Hubbell & Hudson brings Gourmet to the Woods!!

The long-awaited Hubbell & Hudson is now open!!! Amazing place - a food lover's paradise! Personal faves - the Gelato is to die for, Dry-aged Prime Beef, hand-made salamis, cheese, cheese and more cheese, Candy that would make Willy Wonka jealous, a seafood section to tantalize the taste buds, a nice wine selection with the offer of special ordering for that hard-to-find bottle, nice selection of local produce, imported oils, imported vinegars.... I could carry on for hours!! Look, just go check it out!! If you want to be greeted with a warm smile and possibly a hug, go to Jo's line!!! She's the best! Also, Chase can sack a mean bag of groceries for ya!

The Bistro is slated to open soon but in the mean time, H & H has added seating upstairs for you to enjoy their "take away" meals. Think Eatzi's but better! H & H is also home to the ONLY Viking Cooking School in the entire Houston area! They have an incredible array of classes to suit the novice to the experienced cook. Central Market should be kicking themselves right now for not expanding into our neck of the woods. Their "hybrid" Woodlands Market cannot even touch H & H!!

If it's catering you need, then catering they'll do and they'll do it WELL!! Menus are varied and they are booking up quickly so get your holiday plans in order pronto so you're not left to your own devices if short on time and skill!! Todd is the MAN with the plan if you need catering expertise - tell him I sent ya!

All I can say is THANK YOU for bringing this experience to The Woodlands!! The TRUE Foodies are thrilled! The Wannabe foodies are happy and the typical Woodlands elitist Poser types are happy they have a place to try to be "seen"! Hah! All is good!

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How does time get away?

What happened? I haven't blogged in months. It seems life has a funny way of manipulating us and taking us here and there without us even realizing it!! I have been extremely busy. Most of my time has been spent with my nose to the grindstone taking in as much information as I can to be a successful trainer in Les Mill's Body Pump.

I hope to find some free time soon and enjoy the upcoming Fall weather! This is my favorite time of the year. The days shorten, the weather cools, the squirrels are desperately burying goods for the winter. Food at this time is also my favorite! I crave the deep tastes of caramelized mushrooms, braised meats, Butternut squash with sage brown butter - I must stop here!!

Take some time for yourself before the crazy holiday season wraps you up and traps you like a prisoner! Remember what's important and just breathe!

got wine?

If not, I have the perfect spot for you - Vino 100 in the Sterling Ridge Village center. They are located adjacent to the Great Harvest Bread Company and right by Kroger.

Vino 100 is a national chain that we are lucky to have in our backyard. What sets ours apart from the competition is owner, Kelly Messenger. This lady knows her stuff! She is a Sommelier and can steer you in the right direction to find that perfect bottle.

The concept is simple, 100 wines under $25!! The store is divided right down the middle - Reds on one side and Whites on the other. How easy is that? Here's more scoop, they feature small production wineries, people who care about what they put out and stand behind their products. You won't find the typical grocery store, big name stuff here. Come in ready to open your mind, learn something and try some great juice that you may never had the nerve to try on your own!

They have a small tasting bar for sampling. In addition, you can pop in and order wine by the glass, relax and forget the day's worries for a while. No snobbery here - take that elsewhere! If you are married to Napa Cabs or just French Bordeauxs, sure they have some of those as well. Also, in the back is the "reserve room". You can find wines over $25 for a more special occasion.

My favorite part is that this place gives me that great warm and fuzzy feeling that I get when I'm in Napa Valley! A nice little tasting room that is staffed by knowledgeable folks who don't mind spending some time with you! They usually have distributors in on the weekends with free tastings on Saturday afternoons - can you say FUN!! Get on the email list to be informed of upcoming events. It's not unusual for them to feature several different visiting winemakers a month. Cost is usually $20 a person which includes the tastings, small bites and information on all of the wines being poured. Not to mention we have made some very good friends as we have been sitting at that long, wooden table sipping wine!

Vino 100 - GREAT place! Go check it out!

La Mesa Grand Opening not so Grand

I was really excited to receive and invitation to the long-awaited Grand Opening of La Mesa. Even though my invite arrived in my in-box less than 24 hours before the event, I still thought they might provide a nice evening! I called, made my "reservation" and waited to meet one of my favorite chefs, Robert Del Grande.

The invite boasted appetizers, cocktails, latin wines and latin jazz in addition to meeting THE Robert Del Grande and Executive Chef Youssef Nafaa. Oh yes, they would have complimentary valet (which is much needed in that area with little to zero parking).

