Construction has begun today to repair the sinkhole caused by Harvey rains at the intersection of Frostwood and Kingsride. Please be advised there will be closures along both roads leading to the intersection for a week, and after that intermittent closures in the area leading to the completion of the project. All businesses will remain open; use alternate routes as necessary.
Shop With a Purpose This Month
Celebrating its 21st year, The Holiday Shopping Card fundraiser, benefiting the American Cancer Society, takes place Thursday, October 19 through Sunday, October 29, 2017. With the purchase of The Holiday Shopping Card, shoppers not only receive a 20% discount at more than 500 participating retailers, salons and professional service companies throughout the Greater Houston area but help make a difference in the lives of those battling cancer.
Join VICTORY, a special volunteer branch of the American Cancer Society, at Madewell on Friday, October 20 from 7 - 9 PM for an official fundraiser kick-off party! Enjoy live music from The Dollie Barns Band, and complimentary wine and light bites while getting a head start on Santa with special Holiday Shopping Card savings of 20%. The card, which is available online at www.victoryhouston.org or at participating retailers for a minimum donation of $75 to the American Cancer Society, is accepted at more than 600 sites around the city and nearly a dozen CITYCENTRE tenants including Anthropologie, Elaine Turner, Eye Couture, Free People, J. Crew, Kendra Scott, Madewell, Olive & Vine, Sur La Table, and west elm from October 19 - 29.
Houstonians can purchase the 2017 Holiday Shopping Card for $75 online now at www.holidayshoppingcard.org or at participating area merchants. Over the past two decades, the women of VICTORY, a volunteer fundraising branch of the American Cancer Society, have raised more than $15 million through the sale of The Holiday Shopping Card to help the fight against cancer.
At CITYCENTRE: Anthropologie, Elaine Turner, Eye Couture & Lensology, Free People, J. Crew, Kendra Scott, Madewill, Olive & Vine, Sur La Table, West Elm
In the Memorial Area: Back Row Home; Bags & More; Blu Ivory II; Blue Willow Bookshop; Body, Mind & Soul; Body, Works & Fitness Studio; Bradley’s Art & Frame; Carter’s Pet Depot; China Baroque; Coach – Memorial City; Design House; Feliz Interiors; Fleet Feet Sports; Get Personal Too; Hanson’s Art & Frame; Houston Jewelry; Initials Gifts & Monogramming; It’s All About You; Kaleidoscope – Studio of Interior Design; Lam Bespoke; L’ occitane en Provence; MAI – Memorial Antiques & Interiors; Mark’s Clothiers; Marlo Miller Boutique; Memorial Designs; Moderno Tacos + Tex Mex; Mostly Chocolate; My Workshop Picture Framing; Paisley House; Palazzo’s Westchase; Paris Texas Apparel Co.; Parker School Uniforms; Patti’s Pet Depot; Renovato; The Shade & Drape; The Shade Tree & Accessories; Silly Silly Girls; Sweet Bambini; Tumi; Twin Oaks Cleaners
Memorial District icon, Three Brothers Bakery, honors tradition with classic recipes, creative twists on old favorites and award-winning desserts.
The original outpost of Three Brothers Bakery was located on Holman Street in 1949 by three Polish brothers. Now a Houston institution, they offer an incredible array of baked goods.
Owned and managed by members of the original three brothers: Bobby Jucker and his wife, Janice, and his aunt, Estelle, the full-service bakery stocks classics like rye bread, challah, cheese pockets, and bagels as well as pies, cookies, wedding cakes and custom cake designs.
Bobby Jucker says, “All of our products including breads, cakes and cookies are scratch made daily. Since opening our doors in 1949, our bakery team uses recipes from my family, and as a 5th generation baker, I am proud to honor my family with this tradition.”
As Three Brothers Bakery carries on the tradition of baking, many in the area carry on the tradition of buying cakes and treats they enjoyed as a kid to celebrate with their own children. This legacy of celebration is one reason the bakery identifies as “memory makers who happen to be bakers.”
Jucker says the continued success of the bakery has to do with the team being a family. “They are the ones responsible for creating our award-winning items and providing an excellent experience for all of our guests. We have been lucky enough to call some of our team members family for a number of years and we are thankful each day for their hard work and dedication to the bakery.”
This holiday season, make sure to check out some of the reasons Three Brothers Bakery has won many of its awards for its Pecan Pie and famed Pumpecapple Piecake.
