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.
When I think of an old-fashioned country breakfast it usually conjures up images of a rustic little café in a small Texas town that serves homemade biscuits on tables covered with red and white checkered tablecloths. I don’t consider nationwide chains when hankering for a ‘county breakfast.’ But I wanted to find a homemade breakfast within earshot, and not have to spend a half a day and a half a tank of gas looking for a café in a rural Texas town. Then in the deep recesses of my mind I remembered reading something that said Dosey Doe served breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays.
Sure nuff they do, so I moseyed on over to Dosey Doe’s and was greeted and seated by Nicole, who was happy to answer my questions about portion sizes, and make recommendations. They’ve given the term ‘country’ breakfast a whole new meaning. They offer Huevos Rancheros, breakfast burritos, an 8 oz. Angus strip steak with eggs that they call a New York strip, and a ‘Texas’ Eggs Benedict (which implies that it’s bigger than everyone else’s). So there’s more than one country’s breakfast featured on the menu. I also could have ordered a custom 3-egg omelet and included up to twelve different ingredients! Who offers that?! You can even order a chicken-fried steak with the usual breakfast sides, only theirs are not usual. They’re generous portions cooked to perfection.
It was a tough choice but I wanted a broad sampling of breakfast food, so I ordered the Super Southern Combo, and ‘super’ it was! Two buttermilk biscuits smothered with sausage pepper gravy, two eggs (any style), a slice of fried ham, and a choice of grits or country potatoes. I don’t like runny eggs so I ordered mine over medium, and they were perfect! I even said the word aloud as I broke open the first egg with my fork. I’m sure the fried ham would have been delicious, but I love bacon! So I asked if I could make the substitution, and Nicole said, “Of course.” I like it when a restaurant will let you make substitutions. They’re in the bonus if they do. The bacon was fried perfectly crisp too. Being born and raised in this area of the country, I’m not ashamed to say I love grits, but I opted for the country potatoes because I saw a big pile of them being served at the table next to mine, and I couldn’t resist them. They were firm on the outside and soft on the inside; again…perfect, and perfectly seasoned. But the buttermilk biscuits with the sausage/pepper gravy had me from “Hello.” Unlike biscuits anywhere else, they weren’t hard on the bottom; they melted in your mouth. And the gravy had chunks, BIG chunks, of sausage, and I could go on and on. The only thing I regret is that I didn’t take the photo of my breakfast before I fell into it, consuming some of the potatoes and half of an egg, but at least you can see what I meant by a perfectly cooked egg ‘over medium.’ All of this was chased with a cup of Dosey Doe’s delicious fresh-roasted coffee.
Unbeknownst to many, Dosey Doe has their own roaster on site for their special coffee beans, so the coffee is always fresh-roasted and ground. In fact, they ship coffee all over the country from this location, making it one of The Woodlands greatest exports.
The breakfast is just one more reason to visit Dosey Doe. Their dinner menu is equally delicious as I’ve feasted on it too, and the entertainment is legendary featuring artists like Crystal Gayle, Roy Head and his son, Sundance, world-renown Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra, Ray Price, and B.J. Thomas, just to name a very few, because they’re booked year-round.
An acoustic guitar player serenaded those congregated for breakfast, and I thoroughly enjoyed his unique twist on classic rock pieces. Whether they have entertainment or you tour the place and look at the wide assortment of antiques, eating at Dosey Doe’s is more than just a meal, it’s an event. They’ve expanded to add two new coffee shops, one just west of I-45 North on FM 1488, and the other in Alden Bridge, at 8021 Research Forest Drive. They serve breakfast at these two ‘Little Does” as they refer to them, and I’m sure they’re equally as delicious. Being a 5th generation Texan, I know a great country breakfast when I eat one, and I just did.
The new Kid's Meal is 'utterly' delicious and healthy!
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.
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. 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), and 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 go to http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Kids/New-Meals-Press-Release
The Woodlands Events – December Business Spotlight
People are quick to ‘Yelp’ when customer service is below par, but how often do they give a shout out when the service exceeds their expectations? Stacy Harris Images – (TWE!Blog December Business Spotlight) provides that service.
Stacy Harris Images...Service with a Smile
Stacy Harris of Stacy Harris Images is ready and willing to take her show on the road to make it accessible. Case in point…she coordinated a fashion show at The Forum at the Woodlands with Annette Neyman, the Forum’s Community Relations Director, for the benefit of busy working women in the community. She leveraged her relationships with area retail stores and entrepreneurs to coordinate a vendor market on site for their convenience, and for the senior residents who are less mobile.
This is just one aspect of customer service offered by Harris. Her buffet of offerings is extensive and includes head-to-toe make-overs, personal shopping, and organizing your wardrobe. She’ll even create a digital library of ensembles that she coordinates for you.
Harris offers image consulting seminars on a wide variety of topics and does one-to-one consulting. The event planning aspect of her business includes corporate events, conferences, retreats, fashion shows, and fundraisers. Her “Ladies Night Out” events at Market Street, the second Monday of every month at a different retail merchant location, has been a tremendous success and has more than tripled in attendance over the past year. She was recently selected by ABC Channel13 to host a segment called, “How to Dress Right for Your Body Type” that aired on ‘Deals with Kat Cosley.’ Harris was selected as an expert by ABC for both local and national segments to share tips on… ‘how women can better define the perfect style that complements their body type and how to save money while doing so.’ I could go on and on, but in the interest of time and space…just read for yourself what I didn’t cover, by going to her website at http://stacyharrisimages.com/
Presenting the fashion show at The Forum was the perfect pairing from a customer service standpoint. This beautiful and aesthetic environment served up a delicious luncheon buffet which included a salad medley, bacon-wrapped shrimp, and a chocolate fountain dessert table. The Forum is renowned for opening its doors to community events, networking meetings, and fundraising projects. For more information about this five star quality care community contact Annette Neyman at aneyman@5SCQ.com and visit their website at www.theforumatthewoodlands.com For exemplary customer service, you don’t have to go far in The Woodlands.
Talk about taking it to the ‘extreme,’ that’s exactly what I did…Xtreme Lashes. I attended their invitational after-hours party last night, which was the party after the party; the monthly ‘Ladies Night Out’ event sponsored by the Market Street retailers, which is always coordinated by our local fashionista, Stacy Harris of Stacy Harris Images.
'Xtreme' make-over at Xtreme Lashes
Xtreme Lashes took their ‘xtreme’ party to the street. The west end of Market Street was a block party with a D.J., hot beverages, and a dessert bar inside. The event came complete with a facial make-over, so I figured, why not? And those who know me are probably saying, “Please do!” Unfortunately for Cheri Jones who drew the short straw (pun intended), and wasn’t sure what to make of a hippie throw-back who grew up in the au-natural era, devoid of make-up. She asked, “So, what are you thinking?” I asked her the same question, and she probably thought to herself, “Let’s start with sandblasting.” I suggested a dramatic eye treatment; something for the evening holiday parties, and just told her to surprise me. I’m sure she was thinking, “This is going to be work, and this party is suppose to be over at nine.”
