 million square feet office complex. The 359-Acre property could become home to some 24 office buildings, 4 enormous parking garages, and several additional buildings housing support, security and other resources.

The haven’t removed all of the trees leaving a few to stand guard around what could become the high-security North American headquarters of the largest oil company in the US. These views are from the southwest. The freeway running from the top to bottom of the above image is Interstate-45; the Hardy Toll Road branches off and heads south toward Downtown just opposite where Springwoods Village Parkway (yet to be built), will connect a new residential area and the Exxon Mobil campus to the freeway feeder road. The remaining 1,460 acres are planned to become an “Uptown Residential/Mixed Use” Springwoods Village development planned for the forested areas to the south and west of Exxon Mobil’s new campus.

Exxon Mobil Corp. began looking at relocating to a large parcel of land owned by the oil giant in as early as May 2009. A study of its U.S. real estate that could result in the company consolidating workers to a new campus in north Harris County, just south of The Woodlands. Architectural documents obtained by the Houston Chronicle outline an elaborate corporate campus, including 20 office buildings with 3 million square feet, a wellness center, laboratory and multiple parking garages. The documents don’t identify Exxon Mobil specifically, but survey maps outline a large parcel of land near Interstate 45 and the Hardy Toll Road owned by Exxon. In late January 2010, Exxon Mobil spokesman Alan Jeffers said the company is considering the potential use of its land, although no decision on future office requirements will be made until after the study is completed. The study, which looks at maintaining Exxon Mobil’s current offices as well as consolidation alternatives, is estimated to be complete in late 2011.

Jeffers said he wasn’t in a position to comment on the veracity of the PDR documents, some of which are dated May 2009. Additionally, he would not discuss what the study means for employees at Exxon Mobil’s corporate headquarters in Irving or those working in the company’s Fairfax, Va., offices where the company has maintained a presence since the acquisition of Mobil Corp. in 2000.

A move by the biggest U.S. oil and Natural Gas Company to The Spring/Woodlands area could amount to big changes for Houston’s office market. Exxon Mobil has offices throughout the Houston area, with large concentrations of workers Downtown as well as in the Greenspoint area (Sam Houston Beltway and I45 North). Jack Drake, president of the Greenspoint District, said while his area could potentially lose a large tenant, its best office space is virtually full, “so a departure of a major tenant allows for the opportunity for expansion and for new companies.” A move such as this could also have a positive and significant impact on all real estate types including retail, office, residential and even industrial.

While it could be some time before Exxon Mobil reveals its plans, the nearly 2,000-acre tract west of I-45 and the Hardy Toll Road is being prepped for development; trees have been cleared, and temporary roads have been laid out. An improvement district approved by the Texas Legislature has been created to build and finance utilities and roads to serve the property west of I-45.

The Harris County Improvement District No. 18 was approved June 19th, 2009 and put into place the general provisions of the special district laws code. One of the PDR documents shows plans for additional development south of the likely Exxon Mobil site and north of the proposed Grand Parkway.

They include a town center, medical facility, commercial space, apartments and single-family homes. Susan Vreeland-Wendt, director of marketing for The Woodlands Development Co., said it’s hard to gauge the impact of a possible move by Exxon Mobil because so little is known. “The things we’re hoping for down the road is an increase in home sales in all price ranges, more excitement in the retail sector and commercial leasing. It impacts every phase of our business,” she said. Real Estate Agents in The Woodlands like Ray Larson of Remax The Woodlands and his team of professionals will be at the forefront of new home purchases in the area.

Coventry Development (New York) announced grand plans (10-2010) to establish a giant eco-friendly, mixed-use development modeled heavily on the ecological principles first demonstrated decades ago by The Woodlands Development Corp. It’s now a pine forest near the intersections of I-45 North, the Hardy Toll Road, and the projected path of the Grand Parkway, about 30 miles north of Downtown Houston.

Plans call for a 150-acrenature preserve along one section of the community’s northern reaches, which stretch to Spring Creek. South of that, and along the northern border of the Grand Parkway, the developers are planning a town center with the hallmarks of major mixed-use employment centers: office space and retail, a medical district, townhouses and apartments, and single-family homes and they’ve gone ahead and given the place a formula-tested suburban-housing name: Springwoods Village.

Springwoods Realty Company has owned most of this land since the 1960s. Why develop it now? Because it’s now pretty clear that the Grand Parkway will actually be built right at the property’s southern border, the developers say. Plus, there’s development on all sides now. The Springwoods property is centrally located within a short drive, bike ride or walk of many amenities including the Spring Creek Greenway, The Woodlands Community and Bush International Airport. Bordering the east side of the property, I-45 provides convenient access to The Woodlands Community and Downtown Houston while the planned Grand Parkway and an associated interchange that will be built on the southern edge of the property providing access to communities and destinations either east or west of the north Harris County community. Finally, Spring Creek creates nearly a mile long natural open space border that is slated to become part of Houston’s premier regional greenway system that will eventually provide access to 33 miles of trails, recreation and natural ecosystems for the Springwoods community residents. In October 2010, Houston Press Blogs found a few of the artist’s illustrations of the to-be-developed community to be rather creepy – Molly Smith, a spokesperson for the development reported that they “just renderings” and the official concept are posted online.

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is not involved in setting the price for the drugs it approves.”

- This was the sentence that sent a chill down my spine as I sipped my morning coffee and read an article from the Associated Press last week:(excerpt follows)

A drug for high-risk pregnant women has cost about $10 to $20 per injection. Next week, the price shoots up to $1,500 a dose, meaning the total cost during a pregnancy could be as much as $30,000. That’s because the drug, a form of progesterone given as a weekly shot, has been made cheaply for years, mixed in special pharmacies that custom-compound treatments that are not federally approved. But recently, KV Pharmaceutical … won government approval to exclusively sell the drug, known as Makena. Makena is a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone that first came on the market more than 50 years ago to treat other problems. The March of Dimes and many obstetricians supported that because it means quality will be more consistent and it will be easier to get. None of them anticipated the dramatic price hike, though – especially since most of the cost for development and research was shouldered by others in the past. “The cost is justified to avoid the mental and physical disabilities that can come with very premature births,” said KV Pharmaceutical chief executive Gregory J. Divis Jr. “The cost of care for a preemie is estimated at $51,000 in the first year alone.” To get FDA approval, the company is spending hundreds of millions of dollars in additional research, including an international study involving 1,700 women, Divis said. The FDA last month signed off and gave Makena orphan drug status. That designation ensures Ther-Rx will be the sole source of the drug for seven years. Some doctors said they were happy getting the cheaper version from compounding pharmacies, and Aetna’s Dr. Joanne Armstrong, the head of women’s health, said she was unaware of any quality concerns. Still, doctors will use the Ther-Rx brand, in part because of legal worries. Not that they have a choice: Last month, KV sent cease-and-desist letters to compounding pharmacies, telling them they could face FDA enforcement actions if they kept making the drug [emphasis added].