Jucker describes the Pumpecapple Piecake as “a 3-layer cake with pies baked inside of them: a Pumpkin Pie baked in a Pumpkin Spice cake, next our award-winning Pecan Pie baked in Chocolate cake and last but not least our Apple Pie baked in our spice cake. Each piecake is layered with a generous filling of our scratch made cream cheese icing. Finally, this large confection is iced all over with cream cheese icing and garnished with pecan pieces and topped with a generous caramel drizzle.”
Try their Gingerbread Pie, turkey cakes (a cake in the shape of a turkey), sufganiyot (a jelly-filled donut to enjoy during Hanukkah), or team and customer favorite - the Pumpkin Cheesecake. And don’t miss the Key Lime Pie, which took the top honor of the Best Key Lime Pie in the U.S. from the American Pie Council at the 2017 APC National Pie Championships.
Another feature of Three Brothers that sets it apart is their online store. Send loved ones treats around the country. Order at www.3brothersbakery.com.
Sample the award-winning confectionary at 12393 Kingsride Lane.
Photo credit Three Brothers Bakery
Through the doors of Ooh La La Dessert Boutique in Town & Country Village, the noise and energy from the Beltway dissolves into a shop filled with whimsy, color and fun. The 3,000 square-foot space is the third and largest Ooh La La storefront owned by Houston native and restaurateur Vanessa O’Donnell.
With the opening of this large space, Ooh La La has been able to expand its decadent menu to include a milkshake bar and locally-made gelato in addition to the cupcakes, cheesecakes, cookies and pies for which it is known. “When we opened 10 years ago, cupcakes were all the rage,” says O’Donnell, “so, we kind of went out on a limb and did a bunch of different desserts.”
Made with fresh ingredients, customer favorites include the “Velvet Elvis”, a red velvet cupcake, and “Pretty in Pink” which is a strawberry cupcake with cream cheese. O’Donnell notes the New York cheesecake with strawberries is also popular: “We can’t keep it on the shelf!” One of our most popular flavors of gelato, made locally by Gelato Blu, is “Golden Cupcakes” which incorporates pieces of Ooh La La’s signature cupcakes and frosting.
A graduate of the Art Institute of Houston’s Baking and Pastry program, O’Donnell developed a passion or sweets early on. It’s a passion that has grown as she, her husband and staff continue to create new recipes. Fall flavors include an array of pumpkin items, cranberry-orange-almond cookies, and butterscotch pecan cookies. And make sure to stop in around the holidays and try decorated gingerbread and peppermint flavored treats.
In addition to a wonderful lineup of desserts for all tastes and palates, Ooh La La has a party room available for rent with stone walls and colorful accents; it’s a lovely setting for any gathering. Also on offer are an array of birthday and ‘thinking of you’ items, making it a one-stop-shop for gifts and treats.
Open seven days a week, stop by 770 West Sam Houston Parkway, Suite 500, to try some confectionary delights or find them online at www.oohlalasweets.com.
Popfancy is upgrading popsicles with fresh ingredients and innovative flavors. Centrally located in the Memorial City Mall food court, Popfancy offers a new twist on the classic popsicle.
Owner Chris Doan and his two best friends, Kat Guzman and Kelly Choi, wanted to start a business together. They saw there was a definite need for a healthier dessert alternative. Doan says, “We didn’t set out on a mission to invent something new. We wanted to re-invent something that is traditionally beloved in American culture.”
With unique flavors like Mangonada-mango puree with chamoy sauce; chocolate brownie; cereal milk; Vietnamese coffee and Lavender Matcha, these are far from popsicles of our childhood. Using fresh, seasonal ingredients, flash frozen to preserve peak flavor, Popfancy delights with bold taste.
Doan says, “We definitely draw inspiration from the cultural diversity of Houston. Our flavors represent the diversity of the city we grew up in.”
Popfancy uses all-natural ingredients, organic sweeteners and steers clear of preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and fillers. Doan emphasizes, “We try to be as all natural as possible. I think quality ingredients give a better taste in general and all that peeling, carving, dicing, squeezing, scraping, ect really pays off in the end!”
The Memorial City Mall popshop opened in April 2016. Two other shops have opened in the Galleria and First Colony Mall, and a storefront is planned to launch this holiday season.
Popfancy is mobile too. Aside from their Popmobile food truck, they also have a small fleet of vintage ice cream tricycles for catering and events. Doan says, “It’s a head turner because it’s uniquely charming and really fits well with different environments-weddings, quinceaneras, birthdays-all the way to corporate gatherings and city-wide public events. The best part about Popfancy catering is the uniformed handout service that’s included with every booking!”
