Old Town Spring celebrates the holidays
November 17th, 2009 categories: Discover Spring Texas, Events and Activities
Last Saturday I attended the 28th annual Old Town Spring’s ”Home for the Holidays” celebration. I don’t know whether it was because it was a gorgeous sunny day with a high temperature of 80 degrees or people were ready to get into a holiday mood but whatever the reason there were a lot of people in Old Town Spring for the opening week of the “Home for the Holidays” celebration. If you did not get a chance to go last weekend you have plenty of time as it continued through December 20th.
For those who have never been to Old Town Spring , it is considered the birth place of Spring TX back in the 1800s. Today, Old Town Spring is a quaint town of 150 speciality shops and restaurants.
During their ”Home for the Holidays” celebration the town is decked out with lights, ornaments, garlands, and bows. Santa is in his house ready to hear little girls and boys wish lists, a smaller scale train takes the kids for a ride around the square, strolling musicians entertain, and the shops have their holidays goods out ready to tempt you.
If you get hungry after all that shopping, I recommend you order the fried pickles at Puffabelly’s. They are delicious!
| Discussion: No Comments »
HEB at FM 2920 and Spring Cypress now OPEN!!
November 11th, 2009 categories: Shopping
As I pulled into the parking lot to attend the opening of HEB’s Spring Market, I suddenly realized I was not alone. Apparently my Spring Texas neighbors were just as anxious as I was to shop at HEB’s newest store. For a brief moment, I thought about turning around and going back home. But the moment quickly passed because after 7+ months of watching the construction I needed to satisfy my curiosity.
As soon as I entered the grocery store I grabbed a shopping cart. I knew I was going to need the shopping cart to help me create a path through the sea of people and the shopping cart did just that. I did run into numerous shopping cart traffic jams but what can you expect, it was opening day.
The store was a delicious sample smorgasbord. There were samples of sushi, pineapple, bread, cookies, lump crab meat ceviche, chili, King ranch chicken, cheese, shrimp salad, chocolate, and wine. Some samples, such as the sushi, were more popular than others and had people standing in line waiting for a sample. Since I came around lunch time I was hungry and did my fair share of sampling. I didn’t sample the wine because it was the middle of the day and I passed on the cookies and chocolate because I am not that fond of sweets.
With the sampling out of the way, my husband and I went in search of the $20 in free items listed on the coupon we had received in the mail from HEB. I don’t know how many of these coupons HEB mailed to households in Spring Texas but it must have been a lot because about everyone in the store had a coupon with them. The coupon was for FREE Ritz crackers, goldfish crackers, ice cream sandwiches, cooked chicken strips, package of cheese, and a six pack of Pellegrino water. In addition to picking up the free items, we picked up two wonderful looking Rib eye steaks. At a price of $5.99 lb for a USDA Prime cut, the steaks were too good to pass up.
The HEB Spring Market has a lot of the same offerings as the other newer HEB stores including a
Cooking Connection, in-house bakery, extensive cheese shop, over 900 fresh fruits and vegetables, fresh seafood, and quality cuts of meat.
The only offering lacking from the HEB Spring Market is their Central Market prepared foods on the go. The HEB at Louetta and Stuebner Airline and HEB Vintage Marketboth have the Central Market prepared foods on the go with a brick pizza oven but not the HEB Spring Market. I will just have to visit one of HEB’s other stores when I get a craving for their Love Dip that needs to be satisfied.
Since HEB’s Spring Market is located closer to my house than their other stores, the time it takes me to do my weekly grocery shopping will be reduced by 20 minutes. Yea!!
Read also:
| Discussion: No Comments »
Celebrities from Spring Texas
November 2nd, 2009 categories: Discover Spring Texas
Although not enough to support a business of tours of the stars homes, we do still have have several famous people whom at one point in time called Spring Texas “Home”.
