Cool Ways to Organize Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers

Kitchen cabinets and drawers can be difficult to keep neat and organized. If you’re tired of your messy cabinets and drawers, use these simple tips for keeping them more organized.

  • Clean out your cabinets. Empty your kitchen cabinets and drawers completely, tossing out outdated or unused foods and consolidating anything that you have multiples of. You might also want to give the bottoms a good wipe-down.
  • Put spices in jars. Instead of having dozens of spices in various sized jars, take the time to put all spices in matching glass jars that you can easily organize.
  • Add a Lazy Susan. Add a rotating Lazy Susan to your kitchen cabinet to corral small food items and keep them easily within reach.
  • Group similar items together. Store all of your baking supplies on one shelf, all of your dried foods on another, all of your plastic containers on another, and so on. This makes it much easier to locate items later on.
  • Add drawer dividers. Your silverware drawer isn’t the only one that could use dividers. Invest in cheap plastic dividers to keep all of your drawers neatly separated.

24 Smart Organizing Ideas for Your Kitchen [Real Simple]
10 Steps to an Orderly Kitchen [HGTV]
6 Clever Kitchen Storage Ideas Anyone Can Use [Houzz]
10 Clever Ways to Keep Your Kitchen Organized [DIY Network]

Take a Dip at SplashTown in Spring, Texas

About 30 minutes from the heart of Houston, SplashTown is the coolest way to love the heat. Big kids and little ones alike can find a way to splash around, starting with tamer attractions like the Leaky Pipes, Crocodile Isle, and the Lazy River tube. But big attractions at SplashTown are for those kids over 48 inches tall. Here, you’re in for some dramatic whitewater action. The newest thrill is the Stingray Racer, where daredevils simultaneously charge headfirst on foam mats down parallel five-story-high, high-speed slides. Tornado, RipQirl, and Big Spin are all designed to thrill visitors, while Texas Freefall might be imagined as a training prerequisite to skydiving.

Regulars recommend season’s passes or group coordination to save money, and packed lunches in the parking lot. Or maybe you’d prefer renting a cabana. Whatever your style, be sure to familiarize yourself with the Park’s rules and the map with the park layout before you rush over. Look for special events and coupons too.

SplashTown
21300 I-45 North
Spring, TX 77373
(281) 355-3300
www.splashtownpark.com

Exotic Creatures Make Their Home at Cockrell Butterfly Center

Immerse yourself in the natural habitat of butterflies at the Cockrell Butterfly Center housed within The Houston Museum of Natural Science. The distinctive sanctuary is made up of three fascinating levels for your enjoyment and education.

The Rainforest Conservatory encases a 50-foot waterfall within a manmade tropical paradise filled with thousands of imported exotic butterflies, plants, and unique arthropods from around the world. In Chrysalis Corner, watch the transformation of butterflies as they develop and grow. On the lower level, explore an entomologist's lab and investigate a number of insects up close. Before you go, grab a treat from the Insect Vending Machine featuring snacks made from insects that are popular in many cultures around the world. The museum also has a fun, interactive playground for the younger set with an insect area, a giant beehive and puzzles.

Cockrell Butterfly Center
The Houston Museum of Natural Science
5555 Hermann Park Drive
Houston, TX 77030
(713) 639-4629
www.hmns.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=8
www.yelp.com/biz/cockrell-butterfly-center-houston

Alwadi Mediterranean Sandwiches: Not Your Typical Deli

A Houston eatery serving sandwiches with a Mediterranean twist, Alwadi isn't your typical deli. Here, sandwiches boast marinated chicken, beef, or lamb, all of which arrive sliced, grilled, and wrapped in pita bread with tomatoes, pickles, and garlic sauce. Regulars recommend the gyro sandwich, which features a blend of lamb and beef stuffed inside a pita and drizzled with tzatziki sauce. Vegans and vegetarians can enjoy the falafel sandwich, made with fried chickpea and parsley.

If you aren’t in the mood for a sandwich, the restaurant serves a number of platters featuring shrimp kabobs, chicken shawarma, or falafel patties. Alwadi serves each platter with a side of hummus, cucumber salad, pita bread, garlic sauce, and your choice or fries. For even more options, check out the appetizers, which include stuffed grape leaves, cracked wheat pies stuffed with ground beef and pine nuts, and fried potatoes mixed with garlic and chopped cilantro.

Alwadi Mediterranean Sandwiches
4551 Cypress Creek Parkway
Houston, TX 77069
(832) 249-1500
www.alwadigrill.com
www.yelp.com/biz/alwadi-mediterranean-sandwiches-houston

Happy Memorial Day!