Sometimes, the lines between fiction and reality are more than a little fuzzy. So it was both apropos and auspicious that I would be about halfway through The Trial, by Larry D. Thompson when the news broke about this latest injustice in the vicious cycle that is the modern health care system. Mr. Thompson will be introducing The Trial in an upcoming Meet-and-Greet at Barnes & Noble, and in researching the details for our Event Calendar, I was granted the opportunity to receive his latest novel in advance of release for review.

The story opens with a scene that is easily every parent’s worst nightmare, a doctor telling the main character, Luke, that his only daughter is rapidly deteriorating due to her failing liver. We cut quickly to a very different scene which, if played out on screen, could be performed silently with dark, forboding music, as nameless characters play out a murder made to look like a suicide, the purpose of which remains a mystery. If it sounds confusing, take heart; I admit I had to go back and re-read the first forty-odd pages when the time line for one story only progressed a few weeks but for the other flew through several years. But what to some may seem like an oversight in continuity, however, is in reality a genius form of storytelling.

Luke was a trial lawyer in Houston for many of his daughter Samantha’s first 15 years. But countless hours of trial preparation left little time for the single father to spend with his daughter, leaving her mostly to the care of her nanny. After collapsing in court from a perforated ulcer, then losing what was the biggest trial of his career, Luke decides it’s time to make some major changes; he leaves his practice and sells his home in Houston to move to them to his hometown of San Marcos. There he sets up a quiet, one-man office in his home in order have more time for his daughter. But throughout high school she drifts farther away, first fueled by her initial anger at leaving her friends behind, then as teenagers are wont to do, by managing to disagree with anything and everything with her father. Ultimately she chooses A&M for her college studies, but is quickly brought back home when Luke learns his once straight-A student is failing every course.

It’s at this point the two stories begin to converge in the time line. While so much has happened with Luke and Samantha, the inner workings of a major pharmaceutical company for that time period would have been dull at best. Mr. Thompson knows this and starts us at the present when we are introduced to Ceventa Pharmaceuticals, run by a Machiavellian CEO, who easily manipulates an equally greedy yet weak-willed supervisor at the FDA, causing the pure evil of his heartless pursuits to infect and corrupt the very safeguards that were established to protect the public from such complete disregard for human life.

Ceventa wants to release a new “wonder drug” – an antibiotic that could treat everything from pneumonia and bronchitis to sinusitis and tonsillitis. While the FDA’s review board has initial misgivings – after all, older, cheaper and most importantly, safer antibiotics that are already on the market are adequately handling these infections – a clinical trial is ordered to combat those uncertainties and get the drug fast-tracked for approval. It is this same trial that Luke’s daughter unwittingly joins only to have her liver begin failing almost immediately after completing it. And while Luke’s initial reaction to the news is to sue the doctor that enrolled her in the study for malpractice, it soon becomes apparent the root of the problem is far, far larger than one less-than-moral doctor’s actions. What starts as one man’s desperate attempt to save his daughter’s life – and hopefully those of countless other victims – literally explodes in all directions with bribes, cover-ups, shady government employees, courtroom drama, kidnapping, and murder. I’m telling you, I read the last 186 (of 306!) pages in one sitting.

I greatly enjoyed The Trial; while at times I struggled with the dialogue (do people ever really address each other by name in nearly every sentence? Did Samantha have to say “Father” every time she spoke to him in order to emphasize she was still mad at him?) and with the narrative (there were times when the characters seemed momentarily dim-witted when recalling information I’d just read three pages back), as mentioned, it wasn’t enough to make me put the book down. Mr. Thompson’s experience in the courtroom as well as his obvious comfort level in the subject matter makes nearly every aspect of the story believable. In fact, it wasn’t until the verdict that reality came crashing back down. I won’t reveal the end, but suffice it to say the odds of the verdict being handed down in any present courtroom is slim to none. I am a die-hard fan of legal and political thrillers, and The Trial fit perfectly into that repertoire. I recommend readers of the same genres pick up a copy of The Trial; and keep an eye on Larry D. Thompson. This is his second novel, and he’s got another couple in the works.

The Trial, Larry D. Thompson. Publication Date: March 2011, published by Thomas Dunne Books, New York, New York. Format: hardcover, 320 pages. List Price $25.99, ISBN-13: 9780312607357, ISBN: 0312607350. Available at Barnes & Noble. Larry D. Thompson will be at The Woodlands Mall Barnes & Noble on Saturday, April 2 at 2:00 PM.

“We all have to decide for ourselves how much sin we can live with.”

This now infamous line isn’t taken from When No One Is Watching, by Joseph Hayes. However, having just watched the episode of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire in which the character Nucky Thompson utters the line, it resonated in me as I read Mr. Hayes first novel. Joseph Hayes will be featured in an upcoming “Meet and Greet” at Barnes & Noble, and in researching the details for our Event Calendar, I was afforded the opportunity to receive his book from Phenix & Phenix, the literary publicists handling the media campaign for the novel.