See if you recognize any of the Celebrities whom have either been born, raised, or lived in Spring Texas:
1. Lyle Lovett (musician): probably the most recognized name with Spring Texas roots. Lyle is the great, great grandson of Adam Klein, the founder of Klein Texas. Lyle and his family still own many acres of land in Spring Texas including a stretch along Spring Cypress.
2. Matt Bomer (actor): was born in Spring Texas and graduated from Klein High School. Matt’s latest role is the starring role as a criminal fighting crime in “White Collar” a show on the USA Network. If you have not heard of Matt Bomer yet, you will soon. In 2009, People Magazine named him “Sexiest Rising Star”.
3. Lee Pace(actor): was raised in Spring Texas and graduated from Klein High School. Lee has several credits to his name including roles in “Pushing Daisies”, “Wonderfalls”, and “the Good Shepherd”.
4. Sherry Stringfield (actress): was born in Colorado Springs but mainly raised in Spring Texas. She also graduated from Klein High School. You may remember her from her role on “E.R.”
5. Chad Hedrick (Olympic Medalist): was born in Spring Texas. Chad won five gold medals during the 2006 Winter Olympics.
6. Laura Wilkinson (Olympic Medalist): was raised in Spring Texas and graduated from Klein High School. Laura has won several platform diving medals at the Olympics, World Cup, and Goodwill Games.
7. Josh Beckett(MLB pitcher): was born and raised in Spring Texas. Josh has played for the Florida Marlins and the Boston Red Soxs. In 2003, Josh received the World Series MVP Award. In 2008, Josh recorded his 1,000th career strikeout.
8. Eddie Steeples (actor): was born and raised in Spring Texas and graduated from Klein Oak High School. In 2004, he made People magazine’s list of “World’s Sexiest Men”. Some of Eddie’s most recognized roles were his role as the ”Rubber Band Man” in the Office Max ads and his role of Darnell Turner in the NBC Sitcom “My Name is Earl”.
Do you know of any other Celebrities whom have called Spring Texas “Home”?
| Discussion: 1 Comment »
The Inside Scoop
October 29th, 2009 categories: Shopping
Have you been wondering when the new HEB at FM 2920 and Spring Cypress is going to open just like Rick and I have been? Well the suspense but not the wait is over.
On our way home from Chuy’s last night, we cruised the HEB parking lot and asked an HEB employee with the first name of Michael when the store was scheduled to open. The answer … drum roll, please …. November 11th, 2009.
You may be saying what’s the big deal about the opening of a new HEB store? Its only a grocery store. You are right it is only a grocery store but it is a grocery store I shop at frequently because it has excellent produce, meat, and prepared foods and it is also about the additional convenience it will bring.
Currently the closest HEB to my house in Spring Texas is 15 minutes away. The HEB at FM2920 and Spring Cypress will be 5 minutes away. Ten minutes each way means I will be able to get my weekly grocery shopping, which I don’t like doing , done 20 minutes sooner. Yea!!
November 11th can not arrive soon enough for me because I am not very good at waiting. I have already had to wait during the 5+ months of construction while the HEB store was being built and that is long enough for someone who hates waiting. Hopefully the days will go by quickly between now and November 11th.
| Discussion: No Comments »
A beautiful Fall day
October 18th, 2009 categories: Discover Spring Texas
After a very hot and humid summer, I am glad fall has decided to finally arrive. The last couple of days have just been beautiful with plenty of sunshine, low humidity, and temperatures in the mid to low 70s. This is my kind of weather and I wish it would last for months. But I know that is just wishful thinking.
The cooler temperatures have me thinking about pumpkins and Halloween. A great place to pick out your own pumpkin to decorate is at Plants for all seasons. They are located at 6610 Louetta Spring TX 77379 and have a big pumpkin patch filled with pumpkins of all sizes and some interesting gourds too.
Instead of using smelly markers or performing surgery and then having to scrape out the pumpkins inards, I chose the less mess way to decorate pumpkins this year. I took a picture of the pumpkins in the Plants for all seasons pumpkin patch and uploaded it to the Picnik.com website. I have been using the photo editing tools at Picnik.com for some time now. They have some creative and easy photo editing tools that allow me to quickly edit the photos I take for our Spring Texas real estate blogsite.