Try one of the dynamic flavors at Popfancy’s Memorial District location or make your next event even sweeter with Popfancy catering. For more information check out www.popfancypops.com.
Photo credit Popfancy
With sister locations in the Memorial District, Sweet and Tout Suite are creating bold flavors using local ingredients to the delight of customers.
Just off the plaza in CityCentre, Sweet offers up an incredible array of sweets from bite-sized to multi-tiered. Tout Suite, located near Ice Skate USA in Memorial City Mall, is a bakery and kitchen with sweet and savory options for dine-in or take-away.
Started by a group of friends, Sweet opened its doors in CityCentre in 2010 offering cupcakes, macarons, cookies, cakes and coffees. Since then they have opened the Tout Suite in Memorial City Mall and a larger Tout Suite in East Downtown, adding lunch, snack and dinner options to the menu.
Tout Suit opened July 4th weekend,2016, with a goal of bringing something new to the mall. The 360-degree space, with coffee, fresh food and indulgent treats, has something for everyone.
Marketing director Alejandro Martinez says, “We’re Houston proud. Everything’s local and you know that it’s supporting Houston.” Sweet and Tout Suite’s products are made to order and baked fresh from locally-sourced ingredients. The coffee comes from Greenway Coffee Company, and the fresh juice blends are created and produced in house.
Some treats not to be missed: the pot de crème; the gluten free brownie which tastes anything but; the strawberry cupcake; and the s’mores macaron which Martinez says is “life-changing”. The company’s macrons were recently voted #1 in Houston. Flavors for fall include all things pumpkin: cupcakes, bread loaves, macarons and spiced lattes.
Some of Tout Suite’s savory favorites include the veggie sandwich, which Martinez recommends with a side of Brussel sprouts and raspberry green tea. The pitaya and acai frozen bowls are fresh, natural, on-the-go options made from two flavorful super fruits.
One benefit of being a local business is having the freedom to experiment and bring new ideas to Houston. Sweet was one of the original bakeries to serve cronuts to the city-the croissant-donut fusion made famous in New York is still a favorite. Martinez says, “We’re always looking for the next thing.”
Stop in and visit Sweet at 801 Town & Country Blvd. Suite A120 or Tout Suite at 303 Memorial City Mall #571; or find them online: www.ilovesweet.com or www.toutsuitehtx.com.
Photo credit Tout Suite
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PEDAL FOR PINK AT THE SQUARE WITH CYCLEBAR AND HOTEL ZAZA MEMORIAL CITY FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
WHAT: Pedal for Pink with Cyclebar and Hotel ZaZa in Memorial City at this Sip-N-Cycle event, Oct. 18 from 6 - 8 PM at The Square. Choose from two different 30-min cycle classes and enjoy sips & bites by Hotel ZaZa Memorial City’s, Chef Jonathan Wicks, music by DJ Stella, raffle prizes and a pink-out Memorial City skyline lighting.
All the proceeds from ticket and raffle sales will benefit the early detection and outreach programs at the Bobetta C. Lindig Breast Care Center at Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center.
WHEN: Wednesday, October 18
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
COST: VIP Admission: $45 – Includes reserved bike, one guest pass, food & drinks, and one raffle ticket
General Admission: $25 – Includes bike, food & drinks, and one raffle ticket
WHERE: The Square at Memorial City (West side of Memorial City Mall, between The Cheesecake Factory and Maggiano’s Little Italy)
REGISTER: https://sawyerheights.cyclebar.com/pedal-for-pink/
The Board of Trustees and district leaders are moving forward with the previously announced Nov. 7 Bond election. The Spring Branch ISD Board of Trustees called an $898.4 million bond election on August 21, 2017. The bond will appear on the November 7, 2017 ballot.
“We called this bond election based on approximately $1.4 billion in identified needs and after almost two years of assessment and study,” said Spring Branch ISD President Karen Peck. “Our financial advisors have advised us that even after Hurricane Harvey, we can sustain the proposed bond program without a tax rate increase.
The proposal only authorizes the school district to sell bonds; it does not compel a timeline for the issuance of bonds. We retain the flexibility to manage the timeline in a manner that works best for this community over time in light of the challenges presented by Hurricane Harvey.”
Financial and bond advisors told Trustees during a Sept. 18 workshop that while Harvey has created hardships, history shows that SBISD property values have remained strong over time, including after other hurricanes and floods. After Harvey, conservative financial models continue to support a bond package with no expected tax rate increase, as well as one with flexibility in project timing and scheduling.