Armed with her leather bandolier of brushes, Cherie went to work. More like an artist painting on canvass than applying make-up, I now understand why they’re called make-up artists. In order to take it to the next level whereas make-up artists are qualified to do make-up for the Broadway productions or the ‘big screen,’ one must hold membership in ‘the union.’ Cherie has completed the necessary requirements to join this elite group. Now whether or not she could reinvent me, well, see for yourself in the center of the photo collage. I loved it!
In addition to eyelash extension applications, Xtreme Lashes also provides Brow Wax & Shape, Lip & Chin Wax, Full Face Wax, Lash & Brow Tint, Lash Crystals, and Body Crystals. Extreme Lashes is located at 9595 Six Pines Drive, Suite 1360, on the south side of Market Street down by HEB. For more detailed information about their eyelash and make-up services, go to www.xtremelashes.com/studio
While mailing my monthly bills this Saturday morning (Nov. 26), at the Gosling post office, “Military Families and Friends” had a table set up with prepackaged boxes ready to dispatch to our military service personnel in Afghanistan. They got the packages as far as the door, but need help getting them into the post office and shipped.
Those wishing to spread holiday cheer outside The Woodlands borders can take a package to the Postmaster and ship a package for about a fourth of what you usually spend on a holiday gift for someone. And you don’t even have to pay for the gift! Generous residents and merchants contributed the contents, and your portion of the gift…the postage, is less than $13. The post office closes at 2:00 on Saturdays, so you better hurry, or you’ll miss the ‘mail call.’
The Container Store held a private preview party last night and those invited could hardly contain themselves, most of all, The Container Store personnel. CEO and Chairman, Kip Tindell, who is also one of the founders, said that dancing is engrained in The Container Store culture, and dance they did! The Woodlands didn’t know what hit them! This was an afterhours event the likes we’ve never seen.
Just having opened a store on November 5, in Nashville, Tennessee, these people really know how to party on! To celebrate the opening of the 53rd store in their nation-wide chain, the acclaimed Fried Ice Cream Band was brought in to play non-stop for three hours, and the dancing never stopped.
The Fried Ice Cream Band is deeply rooted in Houston, but has played for public and private events across the nation. Vocalist, Sky Shepherd, has won Houston’s “Sammy Davis, Jr” Award as the Best R&B vocalist two consecutive years, and has 22 pageant titles to her credit (the first being “Little Miss Houston.”) Her father sang with Janis Joplin for years, and her mother played the harp for the Houston Symphony, so music runs through her veins. Shang, the other vocalist, is also a Houston resident from the 5th Ward. By the age of 17, he was touring Europe, and has opened for legendary performers like Al Green, Jackie Wilson, Gladys Knight, and BB King, and renowned groups like The Temptations and The Commodores. He’s also an honorary member of The Drifters.
The nine-member band is not only eclectic in ethnicity but diverse in musical genres. The playlist consisted of rhythm & blues, classic rock, and dance standards. Their instrumentation includes a guitarist, and bass guitar, keyboardist, drummer, saxophone, and trumpet, and they blasted the music to the far walls of the 25,000 square-foot store, their largest to date.
The refreshments were almost as diverse as The Container Store’s inventory of products, which numbers 10,000 products! The store will officially open this weekend;10% of sales on Saturday and Sunday will be donated to Interfaith of The Woodlands.
So there’s no longer any excuse for not being organized…the Container Store is here! They’ll organize your confusion; they have everything from heaven to amen. I’m going to look for the largest container they have, and I’m sure they have one large enough, to pack up that band and haul it to the next after-hours event.
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.
Marine Forces Reserve Band to perform at John Cooper School Nov. 29.
Back by popular demand, the Eastex Detachment of the Marine Forces Reserve Band – Conroe will perform again this year at the John Cooper School Performing Arts Center as part of their 2011 ‘Toys for Tots’ Tour. The concert will take place on Tuesday, November 29, at 7:00 p.m.
This 90-minute holiday spectacular will feature the concert band, in addition to nearly every small-ensemble within the unit. Suitable for all ages and musical tastes, the 51-piece band will perform traditional as well as contemporary holiday music. Seating is limited to the first 500 patrons for this must-see event for musicians and students of area schools’ marching bands.
The Marine Forces Reserve Band is the standard by which all bands should strive to emulate. Established in 1978, the unit is comprised of active duty Marines stationed at the Naval Support Activity Base in New Orleans. Each year, the band travels throughout the United States, performing more than 250 concerts, parades and ceremonies, entertaining over 6 million people.
Although the performance is free and open to the public, donations of new, unwrapped toys for the U.S. Marine Corps ‘Toys for Tots’ Foundation will be collected, yet not required for entry to the musical event. This annual “Toys for Tots Tour” will have Collection barrels available in the Performing Arts Center and all of the toys collected at this event will be distributed locally. This is a fantastic event presented at no cost to the local community and helps to brighten the holiday season for an untold number of boys and girls who would might otherwise have little or no toys to play with on Christmas morning. Don’t miss this wonderful musical event to kick-off your holiday season. It’s the best gift you can give the aspiring musician(s) in your family. For more information contact Deb Spiess (dspiess at johncooper.org), Director of Marketing and Communications, 281-367-0900 ext. 240.
The Toys for Tots program collected nearly 16,000 toys area wide with more than 300 coming from the John Cooper event which were then distributed to needy children selected by the social agencies in the county- Salvation Army and Society of Samaritans along with a few churches. The Marine Corps League Detachment 779 also service 5 other counties this year with toys supplied by the Toys for Tots Foundation and donated money and toys within those counties.
In order to qualify as a recipient, the parents are required to apply in person providing birth certificates, w-2 forms, and other necessary documents. Some 5,145 kids received 3 toys each. Toys and money collected in Montgomery County stay in the county. Marines from the Eastex Detachment #779 are assigned drop box locations and deliver donated toys to warehouses for separation by age and gender, then bagged.
Check The TWE! Calendar for this and other events in The Woodlands.
One John Cooper Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77381
Phone (281) 367-0900
Toll-free (800) 295-1162
The John Cooper Performing Arts School
Some information provided by:
Bob Quinn- Coordinator and Commandant, Department of Texas,Marine Corps League
Thomas Early - The Marine Corps League and President of the Texas Marines Medal of Honor Fund
The WoodlandsEvents.com is thrilled to announce that their photography has been recognized and published in The Texas Recreation & Parks Society Magazine – Fall 2011 edition.