First things first, no valet. They didn't show. We arrived to throngs of people. No one there to confirm a reservation so we fended for ourselves and fought our way through the crowd which included a few of The Woodlands "top brass". We thought we were lucky to have found a table in the dining area bordering the patio. A couple of appetizers were made available by the kitchen if you could scratch and claw your way through the feeding frenzy of folks wanting nothing more than a free meal. Not my bag. Sorry. We waited at our table as there were a few (note the word FEW) servers rumbling about with passed hors d'oeuvres. At least 20 minutes went by before we got a nibble. Apparently certain tables got preferential treatment. The table next to ours had at least 10 people and the wait staff would serve them all, run out of food and never come back to us. This happened time and again. Drink orders also came and went to them, not to us. Frustrating.

As we are not the overbearing, rude types we waited patiently and took it all in. 45 minutes passed before I even received a glass of water. Now, on to the "latin wines". Not stated in the invite was that this was a cash-bar situation. Fine, I'm okay with paying for my wine but trying to get to the bar to order was like fighting your way through a maze with no lights! We thought, "okay, maybe we can get a server to take an order" Hahahahahaha! No way, they avoided us like the plague. Needless to say, I NEVER got a glass. I would have paid for it! Money lost for them.

As this circus was on our last nerve, I look across the patio onto the sidewalk and see the man that I had come to meet. Lonnie Schiller and Robert Del Grande were looking at the patio and walking away - leaving. Where had they been? I am not a stalker and since I dine at Cafe Annie I decided it best to leave him be and catch him at a better time at a better venue.

To sum up the disastrous evening, I have some advice for La Mesa. Organization, planning and clarity are key to running a successful event. Be more clear on your invite, don't ask for people to make reservations as any joe could have attended as nothing was monitored, stand by your promises, if you are going to try to cram hundreds of people in your small space have the adequate staff to serve those people. I've got news for you, just because you pulled in some local judges, Woodlands officers, real estate agents and desperate housewives doesn't mean you will be the "bomb". You have got to put your money where your mouth is so to speak. If you can't provide quality service then you won't make it here.

I hate to write a post like this as the management is comprised of two of the nicest guys you'll meet. I'm hoping this was just a fluke and not a sign of things to come. I'm in your corner, ya'll need to come out fighting!

Update - Amerigo's

Got with the program! Thanks guys! They are now a non-smoking establishment!

You may now enjoy your pasta, seafood, steaks, wine etc. nicotine free! Anyone else want to join the movement? C'mon, I dare you.....

(Photo courtesy of Amerigo's)

Great Read!

Thanks to my dear friend Noelle for recommending a book that lets you escape your day to day cares! Check out twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Yes, it is located in the Young adult section of most bookstores, but don't let that lead you into thinking this is some teeny-bopper random romance novel! Think Interview with the Vampire with a much better story line!

Since I purchased this book at Target on Tuesday, I have had a very hard time pulling myself away from it. Something keeps sucking me back in and keeping me locked to it's fast-moving pace. Stephenie's writing style is very detailed but not to the point that will bog you down. It moves very quickly and the suspense is just enough.

Twilight was number one on the New York Time's bestseller list for several weeks. Here's a brief synopsis of the novel according to Publisher's weekly:

"The main draw here is Bella's infatuation with outsider Edward, the sense of danger inherent in their love, and Edward's inner struggle—a perfect metaphor for the sexual tension that accompanies adolescence. These will be familiar to nearly every teen, and will keep readers madly flipping the pages of Meyer's tantalizing debut."

If you like the first book, there's two more that follow. In addition, she has completed a prequel that is capturing many readers as well. Just wait for the movie coming this December! I'll be there - but maybe not after dark!

Review - Jaded

I've got to tell you a secret - there's a great new spot in Market Street that carries fabulous new finds for the cutting edge crew. It's called Jaded and is located next door to Chipotle and behind Luke's (we're snobby runner-types) Locker. It is owned by WWE wrestlers Torrie Wilson and Nick Mitchell. Now you're thinking hmmmm, wrestling and suburbia, odd combination. Don't be that way now!

They carry the latest looks from the West Coast that are hard to find in Houston. Think great finds by the likes of Ed Hardy, Bejeweled, Rock and Republic, Miss Me, and Sinful just to name a few. The plus to the store is that that carry great stuff for Guys and Gals. In the back, don't miss what I call the Wall-O-jeans! They can guide you to the brand that will fit your body type and all alterations are included!!! Check out the belts and caps with bling - so sweet!