Here’s a photo of my decorated pumpkins. What do you think? Do you think I could win a pumpkin decorating contest? Maybe not. But I did have fun decorating them.
| Discussion: No Comments »
Changing of Seasons
September 22nd, 2009 categories: Discover Spring Texas
Today is the first day of fall and I am definitely ready for a change in seasons. The summer we just had in Spring Texas was grueling. Full of heat, humidity, and very little rain.
It was in May of 2001 that I moved to Spring Texas. I had arrived just in time for the start of summer. The best way to describe the humidity was it was horrible. I had one bad hair day after the next and swear I discovered sweat glands I did not even know existed. Born a Midwestern, I could not understand why anybody in there right mind would want to live in a place where the humidity was so horrible.
Then the seasons changed and we enjoyed some fabulous fall days with lower humidity levels and pleasant evening temperatures. Winter arrived and there was no ice to scrape and no snow to shovel. Spring came and with it stunning displays from Azaleas bushes and wildflowers filled the medians.
Then I finally “got it” summer is the season you have to put up with in order to enjoy the other three seasons of the year. It was the same thing in the Midwest where I grew up except reversed. We put up with the long, dreary, cold winters to enjoy the summer.
What’s your favorite time of year to live in Spring Texas? You have probably guessed mine is not summer. It is spring.
Read also:
- What are the average temperatures for Spring Texas
- Spring Texas weather: Blue skies or Gray skies?
- 20 Reasons why I love living in Spring Texas
| Discussion: No Comments »
State law prohibits cell phone use in Spring TX school zones
September 1st, 2009 categories: Discover Spring Texas, Schools
If you use your cell phone when driving around the Spring Texas area, then you need to be aware of a state law that went into effect today. As of September 1st, cell phone use has become prohibited in school zones.
For the law to be enforceable a cell phone use prohibited sign must be posted. As of 10:00 am, the sign to the left had already been posted at Roth Elementary and by the end of the day I noticed numerous school zones in the Klein School District had posted signs.
Considering the large quantity of motorists I regularly see talking on their cell phones, I suspect this law is going to be difficult for many of them to get use to. I know at least one motorist became much more aware of the new law today as I saw her getting pulled over in the Haude Elementary school zone on Louetta for talking on her cell phone. Breaking of the law comes with a fine of up to $200 which I am not quite sure how the “UP TO” portion works but I am not going to personally find out.
Many states have laws prohibiting cell phone use while driving not just while driving in a school zone. So I think I can change my calling habits enough to wait the few minutes it takes to drive through a school zone before I place a call.
For a look at the state cell phone driving laws in individual states visit the Governor’s Highway Safety Association.
| Discussion: No Comments »
Who has the best Mexican food in Spring Texas?
July 24th, 2009 categories: Dining and Entertainment
I have heard that to true purists there is a difference between Mexican and Tex/Mex food, but this Gringo certainly does not know what it is. What I do know is what I like and what I like are cold, frozen margaritas, crisp chips, chunky red salsa, creamy green salsa, tasty fajitas, and loaded nachos. These are the criteria by which I rate all Mexican restaurants.
I can not claim to have eaten at all of the numerous and I do mean numerous Mexican restaurants located in and around Spring Texas but I have eaten at enough of them to know which are the best.
Here’s my list of the best Mexican / Tex/Mex restaurant for each of the following categories:
Best Happy Hour: Chuy’s- $3.50 Margaritas and a FREE loaded nacho car from 4 – 7 pm weekdays is why Chuy’s has the best happy hour(s).
Best Creamy Green Sauce: Chuy’s - If you like ranch dressing with a kick this addictive sauce is for you.
Best Red Salsa: Pappasitos
Best Chips: Chuy’s
Best Frozen Margaritas: Chuy’s
Best single chip Nachos: Pappasitos
Best bar atmosphere: Gringo’s
Best Fajitas: Pappasitos – The meat is so tender it almost melts in your mouth.