In When No One Is Watching, we are initially introduced to the two main characters through the rosy lens of celebration, as they have just been awarded a monumental legal victory. Danny Moran and Blair Van Howe have known each other since their early law school years, and have backed each other up in everything since. Both men possess a unique talent in the field; Blair has a penchant for words coupled with an easy charm, handy for working the judge and jury. Danny is resourceful and smart, careful in his research and committed, nearly to a fault. Riding high on the landmark courtroom victory and on the eve of Blair’s announcement to run for Congress, Danny imbibes a few too many, forcing Blair to take the wheel and drive his incapacitated friend home. It should have been a simple thing, the best friends live just two blocks apart in an affluent neighborhood on the South side of Chicago. But Blair isn’t exactly sober himself; he loses control of Danny’s porsche, forcing another driver off the road and into a tree. Panicked but physically unharmed, he transfers Danny’s still-unconscious body to the driver’s seat, dials 9-1-1 from Danny’s mobile and then walks away. To anyone else – to Danny himself, it appears as though the extremely inebriated Danny was at fault. As for Blair, initially unsure of how to move forward, he turns to his father-in-law Sam, a man with all the right contacts and years of political savvy, letting he and his daughter, Blair’s wife Kimberly, take the reins.

What follows is the divergence of the lives of Danny and Blair. Danny, wracked by the (presumed) guilt of having caused such a horrific accident, confesses to a transgression he can’t actually recall; a decision that would ultimately lose him his career, his wife, his license to practice law and land him in jail for a commuted sentence. Upon release, he first plunges headlong into alcoholism trying to numb the pain before clawing his way back to a new life. A new definition of normalcy in which, with the assistance of AA, he learns to apply his life lessons to others in assisting them. Blair, his hands seemingly clean of the incident, rockets to political stardom by first being elected to Congress, then Governor of Illinois, laying the groundwork for what begins to look like a cakewalk into the White House; an unblemished political career built on a solid foundation of integrity and honesty.

As the years speed by, it becomes increasingly clear the past cannot stay in the past. A pertinacious detective, involved in the accident investigation until he was suddenly granted an early retirement, has kept an ace in his sleeve all these years; and as the presidential campaign gains speed, he finds himself unable to ignore the nagging feeling something wasn’t right. His decision to right old wrongs touches off a series of events wrought with tension and action of the caliber I’m used to seeing in novels by John Grisham and Michael Connelly. Was the detective successful? To answer that is to spoil the ending, a conclusion that was at once foregone yet prodigious. But ask yourself this; if “the greater good” is rooted in bad, can it really ever be right? Or, as Joseph Hayes asks, is “the greater good” just a lie we tell ourselves to justify the sins we commit when no one is watching? We all all have to decide for ourselves how much sin we can live with.

I truly enjoyed the novel; the story dealt with many themes including ambition, betrayal, corruption, overcoming dependency and taking personal responsibility. The story is part thriller and part cautionary tale dealing with various moral and ethical issues, a tale of ‘what goes around comes around.’ Though at times the narrative became somewhat lost in the message, I found myself not wanting to put it down. The characters and their actions are contemporary enough that one could easily draw comparisons to current political figures. As a fan of legal and political thrillers, I’m looking forward to Mr. Hayes next novel, Consequential Damages, due next year. I recommend readers of the same genres pick up a copy of When No One Is Watching; you won’t be disappointed.

When No One Is Watching, Joseph Hayes. Publication Date: October 2010, published by Synergy Books, Austin, Texas. Format: paperback, 320 pages. List Price $14.95, ISBN-13: 9780984387946, ISBN: 0984387943. Available at Barnes & Noble. Joseph Hayes will be at The Woodlands Mall Barnes & Noble on Saturday, January 15 at 2:00 PM.

Christmas Lights in The Woodlands

The Christmas Holidays in The Woodlands bring forth thoughts of many things including family, food, fun, and holiday lighting displays. The Woodlands Township presents the Winter Wonderland, their annual Christmas light display in Town Center just east of Market Street and west of Cinemark Tinseltown in a surface parking lot. The annual Winter Wonderland display features a fantasyland of magical, lighted toy soldiers, elves, doves, musical angels, and snowmen. The lighting display extends along Lake Robbins Drive and then along Six Pines Drive with a smaller section of lights adjacent to the main entrance in between the parking lots dividing Tinsletown and the ice rink parking area.

The Woodlands Winter Wonderland 2011

A brief historical perspective

While this is the familiar and what we would consider the home location, in 2008 the rink was located next to the Town Center Parking Garage; more specifically in between the garage and the Waterway. The 2008 Winter Wonderland light display was held along the Waterway and along a large pathway leading up to where the ice rink was located providing a nice area to walk along and take in the entire display. This was what we consider to have been the best season in recent years for the Christmas light display to be seen and enjoyed. Even though you had to walk a slight distance to see all of the lights, the displays were far enough back that you could easily identify the various shapes and characters without seeing the framework and bumping into other guests. The surrounding light was ample and the trees along the back side of the display were illuminated from the ground with Christmas colors. Additionally, there was the Waterway itself providing a nice venue for the christmas lights display.

The Woodlands Winter Wonderland 2008

The Woodlands Winter Wonderland 2008

The Wonderland returns home 2009

Prior to the 2008 Winter Wonderland and since 2009, The Woodlands Christmas Light Display has been held immediately adjacent to the Ice Rink itself; and while it does add to the overall ambience of the rink, and Town Center for that matter, it’s not really the best place for a Christmas lighting display. Why would I say that? The answer is simple; it’s difficult to appreciate all the hard work into setting up the lights when you can only view them from a maximum of 6 feet away.

Remember when we mentioned that the Christmas Lights extend along Lake Robbins and Six Pines Drive? The light displays are inside of the pathways – about 15′ (+/ – 3′) from the street, which, when viewed from Lake Robbins isn’t too bad – except that you’re driving your car along a fairly busy street. The lights are OK for the kids looking out the passenger windows, but still not really allowing a for unobscured view of them. The Christmas Lights along Six Pines drive, while further from the street, are obscured by trees (this is The Woodlands remember) so you can forget a drive-by viewing of that stretch of lights. So with the car parked nearby, walking along the sidewalk is the only way to take them in and yes, you’re back to that 6′ maximum viewing distance. Six feet is simply not enough space to really appreciate the Christmas lights. Combine that with nothing behind them except for support equipment, an occasional parked car or passerby, and the ice rink in the near distance, leaves an overall empty feel to the display.

The Woodlands Winter Wonderland 2010

Is there a better location?