You can search out a nice look for a cocktail party or some hip new jeans, T-shirt and trucker cap for hanging out with your friends! The staff is beyond friendly and helpful. The decor matches the feel of the garments - just plain cool!

Stop in, say Hi, ask for Jessie and tell her Andrea sent you! Now, if only they would give discounts to local fitness gurus I'd be happy ^_^ !

AMAZING recipe from Cooking Light!

Okay, I'm a HUGE fan of anything chocolate-mint. In this month's Cooking Light, they feature a recipe for Chocolate-Mint bars that will knock your socks off!!! Reminder, they are only a lightened version of a heavy hitter so don't eat the whole pan at once!

Want the recipe? Okay, enjoy!

Ingredients
BOTTOM LAYER:
1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup
Cooking spray

MINT LAYER:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (I used 1/8 tsp. Peppermint Oil)
2 drops green food coloring

GLAZE:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare bottom layer, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and salt; stir with a whisk. Combine granulated sugar, egg substitute, 1/4 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons water, vanilla, eggs, and chocolate syrup in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. Pour batter into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

3. To prepare mint layer, combine powdered sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, and next 3 ingredients (through food coloring) in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth. Spread mint mixture over cooled cake. Refrigerate WELL before adding next layer or the mint layer will mix with the chocolate layer.

4. To prepare the glaze, combine the chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Let stand 2 minutes. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into 20 pieces.

Yield
20 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 264(30% from fat); FAT 8.7g (sat 5.2g,mono 2.5g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 2.8g; CHOLESTEROL 38mg; CALCIUM 12mg; SODIUM 139mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 0.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45g


Megan Patterson , Cooking Light, MARCH 2008


Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Perry's Pool Hall?

Might as well be! Upon attempting to take out of town clients to a nice dinner the other evening, everyone was so overwhelmed by cigar and cigarette smoke that they almost had to leave!

So Perry's has a humidor (yawn....) big deal. Oh, unless you are one of "those" good ole' boy dudes who likes to pose and brag about the amazing round of golf he just shot down at the good ole CC. I'm off topic; I digress.

Several "gentlemen" were babbling and hanging out while they burned their Cubans the other evening in the bar at Perry's. The aroma was so overwhelming that the entire bar smelled like a pool hall. Honestly, how cool is that? Just a word of advice for the owners - not everyone wants to smell your disgusting cigar and cigarette smoke. So you're proud of your antiquated humidor huh? Then build a nice little room with a tightly sealed door so that the smokers can wallow in their filth and not share the love. Can you handle that? I didn't think so, we won't be back!

Dance, Dance, Dance with Fred Astaire

If you are a fan of Dancing with the Stars and dream of being able to float around the floor, you have to check this place out! They are located at 506 Sawdust Road, Spring, Texas 77380 (right next door to Pump it Up! )

Fred Astaire Dance Studios is owned by one of the friendliest couples in town, Mark and Stephanie Adler. Stephanie is from Germany and has been dancing since she was a little girl. She has been a competitor for many years and tears up the dance floor! If you are fortunate enough to get a lesson with Stephanie, don't be put off by her passion and drive. She has a way of getting you to do things that you never thought possible. She has molded several Woodlands residents into dancers who have won numerous competitions!

The rest of the staff is a talented mix as well. The Woodlands is crawling with wonderful dancers/instructors. You can choose your level of dance with Fred Astaire. Maybe you just want to be able to dance at your friend's wedding? Great! They have a program for you! Maybe you want to be able to handle any social dance situation - they can make that happen! Or, if you have hopes and dreams of someday being a competitor, then this is also the place to be! Also, parents of teens - their youth program is the place to be! They learn great social skills as well as dancing skills. It also keeps them involved and out of trouble - sounds like a win/win situation to me!

Students will learn the basics first with either private or group instruction. Once the basic footwork is mastered, they will move you on to styling. That's were the fun begins! The studio is constantly having parties and get-togethers. If you are new to The Woodlands or are just looking for a change of pace in your social life they have plenty to keep you busy!

Stop in, say HI, tell them Andrea sent you! Then get out your dancing shoes and have a great time!

Gold's Gym Conroe LAUNCHES Body Step!

Kia Ora all you LMI fanatics! Gold's Gym Group X has another challenging program in it's repertoire. Body Step is an interval based class that will push your cardiovascular system to the limit! Steppers start out with a nice easy warm-up to prepare the body for the 55 minute cardio workout. They then move on to a nice Step Orientation which will familiarize them with the height and feel of the step all while moving on/off and around the bench. The program then picks up the pace with a Step Warm Up where the intensity starts to pick up slightly and more directional movement is added.

