Oktoberfest!

Labor Day Concerts at Waterway Square

Posted in: In The Know
Tags: ezra charles, waterway square, the woodlands, kathryn hallberg, labor day

The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau is producing a free live music event this Saturday and Sunday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Waterway Square.

Saturday evening will feature the Hopeless Po’Mantics, an acoustic duo, and the well-known Ezra Charles & The Works, a full band playing jazz, R&B, and country. On Sunday evening, live music by Kathryn Hallberg, acoustic pop and folk, and Marcus Eldridge Band, a full band playing country, R&B, and pop. Lawn chairs, blankets and picnics are allowed.

Located along Waterway Avenue, Waterway Square is a one-acre public plaza with unique water features and green spaces that serve as the “centerpiece” of The Woodlands Town Center.

For event directions and parking, please visit www.TheFountainsAtWaterwaySquare.com and click on “Labor Day Event” or call 281-363-2447.

Labor Day Weekend

Posted in: Ways To Play
Tags: labor day weekend, john mayer, travel, 2010, summer

Kids in The Woodlands are headed back to school on Monday. Not ready for the summer to end? They’ll have two full weeks to settle back in to a routine and dust off the summer rust before the extended Labor Day weekend. So how will your family spend its last summer hurrah?

The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion has a variety of concerts to choose from including country crooner Clay Walker on Fri. Sept. 3, Creed on Saturday and multi-platinum recording artist John Mayer on Sunday.

Hone your culinary skills at Hubbell & Hudson’s Viking Cooking School, just minutes from the Resort, where you’ll prepare nutritious recipes during the Cooking Light class on Fri., Sept. 3 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Recipes for the hands-on session include herb-crusted Halibut, wild rice and lemon sorbet.

Grab your clubs and head over to The Oaks or Panther Trail courses. Panther Trail’s 18th hole received praise as the “Best Par 4 in Houston.” You might even spot the flamboyant Doug Sanders, former pro golfer and winner of twenty PGA Tour tournaments, playing a round.

Of course, our Forest Oasis Waterscape will be in full swing for Labor Day weekend with plenty of pool activities, cool drinks and make-your-own s’mores. The dive-in movie schedule includes The Incredibles, Transformers and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Here’s to celebrating the end of summer and the start of a fantastic new school year.
 

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Posted in: In The Know
Tags: forever 21, the woodlands mall

Just in time for back to school shopping, Forever 21 just opened the company’s largest new concept store at The Woodlands Mall. How big is it?  It has more than 15 times the square footage of other locations.

More importantly, the store introduces new brands and features a remodeled design to showcase Forever 21’s new concept and direction.

Located between Macy’s and Barnes and Noble, there are an abundance of fitting rooms and 28 (yes 28!) cash registers. 

It's a shopaholic's dream come true.

Win A Labor Day Getaway

Posted in: Ways To Play
Tags: last summer splash, photo contest, labor day weekend, the woodlands, getaway, vacation

Want to win an overnight stay with breakfast for two for Labor Day weekend? Then submit your best vacation photo in our Last Summer Splash contest.

Just select one photo to enter and email it by Friday, August 20 to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Put “Photo Contest: LAST SUMMER SPLASH” in the subject line. Remember to include your name, address and phone number in the email.

Review the Last Summer Splash contest page for more details.
 

Happy National S’mores Day

Posted in: Great Gatherings
Tags: national s'mores day, graham crackers, firepit, marshmallows

S’mores have to be the easiest, no-fail dessert in the history of desserts. Three ingredients are all you need - graham crackers, marshmallows and milk chocolate. Prepare s’mores indoors using a microwave or oven. Or, enjoy an evening outdoors around the fire pit for perfectly toasted marshmallows.

In honor of National S’mores Day, gather the kids around and help them create their own gooey gourmet s’mores. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

--Smear peanut butter, dulce de leche or Nutella on the graham crackers
--Add banana slices
--Find flavored chocolates or Andes mints
--Use shortbread cookies instead of graham crackers

If you do make your own s’mores, we want to hear about it. Email your s’mores photos to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), and we’ll post them here and on our Facebook page.

Umm … so good you always want “s’more!”
 

Travel + Leisure Thinks We’re Cool

Posted in: In The Know
Tags: travel + leisure, coolest suburbs, the woodlands

Travel + Leisure ranked The Woodlands as one of the coolest suburbs worth a visit.

Across America, many suburbs are becoming vacation-worthy hot spots, with cutting-edge restaurants, great shopping, and plenty of parking writes Daniel Derouchie.

Sure we’re a bit biased … The Woodlands is where we live, work and play. But here’s a short list of things to see and do that we think make The Woodlands vacation–worthy.

Eat. Jasper’s was named one of Esquire Magazine’s Top 20 Best New Restaurants in America. And in 2008, Chef Kent Rathbun competed on Food Network’s hit series “Iron Chef America” and defeated grill master Bobby Flay. Rathbun’s secret ingredient? Elk.

Shop. Market Street is a draw for its outdoor, Main Street-style feel and one-of-a-kind boutiques. Custom-design your jeans at Tattu Denim or stop by Jaded, owned by former WWE diva Torrie Wilson.

Play. At Waterway Square, visitors enjoy movies, live music, street performers, and a pop-fountain for kids to splash in. It’s likely you’ll find a large gathering of locals mixing and mingling here too. Of course, the Fountains at Waterway Square with boomer jets synchronized to music are a fun, nighttime attraction.

Gather. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, a 17,000-seat amphitheater, hosts some of the biggest names in music including KISS, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Nickelback, and John Mayer. The Pavilion is also the summer home of the Houston Symphony which presents a series of free concerts and multi-media events.

Other destinations that made the Travel + Leisure list include Alameda, CA, West Hartford, CT and Ashland, OR.

Visit Travel + Leisure for the complete list.