“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
10:30 am – 11:45 pm Educational Sessions
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Lunch on your own … Branch Meetings
1:45 pm – 3:00 pm Educational Sessions
3:15 pm – 4:30 pm Educational Sessions
5:00 pm – 6:15 pm President’s Reception
6:30 pm – 9:30 pm Awards Dinner –75th Anniversary
Saturday, March 3
8:30 am – 12:00 pm TRAPS Board of Directors’ Meeting
All hail the Queen of Dairy as she makes her long awaited appearance in The Woodlands, Texas. After having vacated her position so many years (~25) ago in Oak Ridge North, the queen will soon have a new suite in Montgomery County, Texas. Construction began in October of 2011 and will hopefully be completed in short order and we will see maybe for the first time, a blizzard or two right here in The Woodlands. The new location is at the corner of Grogan’s Mill Road and South Millbend Drive filling out the long vacant corner location of the Grogan’s Mill Village shopping center. The Woodlands location will also feature Orange Julius.
DQ / Orange Julius:
Also known as the “Treat Center” concept, an enhanced version of the original DQ also serves drinks and foods from the Orange Julius menu.
DQ Grill & Chill:
Stores are larger than older-style DQ Brazier locations and feature a completely new store design.
The corner lot once was home to an Exxon Gas Station began growing grass and new trees until a glimmer of a McDonalds and Texaco combination shop (like the one at SH242 and I45) was recently initiated to a limited extent. The space briefly had a sign announcing the potential business but was taken away as quickly as it appeared. Long live the Queen in The Woodlands.
Technically speaking, this will be the first Dairy Queen in The Woodlands. Previously, there was a Dairy Queen in Oak Ridge North – just across the freeway from The Woodlands which is now occupied by Crow’s Nest.
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 Crows Nest Bar recently opened in Oak Ridge North, just off of the I45 North feeder in what was originally a Dairy Queen. Sorry to say that the drive thru has been closed for a long time. Long time residents of the area may recall that the roughly 20 year old building has seen various incarnations including a carpet outlet as well as PV Rentals split by several years of vacancy. For those of us with enough years of experience who can recall what the early style Dairy Queen stores were like, the building is an icon of Dilly Bars and soft serve cones filled with cold, sweet vanilla and chocolate goodness.
Dominique (pronounced Dominick) Crowe, former US Marine and lifetime hard worker along with the help of his investor Cathy Jones, opened Crow’s Nest to the public on March 11, 2011 graduating from an ice house owner to a full liquor bar owner. And when you walk in to the Crow’s Nest, you may just forget that it was ever a place frequented by moms, children, hunger busters or steak finger baskets. This is due to the hard work and design by Dominique in renovating the once commercial into an oasis of relaxation, great spirits, darts, billiards, karaoke, and live music. The first scheduled band “Underwood” will appear on May 28 with NO COVER. The plan is to offer a variety of events all with no cover and lower priced drinks than area competitors. The UFC fight on April 30th will also be presented with no cover.
The Crow’s Nest bar is of course, open to all and aims to maintain a comfortable and safe atmosphere for everyone. The interior is non-smoking while the covered area out front is open for smoking. The city of Oak Ridge North does not have a smoking ordinance but Crowe and Jones opted to set up that way and report that it has worked well.
The Crow’s Nest address is 26904 I-45 North, 77386; phone 281-298-7613 open daily from 4pm to 2am.
“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.
The Woodlands, Texas – Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band returns to The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands May 5. The concert starts at 8 p.m. and gates open at 6:30 p.m. Concertgoers attending the event have several parking options, including premium parking in the Official Jimmy Buffett Tailgating Lot.
Official Jimmy Buffett Tailgating Info
The parking lot located on the northeast corner of the Six Pines Drive and Lake Robbins Drive intersection has been designated as the Official Jimmy Buffett Tailgating Lot. This parking lot opens at 10 a.m. on May 5 and closes at midnight. Overnight parking is not permitted.
Tickets for this parking lot are now available for purchase at The Pavilion Box Office located at 2005 Lake Robbins Drive. With limited availability, parking tickets for this lot will be sold on a space-available basis. Parking tickets for this lot are $30 per vehicle or $100 for a bus, RV or other vehicle that occupies more than one space. If space is still available the day of the show, guests can purchase them at the entrance to the parking lot. Ticket sellers will not be equipped to accept checks or credit cards the day of the show. Only cash will be accepted.
In the Official Jimmy Buffett Tailgating Lot, live entertainment will be provided, along with restrooms, trash cans and recycling containers. Guests are asked to be “user friendly” by leaving glass containers and pets at home. Guests also are encouraged to drink responsibly.
Town Center Garage at The Pavilion
Concertgoers also can purchase parking tickets for the Town Center Garage, located at The Pavilion and accessed via Six Pines Drive. The garage opens at 3 p.m. Parking is $15 per vehicle based on availability. Please visit The Pavilion’s website (www.woodlandscenter.org) the day of the show for the latest parking information.
Free Parking in Designated Lots
Concertgoers also can park in any of the five free parking lots on the southwest side of The Pavilion. The free, color-coded lots are connected to The Pavilion by corresponding pathways with signs leading across The Waterway. These parking lots open at 6 p.m.
Please visit www.woodlandscenter.org for more information about parking, including a map showing all of the parking areas. Information about parking availability will be frequently updated on the website the day of the show.
It was a beautiful spring time day in The Woodlands, Texas. The birds were singing, trees are starting to bloom and music was in the air….
No, really, the temperature was nearly perfect with a light breeze, low humidity and plenty of sunshine. The only problem (for me anyway), was that this particular song was plaguing my brain, you know how that is… Some tune you heard earlier in the day or the day before that just keeps repeating, over and over, and over… so back to my story; we were just hanging out in Market Street and no sooner had we noticed all the people milling about (not that it’s not normal for people to be out enjoying the weather of course) then that song that I mentioned earlier… was suddenly playing much louder than before… I didn’t quite understand what had happened, did I fall and hit my head or was I simply having one of those moments like you see on TV where they swirl the screen and then flash back to some other time when ‘anything’ could have happened?
So here’s my little flashback to the music of the late 70′s in Central Park (Market Street, in Town Center that is)… enjoy!
“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.
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!
Ballet for Parkinson's Patients to be held at United Methodist Church in The Woodlands.