Track four comes along and takes Steppers to their first Power Peak!!! This sets the tone for the rest of the class. Heart rate climbs, sweat starts to trickle and you get a taste of what it's like to climb the intensity ladder. Work on a "delicious" back side with Fergie in the house for track five! Mixed strength is the goal - you will squat till ya drop! Incredible leg conditioning here folks! Track Six is Step athletic. Members will drill very basic athletic movements all while starting low then building up to their highest level. For Body Step 69 the thought process for this track is train like a Basketball player. Lots of shuffling and power across the tops. We bring it down a notch and bust out the running man in Step Recovery. Great fun but still working the legs and glutes.

Track eight is Party Step - light hearted, fun lyrics, a little more choreography and overall a really good time! Track nine brings speed into the equation. How fast and light can you be? That's your challenge all while keeping a nice stable core! We raise the bar one last time with a Power Peak in track ten. This is the challenge - get through it and you are a winner in every sense of the word!

Track 11 brings everyone down to the floor for some cross training. Upper body includes the beloved push-up, back extensions, and a little stabilization work for the core. Track twelve is our final track where we relax, stretch, laugh a little, connect with each other and leave the work out feeling energized and successful!

Body Step is for anyone! Movements are basic, athletic, powerful and can be adapted for all fitness levels. Come check it out with me on Wednesday mornings at 8:30! Be there or be square!

I wouldn't Fart in your Face!!!

So don't blow your nasty, stinky, toxic second-hand smoke in mine!!! Let's get a grip here folks, how many studies have to be done to demonstrate just how terrible smoking is to your health.

We decide to grab a quick dinner at Rico's in Alden Bridge last night. As usual, the wait is crazy and the restaurant is overflowing with people waiting for tables. Due to the lack of space you are forced to huddle like a bunch of fools at the entrance or you can stand outside and freeze or sweat to death or you can wait in the bar. I would normally choose the latter and relax with a beverage while I wait for my table. However, if this choice is made you are forced to sit among the gray cloud that hovers over everyone like a blanket of filth coating your lungs with tar and other carcinogens. Lovely.

Ladies and gents, this is Montgomery County, Texas. Compare that to ummmmm, let's say an ENTIRE country better known as France. Personally, I'm not a fan of the French but you have to hand it to them, they have their act together. In a country where the majority of the population smokes they have (drum roll please) BANNED smoking in all restaurants (gasp)!!! So have other cities and states in the US. Phoenix, AZ comes to mind. I'm not a big fan but California's got it going on as well. You can go to a club in Newport Beach dance your butt off, enjoy a cocktail and have a great time smoke free! Wow, what a concept! When you get home your hair doesn't smell, your clothes don't smell and you aren't coughing like you have a bad case of bronchitis.

Why can't we do this in our little neck of the woods? Let's see, the restaurants/bars might argue "We'll lose money, we'll lose customers". Yes, maybe a few but the plus side is that you will gain all of the other customers who avoid your establishments like the plague because they quite frankly smell like the bottom of an ashtray.

We will no longer dine at Perry's due to the smoke that wafts it's way out of the bar and winds it's wretched self around you like a snake. We used to have to send our wine glasses back because they were hung in the bar and they wreaked of smoke. Wine and cigarettes, not a popular pairing as far as I know!

Secondly, Kirby's is just as bad (not to mention the fact that their food tastes like a Sysco dumping ground). We went once and will never return. I would love to go and listen to the music but I refuse to sit there while inebriated, injected, overfilled, over-plumped cougars on the prowl french inhale and blow theirs remain in my face. Nastay!

Those are just a couple of the worst places in The Woodlands for smoke. Amerigo's is a loser in that department as is Carraba's, and Cru. Let's just stop there - Cru a Wine bar!!! If you are truly going to enjoy a glass of wine it should be swirled, sniffed and savored. Not drank and drowned out by the smell of nicotine!!! C'mon guys!

At least Martinis and More got it right and got rid of the smoking. They had to redo the entire interior of the establishment when the change was made due to the lingering odors. I believe their business is doing just fine.

At least a few establishments in the area have it right:
La Mesa Mexican Bistro
PF Chang's
Jasper's
Tommy Bahama

Who do we contact to do something about this problem? Please share information and let's do something about it!

I realize for most smokers it is an addiction that they would love to leave behind them. Do I have friends who smoke? You bet but they have the courtesy not to bring it around me. As I said, I wouldn't fart in your face so please be kind enough not to smoke in mine!

