Ritter’s Frozen Custard: An Old Fashioned Ice Cream Shoppe

Frozen custard was first created in France more than 100 years ago, but Ritter’s Frozen Custard developed its own take on the premium ice cream in Franklin, Indiana, in 1989. The Katy location still serves this original recipe, and regulars love that the shop serves a wide variety of flavors that most frozen custard shops don’t have. From key lime pie to rich, creamy chocolate, there is truly a flavor to suit any palate.

Ritter’s custard is served in either a bowl, a waffle cone, or even in sundae form with whipped cream and specialty syrups. The shop’s spacious outdoor patio features the quaint, old-fashioned ice cream shoppe feel that the owners modeled after the original French custard shops. There are quite a few tables scattered about with striped umbrellas to block the hot Texas sun, and the casual atmosphere makes it ideal for a first date or a night out with the whole family.

The Ritter’s Frozen Custard location in Katy is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Ritter’s Frozen Custard
3427 N. Fry Road
Katy, TX 77449
(281) 646-1211
www.ritters.com/location.php?id=10
www.yelp.com/biz/ritters-frozen-custard-katy

Brooks’ Place: Some of Houston’s Favorite Barbecue Comes From a Trailer!

Although Texas has more barbecue restaurants than you can count, Houston’s Brooks’ Place was voted in the top 50 barbecue spots in the entire state. The restaurant recently relocated from its original Katy location to a larger trailer in Cypress, but the tried-and-true recipes are still just as delicious.

All of Brooks' menu items are cooked on an authentic smoker just like barbecue is meant to be prepared. Specialty meats—like beef brisket, racks of ribs, and smoked or fried turkey—are served either platter-style or on a sandwich, but no matter how you eat it, the meat is always perfectly juicy and packed with mouthwatering barbecue flavors. Sides dishes change from week to week, but they include traditional favorites like baked beans, potato salad, or spicy Creole okra.

All of Brooks’ Place’s foods are also available to cater a party or large event, so you can share this authentic barbecue fare with friends and family.

Brooks' Place
18020 FM 529
Cypress, TX 77433
(832) 893-1682
www.brooksplacebbq.com
www.yelp.com/biz/brooks-place-cypress

Landy’s Seafood: Taste, Laugh, Live in Katy

Since the first Landry's Seafood opened its doors in 1947, this legendary restaurant has specialized in Gulf Coast cuisine and hospitality. In fact, it's easy to see why the restaurant's catchphrase is "taste, laugh, live" because the Landry's staff strives to make each meal an experience to remember.

The Katy location holds true to this ideal. As you head inside you'll pass underneath the "taste, laugh, live" slogan on the marquee-style sign over the door, and quickly be seated at your table. You might start your meal with firecracker shrimp, which are tempura-fried and then glazed with a creamy sweet chili sauce. For an entree, consider one of the restaurant's signature dishes, like grilled flounder stuffed with crab and crawfish in a chive-lemon butter sauce, or go for the basil crusted tilapia topped with shrimp caprese.

Whatever you order you can be sure it will be expertly prepared in the kitchen and then served with care by the attentive and friendly staff.

Landry's Seafood
22215 Katy Freeway
Katy, TX 77450
(281) 392-0452
www.landrysseafood.com
www.yelp.com/biz/landrys-seafood-katy-2

How to Keep Home Offices Neat and Organized

With so many beautiful photos of inspiring home offices floating around the Internet, you may start to feel a bit insecure about your own humble workspace. Even if you can’t hire your own personal interior designer to re-vamp your office, there are a number of ways to make it more attractive and functional. Here are some tips for organizing a home office.

  1. Make a place for everything. One of the main problems with messy home offices is that the storage space to clutter ratio is off. Incorporate more storage solutions, from a tall shelving unit to a traditional file cabinet, depending on what type of clutter is most prominent in your workspace.
  2. Clear clutter. Throw away any papers or files that you haven’t looked at in years, broken or outdated office supplies, and especially any furniture or other home goods that don’t belong in the office area.
  3. Add wheeled furniture. If you often have tasks that require more surface space than you have, purchase a wheeled cart or filing cabinet that can be tucked away when not in use.
  4. Add shelving. Although many people think of floor space when maximizing storage, it’s usually more beneficial to think of wall space. Most people’s walls are under-utilized, so add some sturdy shelves for storing paper files, office supplies, books and other small items.

10 Ways to Organize Your Home Office by Monday [How Stuff Works]
20 Home Office Organizing Tricks [Real Simple]
10 Steps to a Cleaner Office [Oprah]

Katy Flower Market: Choose a Bouquet and Brighten Someone’s Day

Flowers make any room brighter and can cheer up anyone's day. Flowers let your loved ones know just how special they are, and flowers comfort a friend who's feeling blue. Flowers, in short, are always a good idea, which is something that the folks at Katy Flower Market know very well!