Best overall Mexican restaurant: Pappasitos
Who do you think has the best Tex/Mex or Mexican food in the Spring Texas area?
Read also:
| Discussion: 4 Comments »
Thinking about a staycation?
July 19th, 2009 categories: Events and Activities
Does your wallet seem a little lighter this summer? Are you wondering how you can have a vacation without spending a fortune?
With numerous things to do and see in and around the Spring Texas area, a staycation may be just the answer. The good news is there are loads of things to do that don’t require you to empty your wallet to enjoy them.
To help you answer the question of “What’s there to do?”, I have put together a list of ideas:
- Enjoy a night at the movies at the Silverado IMAX or double your fun by watching a movie and eating dinner at the same time at the Movie Tavern.
- Take in a concert at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion or the Sam Houston Race Park.
- Spend a day visiting the numerous museums located in the Houston Museum District or stay even closer to home by visiting the Pearl museum or the Children’s museum in the Woodlands.
- Get wet and cool off at your neighborhood’s swimming pool or take a plunge at Splashtown.
- Try your luck fishing at Meyer Park or Burrough’s Park
- Travel to some far away land and time by becoming absorbed in the book you borrowed from the Barbara Bush Library.
- Enjoy a new release movie on the cheap by renting from RedBox for $1.08 a night. RedBox is becoming more popular and available at many Walgreens, Walmart, and McDonalds.
- Run away and watch the circus. The Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus is performing at Reliant Stadium from July 19th – 26th.
- Explore the Woodlands waterway with a ride on one of its water taxis.
- Go out to Minute Maid ball park and root, root, root for the home team and buy some peanuts and Cracker Jack.
- Be a tourist and spend the day browsing through the 150+ shops and restaurants at Old Town Spring.
- Break routine and try out a new pizza joint or tex / mex restaurant.
- Play games at the Main Event.
- Watch water dance to music and lights at the Woodlands water fountains.
- Visit the Houston Zoo and see if you can talk to the animals.
- Explore the hiking trails at Mercer Arboretum and appreciate nature’s beauty at Mercer’s Botanical Gardens
- Pick blueberries at Neal’s blueberry farm.
- Spend the day pursuing the aisles of IKEA.
- Practice your ice skating at the Galleria’s ice skating rink.
- Enjoy an ice cone at Brusters.
With so many ways to have fun in and around the Spring Texas area, get out and enjoy yourself. Don’t let a lighter wallet be the reason you stay inside all summer because there’s lots of things to do on the cheap. Enjoy your staycation!!!
Photo taken of the Splashpad at Gleannloch Farms
| Discussion: No Comments »
Cost of Living Calculator for Spring Texas
July 13th, 2009 categories: Discover Spring Texas, Home Buyer Information
One of the many things you will want to know before relocating to Spring Texas is how the cost of living compares to the city you are moving from. CNN money has recently developed a cost of living 
calculator to help you with just this task.
Since the cost of living calculator does not have Spring Texas as an option you will have to choose Houston Texas. But since Spring is often considered a suburb of Houston you should still be able to come up with a fairly accruate comparison.
Since I am currently working with buyers relocating from Anchorage Alaska, Baltimore Maryland, and Cleveland Ohio, I thought it would be interesting to find out which of these buyers is going to receive the largest financial benefit by relocating to Spring Texas.
The lucky buyer relocating from Baltimore Maryland will enjoy the largest decrease in his cost of living. His housing costs are going to be 53% less, groceries will be 19% less, and his utilities will be 17% less in Spring Texas than in Baltimore. A salary of $60,000 in Baltimore is equivalent to $44,474 in Spring Texas.
I have always thought the cost of living was extremely affordable in Spring Texas and with this cost of living calculator I can now prove it.
Read also:
- 20 Reasons to Live in Spring Texas
- Moving to Spring Texas? 10 things you need to know
- What are the average temperatures for Spring Texas?
| Discussion: No Comments »