Perfect Blend Bakery Cafe: Pastries and Paninis in Spring

Perfect Blend Bakery Cafe is a popular Spring destination for breakfast and lunch. Owned by a mother-daughter duo, this cozy bakery-meets-cafe is tucked away in a shopping center and hosts a small number of tables for dining inside or out on the patio.

Grab a fresh coffee and a chocolate-filled croissant, muffin, or quiche for a light breakfast. Customers rave about Perfect Blend's savory stuffed croissants and paninis for lunch. For dessert, indulge in cupcakes, fruit tarts, and individual sized cakes If you’re looking for a specialty cake for a birthday or other occasion, Perfect Blend is happy to make your vision into reality.

Perfect Blend Bakery Cafe is open Mondays through Saturdays.

Perfect Blend Bakery Cafe
329 Sawdust Road
Spring, TX 77380
(281) 203-5115
www.perfectblendbakerycafe.com
www.yelp.com/biz/perfect-blend-bakery-cafe-spring

Mooyah Burger: Tasty Tasty

Skip the drive-thru burger joint and give Mooyah Burger in Spring a try. This national franchise makes a quick gourmet meal simple and straightforward. Fill out an order form to customize your beef, turkey or veggie burger with high quality ingredients like fresh, in-house baked buns, veggies and sauces.

Premium toppings like avocado and bacon have an extra charge, but standard toppings like sauteed mushrooms and grilled onions are free. Try their special “Mooyah” sauce, a creamy and tangy alternative to mayo and ketchup. Choose from sweet potato or seasoned fries, and over a dozen shake flavors including Caramel, and Snickers. Service is quick and the price is affordable: just under $10 for a burger, fries, and soft drink.

Mooyah Burger
2115 Rayford Road
Spring, TX 77386
(832) 585-0300
www.mooyah.com
www.yelp.com/biz/mooyah-burger-spring

Enjoy a Relaxed Meal at the Goose’s Acre Bistro & Irish Pub

Named after a little green park in Ireland where locals grazed their geese, The Goose’s Acre Bistro & Irish Pub boasts a menu of traditional Irish fare flavors, as well as fresh, modern dishes. This restaurant is a favorite among locals, who say the traditional dishes simply can't be beat.

Try the crispy, ale-battered cod filets served with seasoned fries and a unique apple-based coleslaw, or dig into a rich serving of shepherd’s pie filled with braised sirloin, leeks, carrots, peas, and onions, all topped with a layer of creamy cheddar whipped potatoes. If you'd prefer something lighter, try the wasabi-and pistachio-encrusted ahi tuna steak served with grilled vegetables, or opt for the restaurant's signature grilled chicken salad with a unique mix of spring greens, berries, dates, tangy goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and house-made cornbread croutons. Whatever you order, you can be confident it will be served quickly and with a smile.

The Goose’s Acre Bistro & Irish Pub
21 Waterway Avenue
The Woodlands, TX 77380
(281) 466-1502
www.thegoosesacre.com/modules/wfchannel
www.yelp.com/biz/the-gooses-acre-bistro-and-irish-pub-the-woodlands

Fill Your Tank: What to Eat Before a Workout

The foods that you eat before your workout can make all the difference when it comes to feeling energized and seeing results. If you’re unsure about what types of foods to eat for an added boost of energy, check out these great snack and meal ideas.

  1. Wheat toast with peanut butter and banana. Slice up a banana and sprinkle it on top of peanut butter toast for a healthy boost of carbohydrates for energy and healthy sugar from the fruit.
  2. Greek yogurt with fruit and nuts. Greek yogurt is packed with protein, while the energy-boosting nuts and sweet fruits will give you a little boost of energy.
  3. Fruit smoothie. If you don’t have time to sit down for a meal before the gym, pack a fruit smoothie in your gym bag. Add some Greek yogurt for protein and granola for carbohydrates.
  4. Apple slices with almond butter. This on-the-go snack is easy to prepare and easy to eat. It also offers just the right amount of healthy sugars and hearty protein.
  5. Oatmeal. Oats are packed with fiber, which slowly release carbohydrates into your bloodstream throughout the course of your workout. Eat one cup at least half an hour before working out.

