Step aside, Punxsutawney Phil. Houston has its own furry weather prognosticator who will provide us the forecast on the end of our Texas “winter”.
Join the Josh C. Freeman Weather Museum as they present their Groundhog Day Gala, Thursday, February 2, beginning at 2:00 pm.
Alamo the Texas Longhorn Groundhog will emerge that morning before a crowd of onlookers to watch for his shadow. If he sees it, of course, it will mean six more weeks of winter weather. Weather Museum meteorologists will of course be in attendance to take note of the forecast.
Visitors can participate in Groundhog Day activities throughout the museum and have the opportunity to take photos with Alamo.
Posted on Jan 19, 2012 | Tagged in: Houston , food , family , event , community
The Chinese Community Center of Houston hosts its annual Lunar New Year Festival to celebrate the Chinese New Year on Friday, January 28, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Usher in 2012, the Year of the Dragon, with more than 10,000 guests, including prominent local and national political leaders, businessmen, and celebrities.
There will be traditional Dragon, Lion (signaling farewell to the previous year), and Zodiac dances, martial arts presentations, a Chinese Face Changing magic show, multi-cultural performances, markets and exhibitions.
Exhibitions include Chinese face painting, origami, calligraphy, artworks, theater performances, and a children’s Dragon Playground full of games and prizes.
Posted on Jan 6, 2012 | Tagged in: Houston , healthcare , community
The Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston was recently selected as a Women’s Health Practice-Based Research Network Member Site by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Women’s Health Research Network focuses on women’s health research. Through this consortium the VA will develop and train health care providers focused on women’s issues as well as develop new research techniques toward women’s care.
A top priority of the Women Veterans Health Care Network will be to ensure all eligible female veterans who request care are able to receive it in a timely manner with the most modern equipment and technology at a level equal to that provided to male veterans.
The VA strives to be a national leader in the provision of health care for women, thereby raising the standard of care for all women.
Posted on Dec 30, 2011 | Tagged in: Houston , family , events , event , community
There is a buzz around the city of Houston that has not been felt in nearly 20 years as professional playoff football is set to soon return.
The Houston Texans have clinched a spot in the AFC.
The Houston Texans are the 2011 AFC South champions and hold a franchise-best 10-5 record with one final regular season game this weekend. The team is guaranteed its first-ever playoff game at Reliant Stadium, the date and time of which will be announced the evening of Sunday, January 1. It will be either Saturday or Sunday, Jan. 7 or 8.
Season ticket holders have already been given an opportunity to purchase playoff tickets. A limited number of additional seats will go on sale Friday, December 30, through the Texans website.
Posted on Dec 22, 2011 | Tagged in: sports , Houston , family , event , community
Houston plays host to a major college football bowl game as the Texas A&M Aggies face the Northwestern University Wildcats at the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas at Reliant Stadium on Saturday, December 31, beginning at 11:00 am.
This will be a game with great interest in the Houston area as a large number of Texas A&M students and alumni call the city home.
There will be no shortage of intriguing story lines to this game as well.
This is Texas A&M’s final game as a member of the Big 12 Athletic Conference before they move to the Southeastern Conference in 2012. This was a move seen as controversial by many in the sporting world as it began a chain reaction of universities across the country moving to new athletic conferences.
Posted on Dec 2, 2011 | Tagged in: Mischer Development , Houston , events , community
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents a collection of works from the great Dutch Old Masters at the “Dutch and Flemish Masterworks from the Rose-Marie and Eijk van Otterloo Collection” exhibit lasting through February 12.
This collection features more than 60 17th Century masterworks by Rembrandt, Jan Steen, Hals, Gerrit Dou and others.
Artists from the Netherlands were the finest in the world during the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th Century. These works are noted by their glowing quality of light and feature scenes of historical and Biblical events, portraits, still-lifes, land and seascapes, architectural interiors, and city views.
Exhibit hours are 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10:00 am to 9:00 pm Thursdays, 10:00 am to 7:00 pm Fridays and Saturdays, and 12:15 pm to 7:00 pm Sundays.
For those who enjoy a touch of art with their miniature golf, Discovery Green has the perfect course for you.
Visit the Insperity Golf Experience at Discovery Green now through December 25, for a round of mini-golf like you’ve never experienced before.
This first-of-its kind attraction is a nine-hole course created by Houston artists. These unique holes include “A Sure Thing”, a narrow ramp that leads directly into a guaranteed hole-in-one, and “The Galactic Forfeit Cowboy Lounge”, a larger-than-life pin-ball machine where golfers use a spring launcher to sink their putts.
The hours of operation are Thursdays through Sundays from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm for the general public and Mondays through Wednesdays from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm for private parties with a minimum of 24 people and an advanced reservation.
Posted on Nov 28, 2011 | Tagged in: Mischer Development , lifestyle , events , community
Houston is one of America’s most diverse cities. To travel the city can be like traveling to see cultures from across the world. One can enjoy an endless variety of foods, music, dancing and cultural identities made by people from virtually any corner of the globe.
A great part of this experience is learning what makes the various people’s of the world so similar.
Now you can view this first-hand at RACE: Are We So Different?, an exhibit at the Health Museum of Houston now through January 1, 2012.
This exhibit, developed by the American Anthropological Association in collaboration with the Science Museum of Minnesota, is the first nationally traveling exhibition to tell the stories of race from the biological, cultural, and historical points of view.
Posted on Nov 11, 2011 | Tagged in: lifestyle , Houston , event , community
The 22nd Annual Texas Championship Pow Wow takes place November 12 and 13 at Traders Village in Houston.
This two-day Native American pow wow features representatives from dozens of tribes across the country and is a celebration of rich culture and heritage.
Witness colorful tribal dance contests, arts and crafts shows, a tipi village, singing and much more as you learn about these various traditions.
The dance contests will be a treat for the senses as you feel the rhythmic drums and witness the competitors in full traditional regalia performing dances and songs full of spiritual meaning. You will marvel at the precision of the dancers, some young children, who dance to preserve their traditions passed down by generations of Native Americans.
Posted on Jul 6, 2011 | Tagged in: weather , tips , nature , family , community
Although I have never been known as a Green Thumb, when my 5 year old asked if we could have our own garden, I felt a parental - and eco – obligation to make it happen. As we talked about all the things we might like to grow, I had a flashback to my childhood and filling buckets with berries that grew wild on our back fence. We had so much fun picking then and could devour a whole bowl in one sitting at our picnic table.
So, I did a little research, and was happy to find out that blackberries are pretty easy to grow in our Southern region. Before we bought them, I did a little more reading to see what they would require and here is what I found:
- Blackberries are not so picky about their soil, but their roots cannot tolerate sitting in water, so make sure they are in an area with good drainage.
- They need stability, so plant them in an area with a little protection from high winds, like against a fence or near a wall that shelters them from the weather.
- Choose a variety that doesn’t have stickers to keep little gardeners fingers safe.
- To get the best harvest, avoid trimming or fertilizing. They grow easily in the wild because they like to trail freely. The only thing they will need is occasional watering with our hot, hot summers.
According to my little guy, all plants need to grow is Dirt, Water and Love (aka singing them a song). And, I love that we actually found something we can grow together that fit those simple parameters. The first time you look out your kitchen window and find your child “loving” their vines, you will have created an unforgettable memory!