Parkinson’s Patients Pirouette for more than to Pass the Time
Every now and then I get a hot tip in the most unlikely place. In the Infra-red sauna at SEDONA Fitness for Women (I said it was a ‘hot’ tip) Robin Nichols told me that starting Friday, ballet classes for individuals afflicted with Parkinson’s Disease, will be held at the United Methodist Church. Apparently this idea was conceived as far back as 2001, when the Brooklyn-based modern dance company, the Mark Morris Dance Group, was approached by the Brooklyn Parkinson Group, but this is news to me. Two years ago the Houston Ballet and the Houston Area Parkinson Society (HAPS), a non-profit organization founded in 1974, partnered to offer the program. Earlier this year an update was reported by Courtney Zavala on Click 2 Houston.com
The class usually starts with a seated exercise for warm up. Participants sit in a circle, greeting each other, and performing various hand and leg motions to music. Typically these classes are performed to live music because it helps participants get the feel of a real dance class. Students then move to the ballet barre where a series of ballet steps are executed for more agility training and organized movement. The goal of the class is to override muscle freezing that occurs with Parkinson’s Disease, where the patient’s brain tells them to move but their muscles won’t let them. The class helps with balance and mobility by developing participants’ muscle memory, making it easier for them to regain control and movement. Everyone in the class explores comfortable dance movements in an enjoyable, non-pressured, social environment which energizes the participants and also helps them regain their self-confidence.
Athletes have long-since incorporated ballet into their cross-training regimen. Sports that involve grace and aesthetic movement like gymnastics and figure skating have incorporated ballet training for years. And 2001 Professional Football Hall of Fame Member Lynn Swann credits ballet (as well as jazz and tap) training in developing his body control, balance, rhythm, and timing. So enough about ballet not being manly enough.
Nichols, whose father suffered from Parkinson’s, is a volunteer with this program, stated that her father would have benefitted significantly with ballet training. She said the participants will have a 1-hour music session where they will sing for one hour, followed by the hour-long dance class. I asked why the singing lesson, and Nichols said that the voice is usually affected by Parkinson’s. As the muscles weaken in the voice box (larynx), throat (pharynx), roof of the mouth (soft palate) tongue, and lips, people with Parkinson’s disease might find it difficult to pronounce words clearly. The singing session will be from noon to 1:00 p.m., and the ballet class will follow immediately from 1-2:00 p.m. The program will start this Friday, November 12, and will be held once a month, but participants can certainly practice in between sessions. For information about the class, contact the United Methodist Church at 281-297-5900.
After having Heaven’s Best come out to clean the carpets a few months back, it was that much more apparent something needed to be done about our white living room furniture. And in an effort to provide variety to our readers, we decided to give a different company a try when it came to the upholstery. We decided on ProSteem, a local, independent carpet care service company in Magnolia, Texas.
Showing up somewhere in the neighborhood of the appointment time is an easy way to gain bonus points with us, and technicians Alfredo and Leo were right on time. Both gentlemen were extremely courteous, taking time to identify the fabric covering our sofa, lounge and chair and discuss the various methods of cleaning available to us. While we had initially assumed they would be steam cleaning the furnishings, we were mistaken. Turns out that steam is not the best choice for our 100% cotton Ikea removable covers. To be clear, the error was on my part; as the saying goes, ‘you know what happens when you assume’.
Both technicians were extremely knowledgeable about every aspect of the process; the guys explained the breakdown of chemicals that are involved in dry cleaning, and how they would effect and react on the material. One of the considerations we needed to take was that we had several stains of unknown origin. If the stains were oil-based, like food or makeup, then the dry cleaning chemicals would have a fairly good chance at removing them. If, however, they were acid-based stains – and with pets, the possibility was certainly there – dry cleaning chemicals would not only not clean the stains, but could actually darken them. Finally, because Maxim Fine Fabric Protector is petroleum based, it would effectively ‘seal’ the stains in, all but eliminating the chance we’d ever get them out if we machine-washed the removable covers. After a little more discussion, we decided to wait on the dry cleaning as well.
We ultimately decided to have them do some spot-cleaning and vacuuming on the furniture. Don’t we vacuum the furniture ourselves already? you ask. Well, so did they, as a matter of fact. And yes, we do, thank you very much. We actually have a Dyson™ Animal vacuum, which, if you’re familiar with it at all, you know is an incredibly superior piece of machinery. But it can’t hold a candle to the truck-mounted vacuum equipment ProSteem has! Taking care to not drag in any debris or the inevitable pine needles with their equipment, Alfredo and Leo got after the furnishings in tandem. While one was working on stains, the other was vacuuming. Between them both, they ensured they cleaned every nook, fold and cranny and were done in no time at all.
This was actually the second time we’d used ProSteem; they’d been out to clean the carpets almost two years ago. They had done a fantastic job then, too, eliminating stains, and restoring the carpets to that like-new look. At that time they exhibited the same courtesy, consideration and care they showed this time. And what’s more, they’re competitively priced and affordable. The bottom line? We would gladly recommend ProSteem to anyone for carpet or upholstery cleaning. And… we’ll remember to check the fabric care labels in the future. If you’d like to have ProSteem clean your carpet, tile, oriental rugs or upholstery, or perform any carpet repairs or re-stretching, give Prosteem a call at 281 259 6000. Be sure to use our exclusive coupon when making your appointment!
Fred Couples wins with a couple of eagles and a couple of consecutive birdies.
Coupled with two eagles and consecutive birdies on the 11th & 12th holes of the final round, Fred Couples took the Administaff Small Business Classic with a commanding lead…a tournament record 29 on the back nine, to finish 9 under par with a score of 63. The closest competitor, Mark Wiebe, finished with a 71. Rarely does The Woodlands County Club’s Tournament Course see such superb golf, given its degree of difficulty.
Also being University of Houston alumni, I’ve followed Fred Couples’ career since he played for the Coogs in the late 70’s. With most of his wins coming in the 1990’s, it’s good to see Couples get back into the ‘swing of things.’ Since joining the Champions Tour this year, he’s won an impressive four tournaments: The ACE Group Classic, Toshiba Classic, Cap Cana Championship, in addition to the Administaff Small Business Classic. What’s even more impressive is that he’s over a half-century old (celebrating his 51st birthday on October 3rd), and has been plagued with back problems throughout his career. Sometimes referred to as “Mr. Smooth” because of his smooth swing, apparently his swing has contributed to his back issues according to Wikipedia. An extreme shoulder turn at the top, ‘coupled’ with keeping his left foot flat on the ground throughout the backswing, puts a lot of pressure on his lower back. Well Couples apparently put the back problems to rest, as his game didn’t indicate any discomfort. A great weekend in The Woodlands…beautiful weather ‘coupled’ with a great round of golf by Fred Couples.
Sandra Hanson, FMCTAS director, shares the love with "Blackie," a young German Shepherd mix.