Best Pre-Workout Foods [Men’s Health]
What to Eat Before and After a Workout [Fitness]
What to Eat Before, During, and After Exercise [WebMD]
The Best Foods to Eat Before and After Your Workout [Shape]

TopGolf: A Driving Range With a Twist

TopGolf began as a traditional driving range in 2000, but over the next decade it evolved into a truly futuristic golf experience unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. The facility is separated into multiple air conditioned bays to shield players from the Houston heat, and there are many different holes scattered throughout the range.

Players can treat the visit like a traditional driving range or play one of TopGolf’s strategy games in which each hole is worth different amounts of points. Every hole is equipped with a sensor that keeps track of your points for you, and at night the holes light up with colorful lights. Up to six players can use one bay at a time, and the bays also contain comfortable seating areas where guests can order food and drinks while playing.

If that doesn’t sound like enough, TopGolf also offers pool tables, a full bar, and live music to make each visit fun for players of all ages and skill levels!

TopGolf
560 Spring Park Center Boulevard
Spring, TX 77373
(832) 200-0106
www.topgolf.com
www.yelp.com/biz/topgolf-spring-2

Yucatan Taco Stand and Tequila Bar: Latin Fusion Fare Comes North of the Border

Thanks to Yucatan Taco Stand and Tequila Bar, The Woodlands eaters don't have to cross the border for fresh, authentic Latin cuisine. They can just head to this colorful taqueria, inspired by the sights, sounds, and flavors of the traditional taco stand.

It should come as no surprise that Yucatan is best known for its tacos, but many customers also highly recommend the nachos. They come five different ways, with toppings like garlic beef, tequila-lime chicken, and pork. The crunchy chips, medley of gooey cheeses, and blend of veggies on top remain the same no matter which variety you order. Munch on the nachos while you warm up for a plate of tempura fish tacos or a spicy aged chorizo burrito. You can also dig into a signature entree, such as the tilapia with a lemony chardonnay sauce or a Brazilian steak smothered with chimichurri sauce.

Yucatan Taco Stand and Tequila Bar
24 Waterway Avenue
The Woodlands, TX 77380
(281) 419-6300
yucatantacostand.com
www.yelp.com/biz/yucatan-taco-stand-and-tequila-bar-the-woodlands

What Do You Put in Your Stir-Fry Bowl at Genghis Grill?

Picky eaters in The Woodland find solace at Genghis Grill, where you can build your own stir-fry bowl with more than 80 available ingredients. In five easy steps, you will create your own meal before handing it off to grill masters who cook it atop a sizzling, circular grill. The five-step process includes choosing a protein, spice, veggies, sauce, and a starch. Depending on what you create, your meal may consist of Asian fusion, Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Thai, vegan, or Korean fares.

If you can’t choose what to make, you can build one of the restaurant’s signature bowls. Choose from such house creations as pineapple teriyaki chicken, steak and broccoli, firecracker scallops, and spicy Thai tofu. If you don’t wish to participate at all, you can order a chef-made bowl from your table. Along with signature bowls, Genghis Grill serves infamous, signature cocktails in fishbowls!

Genghis Grill
9300 Six Pines Drive
The Woodlands, TX
(281) 363-4745
www.genghisgrill.com
www.yelp.com/biz/genghis-grill-the-woodlands

How to Set a Household Budget — and Stick to It!

It can be difficult to manage the money for your entire household, especially if you have children. Consider these money-savvy tips for creating a household budget — and sticking to it!

  1. Know your net income. This is the hardest part: tallying your total household income and really taking control of how much you have to spend. Remember to deduct things like taxes, social security, and your 401(k).
  2. Set some goals. First, consider short-term goals such as paying off your credit cards each month and budgeting for groceries. Once those are taken care of, factor in long-term goals, like planning for a vacation or putting money aside for your child’s education.
  3. Consider your daily spending. Record everything that you spend money on for a few days in order to see where you can cut back (and where you can afford to splurge).
  4. Make a plan. Divide your income into fixed expenses (like your rent or car payment) and variable expenses, which change from month to month. Subtract your fixed expenses from your total net income, put 10 percent of the amount left over into your savings, then feel free to spend the rest on your variable expenses.
  5. Check back frequently. Be sure to continually check to see if your budget is working for your family.

Creating a Budget [Bank of America]
Secrets to creating a budget [Bankrate]
10 steps to making a financial budget [CNN Money]

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

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
www.salata.com
www.yelp.com/biz/salata-the-woodlands-2

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This