You can feel confident choosing any of the shop's professionally designed floral arrangements or gift baskets, and since Katy Flower Market is a member of the Teleflora network, your order can easily be sent to wherever your gift recipient lives, even if it's halfway across the country. The Katy Flower Market is also well known for its custom arrangements, and specializes in bridal bouquets, table centerpieces, and other special event flowers that benefit from customization.

Whether your flower needs are big or small, Katy Flower Market can deliver what you need.

Katy Flower Market
20829 Kingsland Boulevard
Katy, TX 77450
(281) 578-8200
www.katyflowermarket.com
www.yelp.com/biz/katy-flower-market-katy

Black Walnut Cafe: Fast Casual Food for Breakfast

Black Walnut Cafe offers a fast casual dining experience that you won't want to miss. This Katy area eatery is clean, bright and cheerful, and the staff is very service-oriented. Of course, the food is great, too, and breakfast is especially popular at Black Walnut.

You'll find half a dozen different versions of eggs benedict on the menu, all of which are highly praised by Yelp reviewers. You can go the traditional route with two poached eggs, Canadian bacon, and hollandaise served over an English muffin, or you can try something fun and unusual, like the bacon cheeseburger benedict, which adds mini burgers and American cheese to form two small egg-topped burgers in an English muffin bun. Lunch and dinner favorites at Black Walnut include simple, tasty dishes like chipotle chicken over pasta and a turkey club sandwich served on a buttery, flaky croissant.

Black Walnut Cafe
23233 Cinco Ranch Boulevard
Katy, TX 77494
(281) 371-2233
blackwalnutcafe.com/locations/houston-locations/cinco-ranch-katy/
www.yelp.com/biz/black-walnut-caf%C3%A9-katy-2

Kim’s Tea House: Teas, Coffees, Smoothies and More

Drinks are the focus at Kim's Tea House, and even if you know tea pretty well, a visit to this Katy tea shop will still expand your horizons. From cold, creamy teas filled with chewy tapioca pearls to the honey-infused black tea served with lemon, this shop offers a bit of everything. You'll also find specialty coffees, sodas, and smoothies to enjoy.

For those who are hungry in addition to being thirsty, Kim's Tea House offers a sandwich-focused food menu. The fresh pork meatball sandwich served with julienne carrots and cucumber on a sub roll is a customer favorite, as is the shredded chicken sandwich served on a flaky, buttery croissant.

Whether you want to grab a quick drink or sit down to chat and relax, Kim's Tea House is a solid choice!

Kim's Tea House
1519 S. Mason Road
Katy, TX 77450
(281) 646-0002
www.kimsteahouse.com
www.yelp.com/biz/kims-tea-house-katy

Imponderable of the Day: Why Do Doughnuts Have Holes?

If you’re like most people, your thought process surrounding doughnuts likely only focuses on where the best place is to get them and which flavors to choose once you get there! If you take a break from enjoying your sugary sweet pastry for a moment and actually think about the mechanics of a doughnut, you may begin to wonder how it got its unusual shape. Where did the signature hole in the doughnut come from?

Doughnuts are very dense, chewy pastries, so the main reason for their middle hole is to ensure that they cook all the way through. No one knows for sure which smart baker first came up with this ingenious idea, but fried doughnuts have been around in some form—with or without the hole—for hundreds of years. There is a longstanding myth that a 1930s sea captain named Hanson Gregory first invented the holed doughnut, but because the only proof is Gregory’s story itself, there’s really no way of knowing if this tale is true!

Holy Grail: Why Do Doughnuts Have Holes? [Cakespy]
Why Do Doughnuts Have Holes? [Today I Found Out]
Why Do Donuts Have Holes In The Middle? [Knows Why]

Happy Labor Day!

We hope everyone has a happy and safe Labor Day!

Junk Street Market: Uncover a Hidden Gem at This Eclectic Antique Shop

Antique lovers adore Houston for its numerous thrift stores and antique shops, and Junk Street Market is an adorable option in the Katy area. This well-stocked shop sells both refurbished antiques and handmade items from local makers, and it's all organized in a way that's both inspiring and easy to browse.

From large-scale items like buffets and armoires to small knick-knacks and all natural soaps, Junk Street Market carries items that make perfect gifts or statement pieces for your own home. It’s not uncommon to find fairly priced antiques that would cost much more at other stores, and there are quite a few wooden furniture pieces painted in fun shades of coral or turquoise to brighten up a room. The knowledgeable employees also know everything there is to know about the antique pieces on the sales floor, and they’re always on hand to offer a suggestion.

Junk Street Market is open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.

Junk Street Market
5625 Second Street
Katy, TX 77493
(281) 391-5865
www.facebook.com/JunkStreetMarket
www.yelp.com/biz/junk-street-market-katy-2

Pin It on Pinterest