Celebrate Mom

Happening This Weekend: Family Adventure Day

Posted in: In The Know
Date: April 19, 2013
Tags: family fun, free activities, ymca

Tomorrow, Saturday, April 20, the community is invited to reconnect with nature and experience outdoor adventure at the free Family Adventure Day at the new Creekside YMCA!

Grab the kids and explore the world of nature, take a hike, sharpen your archery skills, take a ride on the 30-foot giant swing or challenge yourself on the 55-foot Alpine Tower. Younger kids can also enjoy nature crafts. Family adventure Day begins at 9:30 a.m. and goes until 3p.m.

Pack a lunch and enjoy experiencing new things with your family in a teepee or tree house. Registration is not required.

The new Creekside YMCA Outdoor Adventure Center is located at 6464 Creekside Forest Drive, 77389 and can be reached by phone at 832.698.1283.

Read here for more information!

Spring Veggie Recipe

Posted in: Great Gatherings
Date: April 18, 2013
Tags: family activities, pizza, recipe, spring

As each new season rolls around so do a whole new crop of in-season vegetables. Here’s a fun recipe the whole family can enjoy including artichokes, a springtime favorite.

Pizza is always a family favorite for dinner, so why not incorporate some good-for-you veggies on top, which might delight even your pickiest eaters. This Spinach and Artichoke Pizza from RealSimple.com is an easy, made-from-scratch recipe that your children might even enjoy helping you prepare. Here’s what you will need:

1 pound pizza dough at room temperature
Cornmeal to sprinkle on the pizza sheets
2 cups marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
2 cups baby spinach (approx 2 ounces)
8 ounces mozzarella, grated (1 cup)
½ 8oz bar of cream cheese, cut up
½ cup grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
Kosher salt and black pepper

Directions:

• Heat oven to 475 degrees. Shape the dough into 4 rounds and place on 2 cornmeal-dusted baking sheets
• Dividing evenly, top the rounds with artichoke hearts, spinach, mozzarella, cream cheese and Parmesan; season with ¼ tsp each of salt and pepper.
• Bake until crust is golden brown, 18-20 minutes.

Can you name other vegetables in season right now? Perhaps you need a cheat sheet?!

What To Do In The Woodlands: Dosey Doe Big Barn

Posted in: In The Know
Date: April 16, 2013
Tags: live music, venues

Looking for great live music off the beaten path? Texas two step right over to Dosey Doe’s The Big Barn featuring nationally recognized artists from contemporary to country and jazz to bluegrass.

Located at 25911 North Freeway, The Big Barn venue is set within a 165-year-old structure, which was originally built as a tobacco barn and is well-known for not only its beautiful room but for the stellar acoustics.

The Big Barn takes its down-home feel a step farther with award-winning Executive Chef Dan McEachern overseeing the preparation of his cooked-from-scratch menu items. All entrees are seasonal and special entrees are designed to theme with the evening’s entertainment.

Interested in a fun night out at Dosey Doe? Check out the full list of entertainers stopping by in April and May at this Texas treasure of a destination. Think Shawn Mullins, Collin Raye, Scooter Brown Band, Lisa Loeb and throwback band, Air Supply. Fun times to be had!

Share your Dosey Doe memories with us!

We Couldn’t Have Said It Better!

Posted in: Weddings
Date: April 12, 2013
Tags: guest comments, wedding venue, weddings

We love seeing what you have to say about us, so when we came across Ata-Girl’s blog, her take on a recent resort experience made us really smile.

Like many of our guests, she was surprised at how the resort is so accessible from downtown Houston, yet it feels completely secluded. Even though she was visiting with three children in tow and her sister, she couldn’t help but notice what a picturesque setting the resort would be for a wedding. And we agree!

See what expert photographer Ata-Girl had to say here.

What do you look for in a wedding venue?

Look Who’s Talking…About Houston?

Posted in: In The Know
Date: April 11, 2013
Tags: food, houston, travel

This week has unleashed a trifecta of unbelievable national press about Houston…key word being unbelievable. Food and travel writers visiting the greater Houston area for the first time in decades are finding pretty cool things to say about our city – it’s walkable, it’s got incredible restaurants and it’s better than Austin. For real. Check out the good news!

• 10 Terribly Overrated Destinations (And Where To Travel Instead) – Travel writer David Landsel filed a story for Huffington Post Travel claiming that some bucket-list destinations really aren’t all they are cracked up to be. For instance, San Francisco. Lansdel suggests instead of hitting SF directly, instead focus on the Bay Area at large. Not a bad idea. And instead of Buenos Aires, try Rio de Janeiro. Instead of Berlin, try Prague. Then he got to the number one overrated city on his list – Austin. And where does he suggest instead? HOUSTON!

• Making Houston A Destination, Restaurant Review: Oxheart and Underbelly – Famed New York Times food critic Pete Wells recently visited Houston to review two restaurants helmed by recently nominated James Beard chefs, Justin Yu and Chris Shepherd. While positive comments about the city’s food are believable, the fact that the typically snarky Wells had nearly NO negative comments about his experience while in Houston is pretty unbelieveable.

• Houston Dubbed the No. 1 Most Walkable City: No, Really – Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising headline of the week – that Houston is THE most walkable large city in Texas, as reported by CultureMap from a study by Walkscore.com. The study was based upon the amount of amenities available within a quarter mile of any given address. Houston ranked No. 23 overall in the United States. That sounds a little more believable.

What’s the most surprising thing you find about the city of Houston?

Feed Your Inner Foodie in The Woodlands

Posted in: In The Know
Date: April 08, 2013
Tags: dining, food, restaurants, the woodlands

While The Woodlands is a hot spot for acclaimed national chain restaurants, the town also is host to many one-of-a-kind restaurants that can not be found anywhere else. Expand your dining horizons and delight in these exceptional, local restaurants.

• Jasper’s – This popular Texas restaurant makes its Houston-area home in The Woodlands offering a casual design with a modern outdoors theme. The menu focuses on the best of America’s regional cuisine, including rotisserie chicken, fish, steak, salads and pizza. What more could you want?
• Tommy Bahamas – The only location in Texas, this restaurant (and store) epitomizes sophisticated coastal living just as the designers clothes do. The casually elegant restaurant offers seasonal seafood and wonderful American favorites. Time to sit down, relax and enjoy the day away.
• Schilleci’s New Orleans Kitchen – Authentic Cajun cooking can be found in The Woodlands at Schilleci’s. With a focus on traditional Creole and Cajun cuisine, the restaurant hosts live music each Wednesday night this month for guest to enjoy.
• Uni Sushi – Not your typical sushi restaurant, Uni Sushi gives its diners an unparalleled experience in taste and ambiance with its sophisticated Japanese/European fusion cuisine. With many non-sushi entrees to try, there’s always something cooking at Uni Sushi
• Luca & Leonardo – There’s always a reason to treat yourself to fine Italian dining, and Luca & Leonardo’s delivers. The restaurant’s chefs are inspired by authentic traditional Italian recipes such as seafood, steak, veal, risotto, pasta and pizza dishes. Foodies will find beautiful plate presentations and a generous wine list.

What’s been your favorite food find in The Woodlands?