In short, it’s too bad that all of that Christmas Holiday beauty is reduced by a less than prime location. So if not there, then where should the Christmas Winter Wonderland Light Display be held? Good question… Along the Waterway seemed to work well enough. Granted, there aren’t many other Christmas Displays to enjoy during the trek to see them but, the waterway did provide a very nice environment for such a display. Town Green Park would likely come up for review as it could provide a nice area for the lighting display, however, it is unlikely that the Township would put the rink there during the holiday season as other events are held there throughout the year. The grass would surely be destroyed and then there is the limited parking issue. The Market Street HEB parking lot should actually be large enough to handle the parking requirements yet, parking is always restricted during public events such as iWoW, Concerts at CWMP and the like. It’s a tough call indeed, as there doesn’t appear to be a location that is ideal for both venues to be held adjacent to one another. The parking area at 18 Waterway avenue is certainly large enough to handle the ice rink and it has a tree lined area along the waterway which would be a better backdrop for the lights, and it’s still close to the other Town Center Venues. Additionally, the display would be visible from teh Waterway Square Fountains, just to keep the two things close to each other. It’s understandable that the Township wants the rink to be in the middle of Town Center and that’s all good – we just need to have a better setup for the christmas lights.

This is just our own opinion, what do you think?

An awesome christmas light display near Austin, Texas!

Sugarland’s well-oiled “Incredible Machine Tour”

In October 2010, Sugarland gave fans a sneak peek of their soon to be released album The Incredible Machine Tour at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.  Due out October 19, the first single, Stuck Like Glue, has already hit the airwaves having been released on radio and iTunes on July 23, 2010. Not sweet and demure like the name Sugarland would suggest, lead singer Jennifer Nettles can belt them out. What was incredible about the Incredible Machine Tour, besides the eclectic playlist, was the magnificent backdrop for the show. Reminiscent of Fritz Lang’s 1927 sci-fi movie masterpiece, Metropolis, the stage was a resplendent display of machinery which no doubt took the crew more time to set up than the sound equipment, which they put together like a well-oiled ‘machine.’Also on the bill was Randy Montana, son of singer-songwriter Billy Montana, and Little Big Town. What’s unique about American country music vocal group, Little Big Town, is that the group is still comprised of the same four members since the band’s inception in 1998. Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook, and Phillip Sweet sing four-part vocal harmonies with all four members alternating as lead singer.

Coincidentally, lead singer, Jennifer Nettles, for the Grammy-winning country-pop group, was featured in the Parade section of the Sunday paper. She has launched a non-profit organization named Attic Community Playground to develop and underwrite the arts curriculum for schools. Good timing on her part as funding for arts education has been drastically cut. Nettles states that music was a safe haven for her as a child, giving her an outlet to express her emotions and providing a positive venue for children who are sujbect to negative influences. Nettles has been performing since age 6, and writing songs since age 11.

The only thing amiss at Saturday’s concert was country singing sensation, Julianne Hough, who has made some appearances with Sugarland on the Incredible Machine Tour. If you remember, Hough was the youngest winning professional dancer on Dancing With The Stars, winning back-to-back with Olympic Gold Medalist speed skater, Apolo Anton Ohno, and 3-time winning Indianapolis 500 champion, Helio Castroneves. She’s definitely made her mark as a country singer having been nominated for the Top New Female Vocalist Award (a fan voted award) which she subsequently won, as well as Top New Artist award at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in 2009. Her self-titled debut album debuted at #1 on the Top Country Albums chart and peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200.

There were a few seats still available that Hough’s presence might have filled, and it certainly would have benefitted Jennifer Nettles non-profit organization to have played to a full house. Very little information turned up when doing a Google search. Although Nettles resides in Atlanta, GA, when not touring, the Internet only provided the following address for the Attic Community Playground: 513 W. Oak St., Denton, TX, 76301. I’m sure this non-profit machine will soon be up and running as smoothly as Nettles and Sugarland did at the Pavilion.

Photo sourced from Pavilion Facebook.

Live Jazz in The Woodlands

I admit, I’m not really a Jazz fan and I shed no tears when the most recent attempt for Houston to have a Jazz radio station (KHJZ) in Houston left the airways to become an internet (only) music source. Generally, when I think of Jazz, I imagine that tinny trumpet music backed by a light drumbeat that just goes on and on; aka ragtime jazz. So imagine my surprise when a casual invitation to attend the first official Jazz Night at Crescent Moon turned out to be one of the best date nights we’ve had in a while.

Crescent Moon Wine Bar on Rayford Road is nestled in a recently developed retail center just west of Bill’s Burger’s and Beer. Technically, it’s Spring but many consider it to be (at least part of) The Woodlands due to its proximity to the area and it’s distance from the actual city of Spring, Texas. The Wine Bar has a modest sign above the door in a modern looking retail center with a rather large parking lot in front resulting in a building that is farther away from Rayford Road than what you might normally expect for a retail center. Just don’t let the nondescript exterior fool you; inside could quite likely be the most pleasant, comfortable, and welcoming lounge atmosphere you’ve ever experienced. The seating varies from cushy and comfy, to large tables with formal chairs to chest high tables with stool-chairs. There are semi-private nooks and larger, open areas for medium sized banquets. The main room is both intimate and open, with excellent visibility of the stage and excellent acoustics. Beyond the aesthetics is the staff, they are incredibly friendly and easy going and the facilities are impeccably clean and there are numerous special wine events held throughout the year. It’s like your own living room, only ten times better.

But I digress. Back to the good stuff – Crescent Moon has just kicked off their monthly Jazz Nights on Thursdays. On the first Thursday of each month from 7:00 – 11:00, Chris Cortez and a rotating assortment of other local jazz favorites come in and set up for an extended set covering a wide array of Jazz music. If you think Jazz is all Dizzy Gillespie and Ella Fitzgerald, think again. In the hour and a half we were there last night, Chris and his friends played a whole range of tunes, from Vince Guaraldi’s “Linus & Lucy” (also known as “the Charlie Brown song”) to Seal’s “Kiss From A Rose.” He sang, played an assortment of guitars and was accompanied by bassist Glen Ackerman, and percussionist James Metcalfe. His energy is infectious and his humor is spot-on, and with the near-perfect acoustics of the ‘Moon, it makes for an incredible listening experience.