The Board and Superintendent Dr. Scott Muri discussed at length how to move forward in Harvey’s aftermath. Should the bond pass, SBISD may consider modifying the bond program schedule to ensure the original proposal. “We are committed to implementing the bond program so that the tax rate will not increase if voters approve our bond election on November 7,” Dr. Muri said.
Trustee Pam Goodson expressed the Board’s concern for all who were impacted by Hurricane Harvey, then reinforced Dr. Muri’s message. “Harvey put us all on our heels, but as Trustees we have to consider the long-term health and effectiveness of our schools, which is why this Board unanimously voted to have this bond election,” Goodson said. “Needs have not changed. We have to move forward with our long-range plan, but we can do that carefully and with sensitivity to the recovery efforts occurring throughout our community.”
The bond proposal includes rebuilding nine of the district’s oldest elementary schools as well as Landrum Middle School, constructing a new, multi-story Memorial High classroom building, replacing the auditorium at Stratford High, renovating the library/cafeteria at Spring Woods High, building a flexible new classroom wing at Northbrook High, upgrading safety and security, major systems and technology district-wide, and replacing the district’s oldest buses. The bond would also fund Career and Technical Education classroom equipment upgrades, new band/orchestra instruments and uniforms at all secondary schools, and athletics upgrades.
“The physical condition, safety, security, and flexibility of our facilities to accommodate evolving programs all impact the quality of education students receive in Spring Branch ISD,” Board President Peck said. “This bond will touch the lives of our youngest by rebuilding elementary schools and creating equity in facilities across SBISD. We are also very focused on our older students by beginning the work of rebuilding and making key improvements in our secondary schools. The Board is intent on preserving the district’s standing as a great school district, and a big part of that is making sure we have well-maintained and functional school buildings that support the outstanding educational opportunities that SBISD is known for.”
The district does not expect any tax rate increase as a result of this bond election if passed by voters. District homeowners have the third lowest school tax burden in the area. The annual SBISD tax bill on a $500,000 home is currently $5,229, compared to $5,400 in Cy-Fair ISD, $6,982 in Spring ISD, and $7,204 in Katy ISD.
By state law, there would be no tax increase for senior citizens 65 or over as a result of this bond election. The school tax rate and the amount paid are frozen when a taxpayer turns 65 years old.
Visit www.springbranchisd.com/bond2017 for more details.
D’Onta Foreman Meet & Greet + Happy Hour
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm @ The Square at Memorial City
D’Onta Foreman Meet & Greet | Football Happy Hour at The Square
Come enjoy a special happy hour football event, featuring player appearance by Houston Texans and former Texas Longhorns, D’Onta Foreman!
Meet & greet the Texans running back, while enjoying DJ music, burgers, beer & cocktails, lawn games and football spirit with the chance to win 2 tickets to The Red River Showdown- TX vs OU game, Sat, Oct 14! Winner will be announced by D’Onta himself!
Dust off your dancing shoes and break out your best costume, the Queensbury Theatre Guild is throwing a Halloween Costume Ball and Dance on Saturday, October 28, from 6:30-11pm.
Hosted at Fratelli’s Ristorante at 1330 Wirt Road, guests can come for dinner, stay for the silent auction and door prizes then dance the night away. Make sure to dress up for the costume contest!
Every year the Guild hosts two fundraisers to support the Queensbury Theatre. Past years have seen a Kentucky Derby Run for the Roses and a murder mystery fashion show. This year’s Halloween Ball promises to be just as much fun!
Guild president Kathy Taylor fell in love with the theatre years ago when it was still the Country Playhouse. She established the Queensbury Theatre Guild in 2015 to fundraise and support the work of the theatre that has put on works like One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Ain’t Nuthin’ But the Blues.
Tickets are $55. Please contact Kathy Taylor at kvt516@comcast.net or 713-827-8263 to purchase tickets or for additional information.
And if you haven’t been to a Queensbury Theatre production, make sure to check out their upcoming shows at www.queensburytheatre.org/!
The City of Houston has opened several temporary permitting offices around the city to help with Harvey recovery efforts.
One of the offices is located at The Shops at Memorial City, 825 Frostwood Dr. (Only Wed. - Thu.), This office is for flood repair permits only.
For details and more information visit the Houston Permitting Center at www.houstonpermittingcenter.org.
Join former Houston Texans and Pro Bowler, Wade Smith in the plaza on Saturday, September 30 at 1:30 PM for “Reading with the Pros,” an hour of storytime dedicated to promoting children’s literacy and education. The Wade Smith Foundation has read to more than 18,000 elementary school students and public library visitors since the program began in April 2012.