At the Maroon 5 concert, once again the Friends of Montgomery County Texas Animal Shelter were on site trying to find good homes for good pets. Spoke with Sandra Hanson, the FMCTAS director, and she said she thought she was ‘marooned’ on another planet the night before at the Pavilion…the night the Houston Symphony performed the “Hocus Pocus Pops” concert. With hundreds of families on the premises, she said only one puppy was adopted, and no donations were collected. The demographics at the Maroon 5 concert were radically different, but every puppy found a new home and donations were up.
The Petfest in Old Town Spring was a much better venue for the FMCTAS this past weekend, as animal lovers typically flock to this event. Dogs and many cats were adopted at the event as good weather prevailed, enabling a large turnout. Hanson said they still have many good animals that need a home, even fostering a pet would be a tremendous help for the burgeoning animal shelter. If you can’t take a pet into your home, the FMCTAS can always use any spare change for the staggering vet bills, medicine, and pet food. The FMCTAS makes it convenient to make donations. Visit their website at www.fmctas.org You can either mail in a donation, or click on the “Donate” button to use a major credit card, bank card, or PayPal. There’s also a list of essential items the shelter is in desperate need of, and ways you can volunteer your time.
One volunteer project in particular…FMCTAS has been selected by The Woodlands Mall as the non-profit to benefit from the gift-wrapping fundraiser program. They’ll need a small army throughout the holidays, to staff the two shifts from 12-3:30 p.m. and 3:30-7:00 p.m. The shelter volunteers are maximized tending to the animals and their needs, so the FMCTAS needs help from the community to help with this effort. The mall requires the volunteers to be 18 years of age or older. College students home for the holidays or a retiree with time on your hands, please consider donating some time for one of the hardest-working, non-profit organizations in the county that has stretched its band-width to the limit. The FMCTAS is so appreciative of the opportunity to have this exposure during the busy holiday shopping season, but they need the community’s help so that they won’t have to disrupt the services of the animal shelter by drafting the shelter volunteers. Please email hansonsandra@hotmail.com if you can provide your services or have a team that can volunteer some time.
Jason’s Deli was abuzz bee-fore the Chamber’s Networking Breakfast even started, when Tracey Harmeier with Touchstone arrived. She was a busy bee stuffing the goody bags for the 92 business professionals who attended. Then ghosts of Halloween past arrived, otherwise known as adults who refuse to relinquish their childhood roots. The intention of the Halloween theme was to scare up business with its “Chamber of Horrors.”
Looking utterly bewitching was team Leader, Janet Levesque of JC’s Chem-Dry, and past team leader, David Dewhurst of Prosperity Living. Breakfast team member, J. J. Kuykendall of Cruise Planners, insisted that she was wearing her jammies, but we suspect she earned her stripes when she was sold down the river.
Some familiar faces in the crowd…Chris O’Rourke of Outback Western Wear, came dressed as a handsome cowboy (not too much of a stretch,) and Kristy Villarreal, the Chamber’s past Director of Membership and now a realtor with BMG Properties, was not in costume but said being a mommy again within twenty months was scary enough. Tony “Flash Gordon” Motto was in and out in a flash, in between Sculp-tours. Pretty in pink??? Taxes on Track, Jeff Hutton, CPA, & wife, Lucille. And who was that behind those Foster Grants? I suspect it was Ann Engelbrecht of Sprout Fine Floral Concepts and the Chamber’s sales associate, Kathleen Harris. Peace to you too. Election year is always scary, but the only candidate who showed up was Pat Klem for the CISD school board.
Voted “Best in Show” was Scooby Doo, alias Jay Kirsch of Barker Street Gourmet Dog Bakery and Boutique. Barker Street was featured as the monthly ‘Spotlight Table,’ and Jay did a doggone good job presenting his business, which incidentally, was a finalist for Best Small Business in Montgomery County last year, as awarded by the Small Business Administration.
The most frightening commercial was Ann Willis with the Pregnancy Assistance Center North (PACN), talking about socially communicable diseases, but the ‘bag lady’ with the least lavish costume, Suzanne Kulka of Mike Kulka Allstate Insurance Company, won the coveted award for the “Best 60-second commercial,” Scariest of all was Father Christmas (Stage Right promoting “Christmas Belles” at the Crighton Theater, Dec. 3-19), with a grim reminder that Christmas is just 67 days away.
Did you know that the parking meters at Market Street are actually voluntary? While you won’t get a ticket for a lack of ‘feeding the meter’, you are also skipping an easy chance to help out a local charity.
Change for Charity is one way in which Market Street is able to give back to the local community. This program allows them to partner with local organizations already making a difference in The Woodlands. Through the financial support of Change for Charity, Market Street donates to local non-profits helping them to meet worthy goals.
The nickels, dimes and quarters deposited into Market Street’s non-governmental parking meters raise money for Change for Charity. Each year, four non-profits are selected to represent a 3-month quarter and receive a percentage of the funds collected from the 68 parking meters. At the end of each quarter a check presentation is scheduled to bestow the donation.
Non-profits interested in
applying should note the following eligibility requirements:
Completed application, which includes information that will clarify the type of non-profit, level of need, and efficiency of operation.
The non-profit must be either local or a national organization with a local chapter that benefits Montgomery County.
The same non-profit will not be chosen in successive years.
The non-profit should not exist solely for the completion of a special project.
The non-profit must not be of a sexist, racist, or libelous nature.
The non-profit must furnish proof of tax-exempt status.
Change for Charity applications are accepted January through October preceding the award year and recipients are notified of their acceptance after January 1st. Interested organizations should download the application and fax to 281-419-4749 or email to jtaylor@trademarkproperty.com.
The Woodlands Car Club – Cars & Coffee for a Cause!
The Woodlands Car Club meets the first Sunday of each month at Market Street from 10 a.m. to noon, near Starbucks, between Jasper’s and Market Street Cinémark Theater in a continuing effort to provide a fun and creative way to give back to The Woodlands.
TWCC will be collecting coins/change for our donation to the Market Street “Change for Charities” program that will benefit non-profit organizations in Montgomery County. The car club chooses four recipients each year and presents a donation/presentation to one charity per quarter, along with the donation from Market Street’s collection from the parking meters.
For more information about TWCC Cars & Coffee for a Cause, or The Woodlands Car Club in general, please call Dana at 281.363.2977.
All I’ve heard for weeks was how disappointing Nickelback’s performance was last year at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, focusing more on being a band misbehaving badly, then putting on a rock concert, but Nickelback fans are among the most dedicated given the turnout at the Pavilion Friday night (10-15-2010). The Canadian rock band’s provocative lyrics and onstage persona is what differentiates Nickelback from the rest of the pack, thus their presence begs more tolerance from their fan base. Fans returned this year in droves, hoping to get their money’s worth (or their money back, however you prefer to interpret it.)