Along with the fantastic music, Crescent Moon has recently revamped and extended their menu to include a broader spectrum of dishes to their already wonderful offerings. While I went with tried and true from the original menu, the “Merlot” (an Herb marinated chicken breast with bacon, mushrooms and Swiss cheese on brioche), he tried one of the new gourmet burgers that Chef Cody Psenda has added to the menu. This was no ordinary burger; the ‘Moon brings in fresh cuts of beef daily and grinds their own burgers, which results in a light texture burger patty with fantastic flavor. Accompanied by either your own choice of all-fresh ingredients ranging from avocado to mushrooms, to prosciutto he went for simple with Smoked Cheddar Cheese alongside the usual items (lettuce, tomato and onion). Next time we plan to try one the other chef-selected combinations. Every bite of both meals was wonderful and that burger is a strong contender for best burger in The Woodlands right now. And it’s not just the beef and seafood that’s brought in fresh every day. All of the dressings they offer are hand-crafted in house. And if you somehow can’t find something you want on the menu, don’t be discouraged; as long as Chef Cody has the ingredients in the kitchen, your wish is his command. That being said, Cody has no problem with you modifying any of his offerings to your likings. Heck, you can even dream up your own special combination of items from the menu and he will be happy to prepare it for you. Who knows, you might even get something named for you if it’s original and of course, tasty.

With so many good things to say about Crescent Moon Wine Bar, it is difficult to choose only one as the “best part” – but if I had to try I would say it’s got to be the wine list. It is extensive, broad-ranging, eclectic, yet affordable. Glasses are generously poured and bottles always offered. Not sure you’ll like your selection? No problem; with few exceptions, sample any wine before committing to a glass. Finally, as an added bonus, on Thursdays, take a full $10 off of any bottle you choose, to drink at the restaurant or take home with you.

In short: come on over to Jazz night. There’s no cover and you’re sure to be comfortable, have a great time, enjoy your meal and have some fantastic wine… all of this less than five minutes from The Woodlands, just past the first traffic light from I45 on Rayford Road. It’s really hard NOT to enjoy yourself at Crescent Moon Wine Bar.

Jazz Night has come to the Woodlands

@ Crescent Moon Wine Bar

Crescent Moon wine Bar noticed the lack of Jazz events in The Woodlands Music Scene. And now, thanks to Rodney Anderson (Owner), Sandi Maslak (Marketing Manager), and Chris Cortez (Jazz Recording Artist), The Woodlands has local venue where you can see talented Jazz bands.  Starting October 7th at Crescent Moon the first Thursday evening of each month is “Jazz Night at The Moon.” Come out and “Wine Down” to some of the best jazz in the Country along with your favorite glass of wine. Crescent Moon has  launched a new dinner menu featuring everything from a delicious array of gourmet burgers to a four course meal including shrimp, and delicious steaks served in relaxing atmosphere echoing with the sounds of jazz and good company. Check out the food menu at Crescent Moon.

Chris Cortez is owner and operator of  Blue Bamboo Music, a full service recording studio and record label.  Blue Bamboo Music features the cream of Houston’s jazz community, all of whom drop in to sit in with the Chris Cortez band on a regular basis. As one of Jazziz magazine’s top 100 jazz guitarists in the world and international recording artist, Chris Cortez has been featured in several international journals including Downbeat magazine, Jazziz magazine, Jazz Times, Le Jazz Hot Paris, Jazz Review.com, All about Jazz, and many, many more.  He performs regularly in Paris, Montreau, Switzerland, New Orleans, New York, Los Angeles, as well as several venues in the United States.   He has appeared as a leader or sideman on over 20 group CDs, while his 5 solo CDs have sold thousands of copies, each receiving rave reviews and enjoying extensive air time.  Some of Chris’ credits include performances with a wide range of diverse performers including:  Al Martino, The Coasters, Ira Sullivan, Herbie Mann, and Slash.  He’s opened for Ray Charles, James Brown, Miles Davis, Joe Zawinil, Manhattan Transfer, Stanley Turrentine, Nat Adderly, and Branford Marsalis and is a regular at the annual Kemah Jazz Festival.

The Chris Cortez Band (aka Chris Cortez and Friends) consists of Chris on guitar and vocals, bassist Glen Ackerman, and percussionist James Metcalfe.  Each 1st Thursday, will feature a different jazz guest(s).

“Funky, infectious, and playing that is nothing short of spectacular.”

“They aren’t like anything else in town, and they are not to be missed!“

“..musically affirms a lifetime of love for the blues.”

Gregory J. Robb, Jazz Improv

“..the consummate musician.” Denai Burbank, Jazz at a Glance

“..a phenomenal guitar player.” Roman St. James, Jazz Review

Jazz Night – 1st Thursday each month from 7PM – 11PM

Crescent Moon Wine Bar

Spring, Texas 77386

Ph. 281.364.9463

The Woodlands Wine Walk

The entire month of October has been designated as Texas Wine Month by The Texas Department of Agriculture. Texas Wine Month kicked off last week in BIG ways throughout the State with formal celebrations at the Texas State Fair as well as three huge wine festivals in the Houston area during the last weekend in September. Texas wineries are increasing in numbers with well over 200 Texas wineries in operation. Local wineries within 30 minutes of The Woodlands include, CORK THIS! Winery in Montgomery, Bernhardt Winery near Plantersville, and Retreat Hill Winery in White Hall (Located south of SH 105 on FM 362 between Plantersville and Navasota). Three new wineries just opened in The Woodlands area; Enchanted Manor Winery near Magnolia, Retreat Hill Cellars in the recently converted historic First State Bank Building in Montgomery, and Texas Star Winery south of Richards, Texas on FM 149.

