Cru Wine Bar: Making Wine Tasting Approachable

Catch up with friends at Cru Wine Bar, a Texas-based chain with a location in The Woodlands. Offering 30 by-the-glass options and over 300 bottles in the cellar, you'll be sure to find a new favorite wine. Sample one of the many wine flights, which are reasonably priced and have generous pours. The food menu offers a nice variety of small plates and full size entrees. Many customers order several plates and share with the whole table. Be sure to try the Goat Cheese Beignets and the Roasted Wild Mushroom Pizza with fontina, pesto and white truffle oil.

Dine inside for a chic and trendy evening out, or linger over Sunday brunch with French toast and bottomless mimosas on the outdoor patio. In addition to weekday happy hour from 4 p.m to 6:30, Cru has daily specials like Pizza Mondays: buy any bottle of wine and your choice of pizza is on the house.

Cru Wine Bar
9595 Six Pines Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77380
(281) 465-9463
http://www.cruawinebar.com
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cru-wine-bar-the-woodlands

Salata: Salads and Wraps in The Woodlands

Salata is a restaurant where you can build yourself a wrap or salad from a flavorful array of super-fresh ingredients. The salad option features several lettuce choices, plus fresh veggies, fruits, nuts and cheeses. Add on one of their signature dressings and some bread, and you’ve got yourself a healthy meal. Chicken or seafood can also be added in flavors like Spicy Chipotle, Herb Marinated, or Pesto.

Wraps have the same ingredient options and come with chips. Yummy soups include Broccoli, Tomato Basil and Tortilla. Got gluten allergies? No problem, they can create a tasty sans-gluten meal. You can also take home a bottle of their salad dressings that include Fresh Herb Vinaigrette, Buttermilk Ranch, Ginger Lime, and Chipotle Ranch.

Salata is open every day in The Woodlands.

Salata
9595 Six Pines Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77380
(281) 465-0775
http://www.salata.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/salata-the-woodlands-2

Keep Your Kitchen Need and Tidy With These Organization Tips

In terms of most-used spaces in your home, the kitchen is usually one of the first rooms that comes to mind. Used for everything from cooking breakfast to catching up on emails, this is a multipurpose room that often gets very disorganized throughout the course of the day. Here are a few simple tips that will help you to keep your kitchen organized.

  1. Stack things high. If you’re short on cabinet space, maximize the room on each shelf by purchasing dishes that are meant to be stacked. You’ll be surprised how much more you can fit inside once you utilize that unused height.
  2. Use a Lazy Susan. Lazy Susans make it possible to store spices and other kitchen essentials in tight spots while still allowing for easy access.
  3. Spruce up storage containers. If you want to store your most-used ingredients on the counters but dislike the original packaging, opt for a matching set of containers instead. Small glass jars are ideal for storing things like sugar, flour, and baking soda in plain sight.
  4. Hang a pot rack. Pot racks are great ways to free up under-stove storage, and they’ll give your kitchen a professional, chef’s kitchen look.
  5. Organize pot lids. Use a wooden peg rack in a cabinet to file messy pot lids vertically instead of horizontally.
  6. Invest in a knife rack. Mount a knife rack to the wall to keep knives in a safe spot and maintain their sharp edges.

24 Smart Organizing Ideas for Your Kitchen [Real Simple]
Kitchen Organizing Tips [Martha Stewart]
8 Smart Organizing Tips for the Kitchen [Tidy Mom]
Kitchen Organization & Storage Tips [Better Homes & Gardens]

George and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Library: Get Lost in the Stacks of This Community Library

The George and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Library is housed in a 30,000-square-foot brick building conveniently located in the Woodlands area of Montgomery County.

This community staple contains 102,500 books and other resources, including the latest fiction and nonfiction releases, classic works of literature, educational books, and children’s books. The computer lab offers 30 computers equipped with Internet access, Microsoft Office, and many other resources, and there are also printer stations and photocopiers for public use. A meeting room, conference room, and two study rooms are ideal for study groups or other gatherings, and the library also offers many book clubs for fellow readers in the area. With a valid library card guests also have access to the numerous children, teen, and adult programs hosted at the library.

The George and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Library is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. The library is closed on Sundays.

The George and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Library
8125 Ashlane Way
The Woodlands, TX 77382
(936) 442-7728
www.countylibrary.org/mitchell.htm
www.yelp.com/biz/george-and-cynthia-woods-mitchell-library-the-woodlands

Viva Itacate: Mexican Food in Spring, Texas

Fans of this sweet little bakery and sandwich shop love their take on traditional fare. It’s a primo place to stop by in the a.m. for a cup of their specialty blend coffee and a delectable pastry. Options include Bocales – corn pastries filled with a variety of ingredients, and Coronitas – a filled croissant-like pastry that fans compare to the Cronut, which is a cross between a donut and a croissant.

Their Empanadas are tasty little turnovers filled with yummy ingredients like spinach & cheese, beef, almonds & raisins, chorizo & beans, and ham & cheese. Tortas – sandwiches served on a toasted roll, are also on the menu. Choose from Torta Itacate – pork loin, Pollinita – chicken, and Ternera – veal.

Viva Itacate is open Tuesday through Sunday.