Primarily a hard rock group with post-grunge roots, over their fifteen years (since 1995), Nickelback has branched out into pop and country. Not so much for the purpose of attracting niche markets, but because of their renegade spirit. Friday night’s playlist was a diverse cross-section of their body of work. Lead singer & rhythm guitarist, Chad Kroeger, was true to his roots, ‘settin’ them up ‘ and serving shots after the fourth song, but without stepping over the line. Mike Kroeger on bass guitar, Ryan Peake, rhythm guitar, and Daniel Adair behind the drums, all shared equally in backup vocals…another thing that sets this band apart.
To their credit, Nickelback has sold 30 million records worldwide, six Grammy Award nominations, a previous recipient of the World’s Best Selling Rock Artist at the World Music Awards (2006), and as recent as 2009, ranked 7th on Billboard Magazine’s list of Artists of the Decade…both the highest-ranked band and the highest-ranked rock artist on the list. Billboard Magazine also named Nickelback as the Adult Pop Artist of the decade; impressive since they’ve been around since 1995. The credits go on and on, and accolades of this magnitude deserve a second chance.
Offering up nothing new since their aptly name “Dark Horse” album released in 2008, and coupled with a ‘bad boy’ legacy, a band who derived their name from the nickel in change that band member, Mike Kroeger gave customers when he worked at a Starbucks, frequently saying “Here’s your nickel back,” the fans Friday night definitely got their ‘nickle back.’
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.
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.
Every Thursday night is jazz night, featuring Chris Cortez and Friends.
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
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.
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. Photo by J. Werner.
Mossrock Gallery’s October First Friday will feature Michelle O’Michael, a Houston artist who works in metal and steel. Her works are in many private and corporate collections, many of which are site specific and on a grand scale. Adjectives used to describe her work include beauty, mass, form, weight, and technical know-how.
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
A great weekend for music! First up…ZZ Top, Texas’ best export; oil is a distant second in demand. I’ve been listening to this rock group longer than I care to admit. Emerging from the 1960s psychedelic blues-rock band The Moving Sidewalks, Billy Gibbons put together ZZ Top at the end of that decade and the rest is music history. Comprised of Gibbons (lead vocals & guitar), Dusty Hill (vocals, bass, & keyboard), and Frank Beard (drums), their distinctive style in both in music and appearance, sets them apart from the rest of the hard rock field. When it comes to guitar-driven, rockin’ blues, nobody does it better. Their eight song playlist included chart-topping classic rock hits throughout their 40+ years of rocking, and watching them play is the ultimate jam session.
An unusual pairing, ZZ Top and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers; kind of like serving a smooth Cabernet Sauvignon with Texas Bar-B-Q, but it worked…the Pavilion was sold out. His team served up an extensive 15 + 2 (encore) hits from the group’s 35-year evolution, which included the acclaimed “I Should Have Known It” from their new Mojo album. Petty’s affable persona and eclectic music made for a great evening of entertainment.
Then there was Rush. This group is aptly named. Just to listen to this trio is a ‘rush.’ Known for the instrumental skills, complex compositions, and profound lyrics of its members consisting of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalistGeddy Lee, guitaristAlex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricistNeil Peart, this band has evolved from hard rock to progressive rock, a period dominated by synthesizers, to modern rock. I’ll be the first to admit that it took me a little time to warm up to the tone quality of Lee’s voice, but I’ve always been in awe of their mastery of the musical instruments.
Rush took the stage alone Saturday night at the Pavilion, playing an amazing 25-song setlist with just a short break after the eleventh song, and saving one of my favorites, Working Man, for the encore. This was rock music at its finest! There’s not a guitar that Lifeson can’t play; his instrumental sections were amazing! And other bassists will tell you that Lee’s their role model. Behind the drums there’s no one better than Neil Peart; probably the best percussionist alive. There’s not a percussion instrument that he hasn’t mastered, and those who left the Pavilion at 10:00 p.m. to beat the traffic, missed the best drum solo they ever had the opportunity to witness. Words like awesome and amazing fall short. I’ll just say unbelievable!
Through complex technology and instrumentation, Rush has a penchant for accurately recreating songs from their albums when playing live performances. If the songs in the setlist were not identical to how you remember them on your CDs, it’s because this band is so much better than when the songs were originally recorded, and they’ve enhanced them with intricate embellishments. The depth of this trio goes further than their musical talent as they have also distinguished themselves with their humanitarian, social, and environmental concerns.
What I didn’t understand was the absence of the rock radio stations. They typically get out and support the legendary rock groups that perform at the Pavilion, playing chart-topping hits a week prior to the event, ticket contests, and having a presence at the show like they did for the ZZ Top/Tom Petty pairing. Missing were the two classic rock stations 93.7 FM and 107.5 FM, or any radio station for that matter. Rarely do they give Rush air play, with the exception of their best known song, Tom Sawyer. After seeing Rush play live, frankly I’m bewildered. The stations can’t possibly think that they’re spent. Rush’s tenure in the business, 36 years since their debut album, falls short of most legendary rock bands. They’re lyrics aren’t witty and zany like ZZ Top, or lyrical like Tom Petty’s. Their songs are profound, often drawing on philosophy and social concerns. Maybe they just don’t get it, but the sell-out crowd at the Pavilion obviously did…and that many people can’t be wrong.
The DuPlantis Development Group has brought another fantastic dining and entertainment venue to The Woodlands area by opening Wahoo’s Fish Taco at the Portofino Center in Shenandoah. We were there tonight for their Grand Opening Celebration… us and about 1000 other people (literally). The evening kicked off with 94.5 The Buzz hanging out with the crowd, handing out swag to all takers. Wahoo’s, Monster Energy Drink and Vans (Famous California shoe manufacturer since 1966) also had plenty to give away to the multitude of fans that came out. The Wahoo’s Taco Truck was onsite with free Famous Fish Tacos and Chicken Tacos, and of course the restaurant was in full swing serving their Mexican/Brazilian/Asian (a.k.a. Baja) fare.
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).
How would you like to see Creed, live at The Pavilion? It’s been several years since they were last here and You and a friend could see them for FREE! All you have to do is prove that not only are you a die-hard Creed fan, but that the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is your favorite concert venue!
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, 2010Tuesday, 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.