Several local restaurants (i.e. Pappas’, Fleming’s, Red Phoenix Hunan to name a few) and wine bars (i.e. Woodlands Wine Co.-formerly VINO100 and Crescent Moon Wine Bar) are offering great Texas wines complimenting the movement to serve local wines with local foods. CRUSH Wine Bar, overlooking The Woodlands Waterway will be hosting a Texas Wine Celebration from 6:30 to 9 PM on Tuesday, October 7th, offering free wine tastings from Becker Vineyards near Fredricksburg, Llano Estacado Winery near Lubbock, and Messina Hof Winery and Resort in Bryan. These wines will also be featured during the month of October for a big Texas blowout.

The trend in many wine stores, including the wine departments in grocery stores, is in increasing shelf space for Texas wines. In fact, in many shops, the number of available different Texas wines out-number French wines by more than two to one. As a result, Texas wines are now outselling French wines in many Texas wine establishments. Kroger’s in Cochran’s Crossing (Research Forest at Gosling) is one of the first Texas Kroger’s Stores to complete a huge wine shop expansion. A fine selection of Texas wines stand prominently among the nearly 2,000 different wines now offered at that location.

A number of Texas wineries have Gold Medal winning wines. Since 2008, Grape Creek Winery near Fredricksburg has won more than 75 medals for its wines. Wine medals are only given for quality wines and in some wine contests, no medals are given if the wines in a given category do not warrant such recognition. The Gold Medals are only awarded to wines with superior quality; Silver Medals are given to wines which exhibit excellent qualities while Bronze Medals are presented to wines with great qualities. Texas wineries like Messina Hof Winery, Becker Vineyards, and Llano Estacado Winery have hundreds of medals hanging from their wines in their tasting room.

When it comes to taste, Texas wineries like Landon Winery, Kiepersol Estate Wines, and Messina Hof Winery have challenged the best wines from other wine regions throughout the world. In blind wine tastings against these other top contenders, Texas wines consistently hold their own; some even being rated as the preferred wines in several of these blind tastings held under the strictest of conditions.

– guest author: Ron Saikowski

The Woodlands Gourmet Dog Bakery

Here’s an original thought…pupcakes for pups.  Leave it to Jay Kirsch, [Photo:] Jay Kirsch, owner of and founder of Barker Street Gourmet Dog Bakery and Boutique, served up pupcakes to support SNAP, the (Spay-Neuter Assistance Program). Jay created a unique fund-raising idea to support SNAP, the Spay-Neuter Assistance Program where the purchase of every pupcake benefitted SNAP. The fund raiser also benefited by sponsorships via several pet resorts.

Similar to the other treats in his pet bakery, the pupcakes are made from all-natural, human-grade ingredients, with absolutely no preservatives or processed sugars and all the delicacies are veterinarian approved. As Kirsch states…”We serve gourmet delicacies and provide luxury accessories (that) your pet deserves.”

With the dog days of summer over, the bakery is resuming its Yappy Hour on the second Thursday evening of the month; a monthly gathering that brings together dog owners and their dogs for local and national pet-related charities. The event features refreshments for humans and their pets, and a few raffles. As I am a previous owner of a wonderful Collie, I attended a Yappy Hour benefitting the Houston Collie Rescue Group and had a great time spending the evening with a facility full of collies.

You’ll see the Barker Street Bakery at most every dog-related event in The Woodlands, including the Pet Fest in Old Town Spring, and the Mutt Strutt at Town Green Park. Barker Street holds their annual pet food drive for the Montgomery County Animal Shelter in October, typically around Halloween when all dogs arriving in costume receive a free bag of Barker Street treats, pet tricks are enjoyed but not required. A finalist for the 2009 Small Business of the Year Award, The Barker Street Gourmet Dog Bakery and Boutique is located at 442 Sawdust Road in The Woodlands, TX 77380. Hours are Monday thru Saturday, 10am-6pm.

Contact Barker Street Bakery at 281-465-1703, for details on their food drive and also visit the Barker Street website www.barkerstreetbakery.com. Article / Photo by J. Werner.

Michelle O’Michael Northern Xposure Show

The opening reception for the O’Michael Northern Xposure Show is Friday, October 1, from 7-9:00 p.m., at Mossrock Studio and Fine Art Gallery located at 26002 Oak Ridge Drive in The Woodlands (one block west of I-45, south of Nursery.) You don’t have to be an art lover to appreciate O’Michael’s work. Anyone who works with metal, or in fabricating and welding, will find this medium fascinating. The showing will be available for viewing Oct 1st-30th. Call 281-684-4411 for more information, and also see www.mossrockstudio.com

The Dirty Heads in The Woodlands

Owner Michael DuPlantis and his wife – as well as a host of other family members, John and his lovely bride-to-be, Jenny, Michael’s parents and more – were all on hand for the official ribbon cutting, along with Ed, one of three brothers that started it all, The Dirty Heads, One of the Best New Bands of 2010 according to Rolling Stone Magazine, and Garry Watts, mayor of Shenandoah.

We were able to sample some of those famous Fish Tacos, and we have to say… mmm, mmm, good! Made with fresh, soft corn tortillas, Wahoo fish, lettuce, cheese, green sauce and their fresh salsa made with tomatoes, cilantro, onions and peppers. Fantastic eats; you gotta try them.

After the formalities, The Dirty Heads took the stage for a short, semi-acoustic set. The guys are some of the nicest band members we’ve had the privilege of meeting. Lead singer Jared Watson joked around and talked with the fans between songs, Dustin Bushnell (Vocals/Guitar), Jon Olazabal (Percussion), Matt Ochoa (Drums) and David Foral (Bass) all seemed to genuinely be having a great time playing for a very warm and welcoming crowd. The set included seven songs: “Stand Tall,” “Rub-a-Dub Style,” a fabulous cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black,” “Everything I’m Looking For,” “I Got No Time,” “Believe” and the wrapped the set with their current single, “Lay Me Down.” Most of these tracks are on their latest album, “Any Port In A Storm,” which peaked at #55 in the Billboard 200 Album chart. At the end of the show, true to form the guys hung out and signed countless autographs for nearly an hour. They were also happy to oblige dozens of fans, posing for countless pictures and signing everything from hats to shirts to fans’ guitars. As part of the promotion for Wahoo’s Grand Opening, the band autographed a Fender Standard Telecaster, which was won by James Pitts. Wahoo’s also gave away a his/hers pair of Vestal Gearhead watches, won by Kristen McDaniel.