Viva Itacate
544 Sawdust Road
Spring, TX 77380
(281) 298-7377
www.vivaitacate.com
www.yelp.com/biz/viva-itacate-spring

Five Easy Decorating Tips for Renters

A new apartment is great because everything is clean and untouched, but it can also seem a bit impersonal. If you want to make your rental your own without making any permanent changes, these easy (and inexpensive!) tips can help.

  1. Dress up your windows. Every renter loves windows because they fill your apartment with natural light, but they can look a bit bare with just the standard issue white blinds. Add some colorful curtains, chic bamboo blinds, or patterned roller panels to give your windows your own character.
  2. Hang a gallery wall. From personalized photographs to brightly colored movie posters, a gallery wall allows you to decorate your walls with all of the things you love. Though many renters think that they can’t hang frames because of the nail holes, there are a number of removable frame hanging tools that won’t puncture the walls.
  3. Add some greenery. Not only do plants brighten any room in your apartment, they also clean the air and make everything feel fresher. Potted succulents and cacti are especially ideal for apartments because they require less care than most other indoor plants.
  4. Experiment with creative storage. If your new apartment is lacking storage space, don’t sweat it. Line a wall with white bookshelves to make them look like built-ins, add closet organizers to maximize that small bedroom closet, or invest in multipurpose furniture pieces with hidden storage.
  5. Don’t forget the rugs. Colorful rugs add personality to every room in your apartment, and they protect the floors to keep your security deposit safe.

24 Ideas to Steal for Your Apartment [BHG]
11 Decor Ideas That Will Change Your Apartment [Huffington Post]
Design Ideas and Tips for Renters [Remodelaholic]
10 Tips on Decorating a Rental [Sunset]

Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts: A Community Art Gallery

One of the most delightful art spaces near Avana Grogan’s Mill, the recently renovated Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts is a museum that's always in transition. Because there are no permanent exhibits, there are always different things to see at the facility. The late Pearl Fincher was a local community leader, and this museum is a great tribute to her legacy. There are three major galleries that so far this year have brought amazing exhibitions, and the Community Gallery features exhibitions from local elementary, middle, high school, and college students. With upcoming exhibits that focus on local art and architecture, there’s always something interesting around the bend. The museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays until 8 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free, but a $3 donation per person is suggested.

Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts
6815 Cypresswood Drive
Spring, TX 77379
(281) 376-6322
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pearl-fincher-museum-of-fine-arts-spring

Merlot 2 Masterpiece: BYOB Painting Party

If you’re bored with the usual night out, plan an evening with Merlot 2 Masterpiece in Spring. These BYOB guided painting classes are a fun way to get in touch with your creativity in a relaxed party atmosphere.

For about $50 you will get all the supplies and instruction necessary to create your own artwork, and past participants have found the instructors to be encouraging and helpful. Everyone works on the same painting for each party, and there is a wide range in their course offerings from portraits to landscapes and whimsical or abstract. At the end of the three hour event you’ll have your very own masterpiece to hang in your home or give as a gift. It’s also a great idea for birthday parties and other special occasions.

Merlot 2 Masterpiece
6915 Cypresswood Drive
Spring, TX 77379
(832) 482-2591
www.yelp.com/biz/merlot-2-masterpiece-spring

Public Domain/Photos-Public-Domain

Breathe Pilates Studio: Exercise in The Woodlands

Exercise, stretch and tone with a class at Breathe Pilates Studio. Their certified Pilates instructors will help you achieve your personal fitness goals. This Woodlands studio is equipped with state of the art equipment that helps to increase flexibility, lengthen muscles and provide core stability.

The studio has a friendly vibe that makes going there fun. Fluid movements combined with controlled breathing helps to build fitness from the inside out. The barre class offers a unique combination of Pilates, dance, yoga and cardio, for a fun, high energy workout that firms and tones while burning calories. Cardio Kickboxing is also offered at the studio and is sure to get you in tip top shape.

See their website for class schedules and prices.

Breathe Pilates Studio
25236 Grogans Park Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77380
(281) 298-5277
http://www.breathepilatesstudio.net/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/breathe-pilates-studio-the-woodlands

Public Domain/Openclipart.org

Expect Flavorful Italian Fare and Fireside Dining at Grotto Ristorante

With vibrant painted murals, a gleaming curved wooden bar, and walls stacked with wine bottles, Grotto Ristorante is a lively setting for a flavorful repast. Settle in by the fireplace indoors or out on the patio and get your party started with a glass or bottle of wine and an antipasto, like mussels marechiaro with white wine and fresh tomatoes, the scampi grotto with mushrooms, or the mozzarella in padella with tomatoes, garlic, and basil. Pizza and pasta are featured on the menu, along with entrees like shrimp paillard with jumbo lump crab, roasted bell peppers, and lemon sauce, and snapper Siciliano with Roma tomatoes, garlic, shrimp sauce, and lump crab.

Grotto Ristorante is open every day. Stop by for weekend brunch for a sumptuous feast!

Grotto Ristorante
9595 Six Pines Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77380
(281) 419-4252
www.grottorestaurants.com
www.yelp.com/biz/grotto-ristorante-the-woodlands-2

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