And now for the fine print (Contest Rules): All of the answers to the contest questions can be found on The Woodlands Events Website. The answers should be numbered to match the questions when they are sent in the body of the email. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM onSunday, August 29, 2010Tuesday, August 31, 2010* to qualify. “Received” is defined by receipt of email by TheWoodlandsEvents.com (TWE!) only. Entries submitted will not be confirmed. Entries submitted through Facebook, Twitter or other mediums will not be accepted. Winner will be selected by random drawing of those submissions which contain all correct answers. TWE! is not responsible for misdirected or non-delivered email. Contest is not open to employees or family members of TheWoodlandsEvents.com (TWE!), or their affiliates or partners. Participants under the age of 18 must provide proof of parental permission to enter and/or win. One entry per person. Participants must live within a 50 mile radius of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Contest Winner will be notified via email on Tuesday, August 31 and will be announced via Twitter, Facebook and posted on this website. Participants must include a valid email address and winner will be required to provide their telephone number, mailing address and legal name in order to verify Contest Winner for ticket delivery. Collected email addresses will not be shared or distributed with or to any other entity. The odds of winning will vary based on the total number of entries received for a drawing. *We have extended the deadline due to an unforeseen issue with our mail server.
Think you know The Woodlands better than we do? Want to prove it? How would you like to see Sheryl Crow, live at The Pavilion? Below are 12 questions about The Woodlands. Many (if not all) of the answers to the contest questions can be found on The Woodlands Events Website. One lucky winner who correctly answers all 12 questions – and provides the link(s) where the answers were found (except questions 4 & 11) will be selected to receive two prime reserved seats to Sheryl Crow and Colbie Calliat on Friday, August 27. Answers must be submitted via email by Midnight on Sunday, August 22, 2010.
1. Sheryl Crow is playing at The Pavilion on Friday, August 27; does the thought of going with you make the boyfriend “woozy”? Where could he go instead to “regain his balance” and slow his spinning head?
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?
5. Tired of the daily grind? Need a mid-afternoon pick-me-up? Two-part question: who are we talking about, and how many locations are there?
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?
8. They may not be emo or sparkly, but around here, they’ll gladly take your blood. Who are they?
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?
12. We don’t want to be coy but it is rather fishy; where would you find a Japanese garden in The Woodlands?
And now for the fine print (Contest Rules): The answers should be numbered to match the questions when they are sent in the body of the email. The links submitted as answers to the questions must refer back to http://woodlandsevents.com. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM on Sunday, August 22, 2010 to qualify. “Received” is defined by receipt of email by TheWoodlandsEvents.com (TWE!) only. Entries submitted will not be confirmed. Entries submitted through Facebook, Twitter or other mediums will not be accepted. Winner will be selected by random drawing of those submissions which contain all correct answers. TWE! is not responsible for misdirected or non-delivered email. Contest is not open to employees or family members of TheWoodlandsEvents.com (TWE!), or The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (CWMP), their affiliates or partners. Participants under the age of 18 must provide proof of parental permission to enter and/or win. One entry per person. Participants must live within a 50 mile radius of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Contest Winner will be notified via email on Tuesday, August 24 and will be announced via Twitter, Facebook and posted on this website. Participants must include a valid email address and winner will be required to provide their telephone number, mailing address and legal name in order to verify Contest Winner for ticket delivery. Collected email addresses will not be shared or distributed with or to any other entity. The odds of winning will vary based on the total number of entries received for the drawing.
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
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.
If you’re a parent, you know the joy of that incredible moment when your child utters their first word; it’s sheer bliss. Alternatively, if you are among the millions of parents to which one in every nine children born have some form of autism? Or another disorder such as cerebral palsy or down syndrome? What if your family doctor told you upon diagnosis, you would be lucky if your child ever speaks, that he or she may never actually recognize you as mom and dad or that, frankly, you would be better off simply institutionalizing your child? To a lesser extreme, maybe the issues your child is facing are learning disorders, emotional problems, anxiety, behavioral issues or visual or hearing impairments. These are things that are all at once overwhelming, devastating and heartbreaking.But one thing that all parents have in common is their desire to do anything they can to help their child, and, if you are among those facing issues such as these, Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch can be a place of hope for you and your child. We sat down with founders David and Linda Darnall. They graciously took the time to explain to us what it is they do on the ranch, and how, alongside and on top of their horses, little miracles are happening every day.
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.
You may not have noticed them; but chances are you’ve driven by their shop at least once this week already. The Flower Market of The Woodlands, located at 19073 I-45 S (Northbound) just beyond Sam’s Club has been arranging and delivering some of the most beautiful floral arrangements and thoughtful gifts for a little over a year now. We stopped in to snap some pictures in the midst of a flurry of activity for a Saturday afternoon wedding package creation.
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.
This kid is fantastic! Ok, it’s a simple song and he might skip a beat here and there… Watch his face in the last part of the song – he’s having a good time doing it! This kid is one to watch in the future!
The WoodlandsEvents.com website has finally gotten it’s 15 seconds of fame! It may be the first, it certainly won’t be the last! (we hope)
A local news station, ABC afilliate Channel 13 (KTRK) recently posted a reference to the Waterway Square Movie night in The Woodlands, Texas. The video which was shown during the news broadcast features a quick view of the specific page on the site and the related article posted on ktrk.com links directly to the same page.
The Woodlands, Texas – Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band returns to The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion for a sold-out performance May 20, as part of Buffett’s 2010 “Under the Big Top” Tour. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and the concert starts at 8 p.m. Those attending the concert have several parking options, some of them being free. This year there is a new option, premium parking in the Official Jimmy Buffett Tailgate Party.
Official Jimmy Buffett Tailgating Lot
The parking lot located on the northeast corner of the Six Pines Drive and Lake Robbins Drive intersection has been designated as the Official Jimmy Buffett Tailgating Lot. The parking lot opens at 10 a.m. on May 20 and closes at midnight. Overnight parking in the lot is not permitted. Tailgate Party tickets will not be available in advance. Tickets will be available begining at 10 a.m. May 20 at the parking lot entrance. Tailgate party tickets will be sold on a space-available basis and are $30 per vehicle or $100 for a bus, RV or other vehicle that occupies more than one space. Tickets are CASH ONLY. Sellers will not be equipped to accept checks or credit cards.
TWE Hint: Get a group together and ‘park’ one car on the lot with all of your goodies, chairs, people, etc and go in at once. After that, you can come and go as you please in and out of the Parrot Head Party zone. In the Official Jimmy Buffett Tailgating Lot, restrooms will be provided, along with trash cans, recycling containers and security personel. Guests are asked to be “safety concious” by not using glass containers and leave pets at home. Guests are also encouraged to drink responsibly.
Town Center Garage @ The Pavilion
Concertgoers also can purchase parking tickets for the Town Center Garage, located at The Pavilion and accessed via Six Pines Drive. The garage opens at 3 p.m. Parking is $15 per vehicle based on availability.
Concert attendees can also park in any of the nearby free parking lots to the south and west of The Pavilion, which open at 6p.m. These lots are color-coded and connected to The Pavilion by pathways with signs leading to the Amphitheater. Be sure to note the color of the lot in which you are parked. (You only thought it was hard to remember where you parked at the mall.) Each lot has signs stating the designated color.