Sorry you missed out on the free Dirty Heads show at Wahoo’s? Don’t fret, you can catch them again at the House of Blues – Houston on Tuesday, September 21 at 8:00 with O.A.R. or if you were lucky enough to get tickets to the SOLD OUT Buzzfest 25, Saturday, October 23 at The Pavilion. They’re definitely a band to keep on your radar.

The Shenandoah location of Wahoo’s is only the first of what will hopefully be several Houston-area locations. Along with Wahoo’s, Duplantis Development Group owns WingStop in Pearland and Wingstop on Post Oak and has plans for additional Wahoo’s Taco’s with The Woodlands location being the north most store (sorry Conroe).

Restaurants in The Woodlands

Check out our gallery on flckr

How can you do that? It’s easy, just answer a combination of ten simple questions about Creed and The Woodlands Pavilion. Answers must be submitted via email by Midnight on Sunday, August 29, 2010 Tuesday, August 31, 2010* and one lucky winner who correctly answers all 10 questions will be selected to receive two prime reserved seats to the Creed concert, featuring Theft and RED, at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion on Saturday, September 4, 2010. *We have extended the deadline due to an unforeseen issue with our mail server.

2. When the modern pace of life is wearing you down, and you’re yearning for the days of yore, where could you unwind in the “middle” of an English village?

3. Wings and Pizza, Wine and Italian, these go together like coffee and cake. But if TWE! could make your one-course meal into three, where would you go?

4. Where can this object be found, and what is it part of?

6. For such a tiny ball, it sure gets a lot of play… which four famous people have had their names associated with this most popular game in The Woodlands?

7. What is this image a part of and where can it be found?

9. When your middle-schoolers are “board” and on your last “shred” of sanity; you want to get them out of the house for an hour, what can you do with them?

10. I haven’t moved, but I used to fly in a hurry, and now I rest on faith. What park am I?

11. This sculpture is found at Harper’s Landing. What is it’s name?

8/24/2010 Congratulations to Kristin V. of
Spring who won our Sheryl Crow tickets! Just over 5 days left to win 2 Creed Tickets http://is.gd/esk8H

Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning

Carpet Cleaning The Woodlands

Have you ever found yourself in a total time crunch to get the house looking top-notch? You know the drill, your husband comes home from work on Friday evening and proclaims, “oh, by the way, mom called on my way home; she and dad will be here Monday afternoon, you’ll be home, right?”

If you are like most of us, you don’t think about having the carpets cleaned until a moment like that… and then you start to contemplate how many area rugs you can pick up over the weekend before the mother-in-law realizes on Monday that you really do care about her opinion. But it turns out there is a better option, and it probably won’t cost you as much as half a dozen (or more) area rugs, either.

We met Darrell Arrant of Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning at a recent event held at the new Creekside YMCA sponsored by The South Montgomery County-Woodlands Chamber of Commerce. He, like us, is a recent addition to The Chamber, and as such gave a mini-presentation introducing his company to those in attendance. One of the things he mentioned that stuck was the fact that his service is unique in a surprising way – ‘your carpets will be dry in an hour’.

Most of us can relate to the arduous task that is getting your carpets clean. You rearrange the entire house for the better part of a day or more, dragging all the furnishings you can move and/or fit into the portions of the house you don’t plan on getting cleaned. Then after waiting around for the carpet cleaners to show, and waiting around for them to finish their job, and waiting around for them to figure out how much more they need to charge you for the job they only “soft-quoted” on the phone (e.g. “oh, sorry, ma’am, we didn’t know you wanted us to do the closets, too, those are extra…”) and finally, waiting around for the carpets to finally, finally dry – hopefully the same day, and good luck in our ever-present humidity – you get to haul all of your furnishings back where they belong, because heaven knows the carpet cleaners would have charged extra to do that for you, and besides, they weren’t going to stick around until the carpets dried…

So most of us don’t get it done too often. We don’t. Admittedly, it’d been over a year. So when we heard it could be done and dry, in an hour, we had to give it a try.

We made an appointment for 9:30, and sure enough, at 9:28 there was the Heaven’s Best van, driven by Darrell himself, in our driveway. He was accompanied by his associate, Tony. They began with a tour of the house, assessing what areas we needed cleaned, then immediately began moving furnishings around for us (not the giant entertainment center, mind you, but all the chairs and side tables, anyway) while carpet-raking the edges of the rooms to clear loose debris and then giving the entire rooms a thorough vacuuming. Next, Tony sprayed the carpet with Heaven’s Best signature 101 cleaning solution, which is safe for pets, children and the environment, while Darrell followed up with the carpet buffer. Anywhere we had a stain, Tony ensured there was a little extra solution to loosen the trapped dirt. The carpet buffer is fitted with specially designed absorbent pads which cleans and dries the carpet at the same time. After all the rooms had been cleaned, they groomed the carpet with the carpet rake, revitalizing the appearance of the carpets. And I never would have believed it had we not had it done ourselves, but sure enough, by the time left around 11:00, most of the rooms were dry, and we were back to business as usual by 11:30.

Darrell and Tony were prompt, courteous and careful with our furnishings and belongings. Darrell let us know that he did not charge extra for the hall or our master bath/closet area, either. He feels that it just doesn’t make sense to charge for these smaller areas, when everyone realizes they’re part of the job already.

So would we use them again? Absolutely. And would we recommend them to others? Absolutely. And keep in mind they do more than just carpet cleaning. Heaven’s Best also offers hardwood floor cleaning, rug cleaning, tile & grout cleaning, upholstery and leather cleaning and commercial floor cleaning as well – getting you back into business without interruption.

Give Darrell a call for a free estimate at 832 724-4985 or visit the website to request an estimate online.

Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch

Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch founder David Darnall grew up on a ranch and Linda’s mom was a trainer and her father was a cattleman. “We both grew up around horses, and after reading Hope Rising, were inspired to put our knowledge and our desire to help children to use.”

Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch offers two different types of therapies for special needs children. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, or EAP, and Hippotherapy. EAP, which involves a professional therapist, has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of mental health and human development needs, such as behavioral issues, attention deficit disorder, substance abuse, eating disorders, abuse issues, depression, anxiety, anger management, conflict resolution, relationship problems and communications. Children and teens learn about themselves by participating in activities with horses and then discussing feelings, behaviors and patterns. Why horses? For one thing, their size offers a perfect opportunity for some to overcome fear and develop confidence. Accomplishing a task involving the horse, in spite of those fears, creates confidence and provides for wonderful metaphors for dealing with other intimidating and challenging situations.

Hippotherapy is more than horsemanship and riding classes, it is a specialized, unconventional and still somewhat controversial form of physical therapy, in which a horse is used as a treatment tool. The term derives from the Greek “hippos,” which means horse. There are both physical and emotional benefits. Working with a specially trained, licensed physical therapists, and using the “three-dimensional” motion of a walking horse to stimulate the rider and can help enhance balance, posture, mobility, coordination and strength. Often other benefits occur in the process. Mental functioning, mood and self-confidence may improve. We were fortunate to be allowed to observe a hippotherapy session and the progress is amazing. The child we watched had, in just a few months of sessions (typically once a week, for about an hour) gone from only being able to ride upright and unassisted for less than two minutes to more than eight minutes at a time.

Perhaps the best evidence hippotherapy works was reported by Dr. Daniel Bluestone, then a pediatric neurologist at UC San Francisco, who had been following the progress of children receiving the treatment. Comparing MRI scans over time, Bluestone found that the repetitive movement of riding prompts physical changes in the brain. “We think that hippotherapy is effective in helping rework networks within the cerebellum and within the motor system up in the cerebrum,” he said in a Discovery Channel documentary. “The pathways within the brain that facilitate a particular movement become reinforced over time. The more pathways you reinforce, the better the brain compensates and the better motor function can improve.”

Because these therapies are new and unconventional, there are minimal if any reimbursements for these services from health insurance companies. Parents unfortunately must bear the burden of each session. And while that cost is relatively small, one can imagine that any cost on top of the already countless physician visits, tests and therapies – any assistance is appreciated. And because Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch is both aware of these difficulties and knows these therapies work for the kids, they are always willing to talk to parents about the costs and work with them. “It’s about the kids,” said David.

In addition to EAP and hippotherapy, Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch works with troubled kids in other ways. The Conroe Independent School District refers children to the ranch through their staff of crisis counselors. These children work with the horses in a similar fashion to Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. Additionally, the Justice of the Peace also allows certain children to come to the ranch to complete community service assignments. Those assignments, however, are generally hands-on work that needs to be completed around the ranch; moving feed, clearing brush and the like.

“The costs of running the ranch, even if nothing goes wrong [vet expenses, tractor repairs, etc.] are higher than you might think,” Linda said. “It’s true, the fees we collect only cover roughly 25% of all associated costs,” added David. Which is why, between general upkeep and operating costs, any and all volunteers and donations are both needed and appreciated. Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch is a 501(c)3 nonprofit establishment and depends on donations to make ends meet. Currently, there are seven horses at the 20-acre ranch, but at least two more are needed to keep up with the current demand. In other areas, the ranch is in need of barns and stables, a trailer for transporting the horses, a bridge over panther creek (the old one washed out during hurricane Ike), to complete the tack shed, more tack, and on and on… there is always a need.

Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch is located at 25902 Glen Loch Drive, just outside of the Village of Panther Creek. If you’d like to know more about Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch, you can visit their website, or better yet, call them at 713 302-3640 or drop them a line and arrange to come out to the ranch on a Tuesday morning and see for yourself all the goodness they can accomplish. If you’d like to donate to their cause, cash donations can be made through PayPal and any other donations of feed, tack or volunteer work are greatly appreciated; just give them a call and see what you can do to help! And, after the success of the charity event, “Denim & Diamonds” last fall, they plan on hosting “Denim & Diamonds: Two Steppin’ in the Stables” again this September 11 at the Augusta Pines Equestrian Center.

The bride had selected a unique color palette of purple, green and white and we arrived just as they were putting the finishing touches on the most important of all wedding floral arrangements – the bride’s bouquet. “We can make wedding packages as simple or as elaborate as the customer wishes,” Andrea Canales, florist co-owner said. “We have the flexibility to work with any budget.” She went on to explain that bridal packages can be adjusted all manner of ways to work just the way the customer wants. Arrangements can be based on a particular color, or a particular flower or both. “You have to remember that even if you’ve selected the most exotic flower, there are a wealth of other, less expensive flowers and greenery that can fill out the arrangements and keep the budget in perspective.”

But weddings aren’t the only arrangements The Flower Market of The Woodlands handles. They can be called on six days a week for any and all occasions; birthdays, anniversaries, newborns, of course all major holidays and deliveries to hospitals and funeral homes. As a member of the FTD™ network, orders can of course be placed online at their website. But, Daniel was quick to add, coming into the shop allows for a lot more flexibility as far as arrangement size, flower selection, colors, vases and more. And what better way to show your affection than with your own handwritten card to go with your arrangement? “You just can’t get that online.”

The Flower Market of The Woodlands is family owned by people who know the flower business, inside and out. Shop co-owner and Andrea’s husband, Daniel, is a fourth generation florist. His mother, who was visiting from overseas while we were there, was proud to tell us this is what she has done for decades and still has a shop back home, just as her mother, and her grandmother did. With confidence and experience like that, why would you go anywhere else? The Flower Market of The Woodlands is open Monday – Saturday, with delivery available all six days. Same day delivery service is available if orders are placed by 2:00 PM Monday – Friday, and noon on Saturday. Delivery to all zip codes of The Woodlands is available for a nominal fee of $8, Conroe and Spring for $10 and Magnolia for $12. Brides-to-be are welcome to call for an appointment for a consultation on wedding packages, 936-321-5459. Be sure to check out our coupon page for significant savings! (coupon deleted)

September, 2010 it appears that the owners of “The Flower Market of The Woodlands” has closed their doors. The space that the Flower shop once inhabited is now vacant and their Facebook page has been deleted (while their website appears to be untouched). All attempts on our part to contact them have failed. TWE wishes them well in whatever venture they have undertaken and would love to hear from them sometime.