Try La Mesa Mexican Bistro!

We had another amazing dinner at La Mesa the other evening. This nice addition to The Woodlands dining scene is brought to us by Schiller-Del Grande and Bella Restaurant Group. It is located across from they Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion on the corner of Lake Robbins and Six Pines.

There is no resemblance to it's former entity - Taco Milagro. La Mesa is sophisticated and is perfect for groups of friends looking for a place to chill or for a nice evening out with someone special.

The menu is full of choices all of which stay under the $20 range for entrees. Ingredients are fresh, flavorful and a bit daring. We always start out with the Mexican Ceviche which is chock full of fish, scallops, shrimp and calamari.  Pair that with a crisp glass of Spanish Albarino and you will start your meal off with a smile. I was on a seafood kick last week and tried the Crepe Del Mar which is described as a Corn meal crepe filled with shrimp, scallops, crab meat, spinach and Mexican cheese topped with roasted tomato butter sauce. It was very light and was bursting with seafood! I asked them to go light on the sauce and they kindly obliged. I paired this with a buttery glass of their Chilean Montgrass Chardonnay.  My husband had the Roasted Duck Enchiladas with were covered in a rich, dark mole sauce which contains chocolate! Yum! Where else in The Woodlands can you find food like this?

They boast a great selection of value priced wine that you won't find at every chain you frequent. Happy Hour is Monday-Friday from 4-7 pm with three dollar Beers, Cosmos, Ritas: $1 off on all wines by the glass and their famous Tequila Flights!! The appetizer menu is quite lengthy so you aren't stuck with the typical fair found at most establishments.

Service is friendly and has a few kinks to work out. Sometimes the wait staff can be a little hurried and at other times non-existent but I truly believe this is something that will get better with time. Go give it a try - you won't be disappointed!

Body Combat 34

Took the afternoon today to learn the latest Body Combat release from Les Mills. What a great release!! It starts off with sort of a techno sound in the upper body warm up where we see the return of the knife strike and the "bob". This is mixed in with some nice shuffles to get the body moving. The lower body warm up rocks! Scooter is in da house!!! Love him! We have the shuffle ginga which just looks bad @$$!! No ESK this round but they definitely make up for it later on. Tracks 2 & 3 flow nicely and send us into full Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle mode for Track 4! Welcome back to the jump kick and mix it up with the shuffle ginga and this one knocks it out of the park. Great leg conditioning track thanks to the Vaux! Track 5 introduces a new kicking Kata and semi-contact point fighting. They promised us 35% more kicks and this baby serves it up right with a bit of 'tude! Muay Tai takes hold with a rockin beat that drills the treble elbow and repeater rear knee. Lots of repetition means your members will grasp it quickly and be able to put all of their effort into the workout! We finish off the cardio conditioning with an amazing track 8 that stays true to form with high repetitions of Jabs, Uppers and Hooks. The push up/ab track is a major challenge. Lots of small ranges of motion done at quick tempo get it done and get it done quick! Thanks Dan and Rach for bringing back a nice choreographed cool down. We play with the "forks" - you know the weapons, not the utensils! Overall, BC 34 gets 10 out of 10 stars from moi! Kia Kaha!

Okay, here goes....my first post!

I decided to start a blog for the year 08. Why? Well, why not? What a great way to get your thoughts down and share them with others. I was a journalism major in college and I love to write so this will be my outlet for all of my random thoughts.

Where to start?

Thought one for 08 - Wal-Mart sucks! Yep, totally  - can't stand it, loathe it, avoid it like the plague. So yesterday we need outdoor spot lights to help save our plants for the upcoming freeze our weatherman are so happy to share with us. Being the Wal-Mart hater that I am, I suggest a trip to this mega-mart to save us a 30 minute drive to another store. Needless to say, we get our stuff home and low and behold one of our items is broken and doesn't work. So we pile back in the car and head back to Wally world. We get the glorious opportunity to stand in the line for Returns/exchanges. What is it about the people that staff these types of establishments? Their only power in life is to move as slowly as possible and make you wait as they take their sweet time having meaningless conversations with their coworker who is holding another poor person hostage at the counter. They avoid all eye contact with you, they let you know just how bad they don't want to be there and that they have better things to do. Well maybe that's why they are working at Wally World and are stuck behind the oh-so-appropriately named "Customer Service" Counter! What a joke! Moral to the story, never give in again to that devil that shouted "just give Wal-Mart" one more try! 

NO WAY - TARGET BABY!!!