After a day of shopping at The Woodlands Mall, unwind with a hearty Italian meal at Grotto Ristorante. Start with the complimentary bread and garlic olive oil, perfect for dipping and staving off hunger pains. For a lighter meal, go for soup and salad; try the Lobster Bisque and the Italian Chopped Salad with grilled chicken, prosciutto, provolone, gorgonzola, bacon, and egg. Indulge in one of the popular entrees, like the Ravioli Pera e Gorgonzola, ricotta cheese-stuffed ravioli with roasted chicken, Bosc pears, and asparagus in a gorgonzola sauce.

Dinner can be pricey, but Grotto Ristorante offers a comfortable and classy atmosphere, complete with a fireplace, in which to savor your meal. The full bar has an excellent wine list and great happy hour deals from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday through Friday. Stop in for the famous $3 Peach Bellinis and reasonably priced small plates, including $6 pizzas.

Grotto Ristorante
9595 Six Pines, Suite 100
The Woodlands, TX 77380
(281) 419-4252
http://www.grottohouston.com
http://www.yelp.com/biz/grotto-ristorante-the-woodlands-2

If you love to travel but haven’t been able to make time to take a trip lately, these informative and inspirational websites might help you make it a priority. Full of vacation ideas, each of these sites has everything you need to plan the perfect getaway:

Trip Advisor
Trip Advisor offers visitors a number of different ways to browse their trip ideas, starting by asking what you like to do and what continent you prefer. By clicking on beaches and sun in Europe, for example, your browser is instantly flooded with beautiful images of Southern France, ocean views in Greece, and exciting beaches in Spain. Trip Advisor also provides tools to book hotels, schedule a flight, and even reserve a dinner reservation once you’ve settled on the perfect location.

Travel & Leisure
The easy-to-navigate website for Travel & Leisure magazine is another useful resource for anyone looking for travel inspiration. The site’s Vacation Ideas section is full of every type of trip imaginable, with something for everyone from the relaxing beach goer to the adventurous mountain climber. Browse spa getaways, eco-travel trips, cruises, and family friendly vacations at some of the very best destinations around the world all on Travel & Leisure’s website.

Public Domain/Public Domain

Have a dinner date at home and pick up something special from Hubbel & Hudson Market & Bistro in The Woodlands. This upscale market has a wide selection of specialty items, local and organic produce, quality meats and seafood, and more.

At Hubbell & Hudson you can gather all your ingredients in one stop, pick up a loaf of artisan bread and pastry for dessert at their in-store bakery, a wedge of imported cheese from their dairy case, and a nice bottle of wine or craft beer from their walk through cooler.

If you're a kitchen novice, the Viking Cooking School offers a wide variety of culinary classes from learning specific techniques like knife skills to preparing a complete meal. If you prefer to eat in, there are several dine-in options including a burger and sandwich shop, as well as an in-store bistro with a full menu of new American cuisine!

Hubbell & Hudson Market and Bistro
24 Waterway Avenue
The Woodlands, TX 77380
(281) 203-5600
www.hubbellandhudson.com
www.yelp.com/biz/hubbell-and-hudson-market-and-bistro-the-woodlands