Creamistry, the newest ice cream concept in Town & Country Village is more than a sweet treat, it’s a scientific experience. Visitors to the Memorial District are already excited about the shop. The grand opening on February 10 saw lines stretching down the sidewalk toward the Beltway with customers eager to craft a made-to-order creation using liquid nitrogen.
Owner Mohammad Albanaa is a civil engineer from Qatar who relocated to Houston last February. He signed the franchise agreement on March 2017, planning to open his store September 1, 2017. Unfortunately, Hurricane Harvey delayed the opening until February 2018. Albanaa said despite all he went through he recognizes that helping his customers and making them happy is what is most important: "You own your own business, serving people, seeing the smiles on children's faces, this is the most important thing. I love [it].”
Creamistry was originally founded in California in 2013. They now have franchises in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana and California where customers design and Creamologists create one-of-a-kind desserts.
Start your creation with a base - signature or organic dairy, non-dairy coconut or sorbet. From there, pick a flavor from options including Cinnamon Toast Crunch®, Matcha Green Tea, Cookie Butter and Caramel. Next choose toppings from a selection of candies, cereals, fruit, nuts and sauces like mochi, rainbow sprinkles, cheesecake bites and marshmallow cream.
Creamologists mix the custom elections and that’s when the science happens: they freeze the conconction with liquid nitrogen. Clouds billow out of the mixer, a product of the checmical reaction that produces decadently creamy results and an exciting visual experience.
The nitrogen freezes at -321F, so cold the ice cream has to be warmed before it can be scooped, topped and served . The rapid freezing, however results in ice cream that is incredibly creamy and rich in flavor.
Want to elevate dessert? Add a vanilla cone or a brownie or indulge in a bowl crafted out of chocolate. Caffine afficinados can sample the Creamistry take on affogato or sip on a Nitro Float.
Creamistry ice cream is a tasty as it is fascinating and the shop is open for school tours and events. Come craft a creation of your own at 791 Town and Country Blvd Ste 140 or online at creamistry.com.
The Brookwood Community has opened a pop-up store in Town and Country Village offering a delightful range of holiday and seasonal gifts.
With fall and Christmas décor, ceramics, stone casting and textiles, the array is dynamic: soft wraps, statement necklaces, decorations, poinsettias and jellies and jams made by the Brookwood Citizens.
For loyal Brookwood shoppers, there are several new designs this year, ceramics in more modern colors and a new version of the popular “comfort bowl”.
The shop also features the Brookwood Gallery. The Gallery showcases paintings, wood, sculpture and unique pieces by professional artists and available for purchase.
The mission of the Brookwood Community is “Through the Grace of God the Brookwood Community offers an educational and social environment that creates meaningful jobs, builds a sense of belonging and provides real purpose for adults with disabilities.”
Open from Tuesday through Saturdays, 10am to 6pm until the end of December, don’t miss the chance to shop these one-of-a-kind gifts. All store purchases help support the Citizens that live and work at Brookwood. Brookwood Town and Country is located at 788 W. Sam Houston Pkwy, Ste 132. For more information visit brookwoodcommunity.org.
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.
Snooze’s passion for community and focus on sustainability are outdone only by the creative flavors and incredible service offered to every customer. For those who have visited Snooze’s Montrose location, the opening of Snooze Town & Country this June is a much-anticipated event. Those who have yet to dine at a Snooze are in for quite a treat!
The Memorial District location, 600 West Sam Houston Pkwy N. Suite 500 in Town & Country Village, is the second Houston location opened by brothers Jon and Adam Schlegel who started in 2006 with the original Snooze in Denver.
First-time diners should know that the Town & Country Snooze is “their Snooze.” Houston regional manager Jason Sexton adds, “We offer such a customizable experience from [coffee and drink orders] and then you get into the menu and you’re talking sweet and savory, benedicts and a pancake. You can take any of our items and make it yours.”
Snooze’s mantra is “It only takes a moment to make a difference.” Jason says, “It’s something we talk about on the first day of training for everybody… It’s how we conduct ourselves. We want to make sure every guest leaves here better than when they came. They have a great breakfast, a great ambience; you can brighten someone’s day, change somebody’s trajectory and their outlook with just a few words.”
Snooze aims to make an impact beyond the restaurant as well. During Snooze’s VIP pre-opening June 17-19 they partnered with three local organization-Books Between Kids, Project Cure and Plant It Forward- inviting them and their friends and family to dine at Snooze. All of the day’s tips and monies went back to that organization. Sexton says, “On our side, we get to play restaurant and it gives us a chance to hone some skills while we give back to our partners.”
Snooze picked Town & Country Village Sexton notes because, “the Memorial area has always been one of these target rich areas where you can go and connect with true Houstonians. It’s a very influential part of town, and gives us such great visibility in the community…And we think being here allows us to connect with in a very personal way with those residents.”
When designing new locations, Snooze aims for sustainability whenever possible- from recycled materials for seats and cushions to timers for the lights and air conditioners. Sexton says, “All of our programs we have here at Snooze allow us to divert 90% of our waste from landfills by composting and recycling. We very rarely have to take out our landfill waste. All our team is trained on what goes to the recycling bin, what goes to the compost bin, and if it doesn’t then it goes in the trash.”
What are some of Jason’s favorite menu items? “The Cinnful Pancakes. It’s not on the menu; it’s our cinnamon roll pancake with bacon on top. You can’t go wrong with the Pineapple Upside-down Pancake, and on the savory side I’m a huge fan of our bennys-it's a lot of food- good comfort food that stick to your bones.”
Snooze Town & Country opened on June 21. With operating hours from 6:30am to 2:30pm, it’s a prime location in the Memorial District for a sit-down breakfast or a decadent lunch. For more information visit the Snooze website.
Photo credit Kevin Wolf