Please visit TWE Parking info page for more information about parking, including a map showing all of the parking areas.
Timberline Youth Soccer Association (TYSA) is a member organization of a hierarchy of organizations which govern recreational and competitive youth soccer in the United States, providing a reasonably uniform set of rules and levels of play for the players.
According to berecruited.com, 4 schools in The Woodlands are involved with soccer.
The Woodlands is no longer home to The Regals FC Soccer Team.
The Regals Football Club is a soccer club based in the northern suburbs of Houston, Texas that was to join the NPSL (National Premier Soccer League) for the 2010-2011 season but, it is unclear as to whether or not that has happened. The team still has a listing (01-2011) but also shows ** NO LEAGUE-APPROVED PLAYERS FOUND **. The regals website (as confusing as it is) shows them as a founding member of the Southern Premier Soccer League as well as a minor reference to the Maya Soccer League. Originally, the team was to call “WoodForest Stadium” in The Woodlands as their home turf but have since relocated to Maya Park in the Aldine / IAH area.
At the height of the summer season it is time to enjoy part of what makes The Woodlands so special—the many parks and recreation programs and amenities. You can play your favorite sport, enjoy the outdoors, spend time with family and friends, or just kick back and relax. The Woodlands features more than 110 parks and over 160 miles of pathway awaiting your discovery. In 1985, the National Recreation and Park Association designated the month of July as Parks and Recreation and Month. Recreation facilities and parks across the country celebrate by kicking off summer programs and pulling their communities together to volunteer, get involved in outdoor physical activities and become advocates for parks and recreation. In The Woodlands, many residents live within a quarter of a mile of a park and often have a pathway just outside their back yard which will safely lead them to the various neighborhood (village) pools and parks. The Woodlands Parks and Recreation Department is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for residents through recreation programming, leisure activities and conservation efforts. Try something new this summer, enjoy a nature hike in the George Mitchell Preserve, Kayak along the Waterway and on Lake Woodlands, swim at a woodlands pool, go fishing, picnic at a park—and create a lifelong memory with your family and friends.
What are the requirements to open and maintain a succesful Restaurant in The Woodlands? There is a multitude of places to eat in The Woodlands including everything from fast food (ie: McDonalds ) to fine dining ( ie: Kirby’s or Perry’s ).
What is it that some restaurants possess that others do not? From the outside looking in, the answer to this question would seem to be fairly straight forward… Good food or maybe good service; both delicious food and an attentive wait staff. If you look a little deeper, you will find that it is much more than that. From a consumer view point, the waiter or waitress at a given restaurant would generally be the only person responsible for creating their overall decision as to whether or not they make a return visit. The decision to eat a at a restaurant a subsequent time can also be strongly influenced by the food.
So, we have established that the wait staff and the food are indeed 2 very important factors in determining the overall life of a restaurant. Simply stated, if the food and service is bad, a consumer is not likely to return while if it is either satisfactory or excellent, then a return visit can be assumed. Ok then, let’s say that a given woodlands restaurant has both great service and excellent food and you can almost always expect to find a crowd their at most any time of day ( ie: Cheddars in Spring ). The management of this hypothetical restaurant has to ensure that the raw food products are delivered on time and the rent is paid (among other things).
Without going into more detail, we should get back to our original question – “Why have so many restaurants in The Woodlands failed?” Some of the most common reasons for the failure of a dining establishment are likely bad food and or poor service. Marketing of the business is also important; making sure that the restaurant is widely known is certainly a requirement as well as establishing and maintaining a positive reputation in the community. This article will not attemtp to explain why these woodlands restaurants have failed, but merely present some possible reasons why. One or more of them might have had a great concept for the foods but were unable to remain open long enough to establish themselves and others may have not had enough business savvy to actually run it correctly. In any case, we present this list of Woodlands Restaurants that have failed to remain open.
Alamo Joe’s
• 4747 Research Forest Drive
• The Woodlands, Texas 77381
281 367-7382
2005 CLOSEDAugust 2010
Ambience Lounge
• 27832 I-45 N (Northbound)
• Oak Ridge North, Texas
• 77385
UPDATED November, 2009.
The Koi Pond in The Woodlands is now open. After a rather drawn out process, the fish garden officially opened on November 13, 2009. The Koi Garden (as it is also known) features of 30 different varieties of Japanese Carp. Seems to me that ‘Carp’ were always considered to be ‘trash fish’. While the US family of carp are small, plentiful and easy to catch, you wouldn’t want to take the time to clean and eat them so we always threw them back when we were lake fishing. Carp, (aka trash fish), like gold fish, can live on most anything but the Koi get special food and visitors are asked to not feed the fish. The Japanese Carp however, are larger, with different breeds having colorful skins are considered to be quite special and held in high regard. The Waterway Koi Garden features a private water system with high quality filtration systems to keep the water clean so the fish can prosper as well as be seen. Something that few people know is that the ‘garden’ was originally designated as The Waterway Island Garden but right around late spring of 2008, the sign (seen here) was removed and the construction up to that point stalled before becoming the ‘the koi garden’. An earlier news release in the summer of 2007 indicates plans for the koi garden.
The Koi Pond along the Woodlands Waterway is located along the south side of the waterway between Six Pines Drive and Waterway Avenue. Nearby parking is available at 18 Waterway Avenue as well as some public parking along the drive that runs through the Waterway Court Town homes. Gaining access to it requires pedestrians to walk up to waterway avenue, cross over to the south and then head west. While we are not sure who or what group chose to put the koi garden in this particular location, I do surmise that it was not a part of the master plan. Parking and access to the koi garden is not exactly pedestrian friendly. Most, if not all of the other waterway attractions are located along the northern side of the waterway which is where most all of the pedestrian traffic flows (for obvious reasons). The two sides of the waterway appear to be split between primarily commercial on the north bank and a mix of residential / leisure along the south bank. This comparison isn’t completely accurate however because at the eastern end of south bank along that east-west corridor are some commercial buildings and a parking garage or two. So why would they put such an attraction which one would think is to be considered a major gathering spot for residents and visitors alike in such a location? And don’t get me started on the 8 foot concrete walls surrounding the koi garden… You can’t even see the garden area unless you can get past the lockable gate. I mean really, who did this.. Really!?
The Woodlands Texas is a 28,000-acre master-planned community located 27 miles north of downtown Houston. It is a project of The Woodlands Development Company, a Morgan Stanley and General Growth Properties, Inc. limited partnership. The specific address of the Koi Garden is #5 Waterway Court, The Woodlands, Texas 77380
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.
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.
They graciously took the time to explain to us what it is they do on the ranch, and how, alongside and on top of their horses, little miracles are happening every day.
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.
“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.
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, 