Wishing everyone a happy Memorial Day as we remember the many heroes who have served our country.

Ever Think to Decorate With Citrus Fruit? Here Are Some Ideas!

You often see patterns featuring lemons and limes on kitchen linens and even on clothing, but you’ve likely never thought to decorate with the real thing. Here are a few crafty and creative ways to incorporate juicy citrus fruits into your home’s decor.

DIY Citrus Centerpieces [homedit.com]
Fill large, vintage apothecary jars with lemons, limes, or smaller types of oranges, then use the clear vessels as a centerpiece on your dining table. Choose a set of two or three in varying sizes to create depth and a stylish tiered effect.

Sliced Lime Flower Arrangements [ehow.com]
This unique flower arrangement uses fresh, sliced limes and springtime flowers. Line the inside of a clear vase with thinly sliced limes, then fill the rest of the vase with whole limes behind them. Finish by adding long-stemmed flowers in soft shades of white and green.

DIY Natural Room Scents [theyummylife.com]
Perhaps the best-smelling way to use citrus fruits in your home’s decor is by creating all-natural scent jars. Mix combinations of citruses, fresh herbs, essential oils, and spices (such as orange, cinnamon and clove with a pinch of anise) to a small mason jar, then let the wonderful scent fill the room.

Texas Rock Gym: Reach the Summit

If you've ever wanted to try rock climbing, then Texas Rock Gym is one place you won't want to miss. This gym in northwestern Houston caters to the very different needs of both families looking for an afternoon of fun and experienced climbers seeking to stay sharp and improve their skills.

For those who are new to climbing, the gym offers a brief introductory course that will get you started, as well as several beginner walls to practice upon. If you're an experienced climber, you'll find more difficult walls and an area for straight bouldering. Gym regulars say that the climb paths are changed regularly, so you continue to be challenged with every visit. The award-winning facility also offers 42 top-rope stations for all levels, five Tru-Blue Auto-Belay stations, and a lead arch and extended lead areas.

You can also schedule your team-building event or birthday party at Texas Rock Gym.

Texas Rock Gym
1526 Campbell Road
Houston, TX 77055
(713) 973-7625
www.texasrockgym.com
www.yelp.com/biz/texas-rock-gym-houston-2

Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother's Day! How are you planning to celebrate mom today?

Crescent Moon Coffee Bar & Cafe: Where Fair-Trade Coffee Meets Free Wi-Fi in Houston

With a display case filled with homemade treats baked by the area’s beloved Kraftsman Baking, Crescent Moon Coffee Bar & Cafe is a local coffee shop in every sense of the word. Relying on fair-trade, locally roasted coffee beans, this friendly, casual coffee house hosts a rustic wooden ordering counter and a few cozy seating areas within its small interior.

Chalkboard menus are posted on the walls and advertise the shop’s cold brewed coffees, chai lattes, and various brewed coffees, as well as freshly baked quiches and pastry offerings. Lunch options include sandwiches like the turkey with wasabi mayo on thick ciabatta bread, and Crescent Moon even offers a $6 lunch box that is perfect for those busy days when you only have time to grab something and go.

Crescent Moon Coffee Bar & Cafe is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. The cafe offers free Wi-Fi and allows dogs on its outdoor patio.

Crescent Moon Coffee Bar & Cafe
12333 Jones Road
Houston, TX 77070
(281) 807-1567
www.facebook.com/CrescentMoonTX
www.yelp.com/biz/crescent-moon-coffee-bar-houston

Gumbo Jeaux’s: A Hidden Gem Serving Cajun Fare in Houston

Some restaurants need a little flash, while others—like Houston’s Gumbo Jeaux’s—just need good food and good reviews. This Cajun fare restaurant has received a bounty of favorable reviews from guests, many of whom credit the restaurant’s friendly staff, decent prices, and tasty Creole dishes for its success.

Despite its popularity, Gumbo Jeaux’s remains humble. Many of the dishes, including sandwiches and fried pieces, come served on checkered paper in plastic baskets or on plastic plates. Similarly, the restaurant's location is unassuming; it occupies a no-frills space in a small shopping center. Still, the food is well worth the trip, regulars say. Popular dishes on the menu here include shrimp po’boys, crawfish etouffe, chicken and waffles, and the gumbo.

Be sure to get your fill of this eatery's fare during the week, because the chefs take a break on the weekend! Gumbo Jeaux's is open 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

Gumbo Jeaux’s
15655 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Houston, TX 77032
(281) 227-7138

www.facebook.com/pages/Gumbo-Jeauxs/195005957186514
www.yelp.com/biz/gumbo-jeauxs-houston

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