Despite its name, Cattail Park actually welcomes dogs. Its dog park keeps small pooches (under 20 pounds) in their own separate section, complete with kiddie pools for splashing. Nearby in the fenced-in space for larger dogs, you can grab a seat while your pup runs around with new friends. The park provides waste disposal bags and trash cans so that you can easily clean up after your furry friend.

In addition to the space for dogs, Cattail Park has plenty of features just for humans. Take a spin around the jogging track or play a rousing match on the tennis courts. Round up some friends and hit the basketball courts or baseball fields. You can also bring along a picnic lunch and spread out at one of the tables or claim one of the barbecue pits and cook up a feast.

Cattail Park
9323 Cochran's Crossing Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77381
thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/Facilities.aspx?Page=detail&RID=32
www.yelp.com/biz/cattail-park-the-woodlands

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Rachel Kramer

For the ultimate dinner and dessert combination, head to Culver’s in The Woodlands, where you can dine on famous ButterBurgers and custard, made in-house daily. The burgers are cooked to order and made from fresh, Midwest beef that comes sandwiched between a toasted, buttered bun. You can order your burger with one or two patties and topped with a number of toppings including bacon, mushrooms, and Swiss cheese. Pair it with Wisconsin cheese curds, onion rings, or crinkle cut fries.

No trip to Culver’s is complete without finishing your meal with the restaurant’s signature custard, which is made from real Wisconsin dairy and cold-pressed vanilla and Dutch blend chocolate. The restaurant makes the thick and creamy frozen treat in the restaurant throughout the day and can mix in such fixings as Oreo cookies, fruit, candy bars, and cookie dough.

Culver’s
8800 Six Pines Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77380
(281) 364-9595
www.culvers.com/restaurants/the-woodlands
www.yelp.com/biz/culvers-the-woodlands

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/stu_spivack

If you love to cook, you know how important it is to use the proper cutting techniques in every recipe. Many people don't know the proper names of these techniques, however, which often leads to using the wrong one. Here are three important types of cutting that are essential for everything from entrees to desserts.

1. Julienne. To julienne, you want to cut vegetables or other food items into stick-shaped pieces that are long and thin. Start by cutting the item into a square, then slice it into rectangular-shaped pieces lengthwise. Repeat the same step on each of the rectangles until you're left with pieces that resemble matchsticks.
2. Chiffonade. This type of cut sounds fancy, but it actually just refers to cutting herbs or thin leaf vegetables. Roll the herbs up into a tight tube, then roughly chop across with a sharp knife. It doesn't matter how the cuts look, just that the pieces are small enough to sprinkle throughout a dish.
3. Dice. Dicing is similar to chopping, but it creates entirely uniform pieces for dishes like stews or fruit salads. Begin with a rectangular shape and continue to cut it both directions until you're left with uniform pieces in the size that you desire.

Knife Skills: Different Types of Cuts [The Culinary Cook]
Top 10 Knife Skills [How Stuff Works]
Perfect Your Knife Skills With This Chef's Guide to Knives [Lifehacker]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Joy