Mariachi's is OPEN!

Hey! For all of you that live in "the back" of The Woodlands - we can all rejoice as we finally have a nice, upscale Mexican Restaurant! Thank GOD it's not like Rico's in Alden Bridge - sorry Mom's and Dad's but I'm tired of dining with Junior yelling and screaming over his sippy cup while you sit there dazed with your Margarita buzz. Not hatin' - just sayin'...

Okay, so the place looks really nice. They kept the dark woods, have gorgeous chandeliers, very nice ambiance. The bar size has been reduced to accommodate more seating

Menu choices are fabulous and varied. You can choose anything from Enchiladas to a 12 oz. Grilled Rib Eye or perhaps an Arrachera Beef Salad will get you jazzed. Great selection grilled items, salad, seafood, enchiladas and burritos. The wine list is impressive for this type of establishment. Also a fantastic selection of Martinis (like the Mexican Slipper: Solorazano Reposado, Grand Marnier and more), Margaritas ("Look Better Naked" Margarita with Partida Reposado, Acai berries, Agave Nectar and rosemary) - enticed yet?

They will be featuring entertainment on the weekends as well. Overall, impressive start!

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!

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!