Valentine’s Day may traditionally be a lovers’ holiday, but it’s also an opportunity to connect with those who make your heart happiest, whether it’s family, friends or anyone who enriches your life. Celebrate all types of love this Valentine’s Day with thoughtful gifts that show how much you care.

As the old adage says, the fastest way to one’s heart is the stomach. Sweet treats are a sure sign of your affection, and for centuries, chocolate has been revered as the flavor of love.

From gifting to hosting and all the other moments throughout the season of love, you can delight your nearest and dearest with gourmet chocolates from Ethel M Chocolates.

Thanks to an amazing colleague, I was recently re-introduced to the many benefits of using Clinique products. Last year (Christmas!), I was gifted a bag of goodies that included a tube of Clinique's dramatically different moisturizing lotion, one of my favorite moisturizers ever! (Certainly you've seen it before. It's yellow.)

Honestly, the gift was a blast from the past. I used Clinique a long time ago, when I was in high school (well, I guess not THAT long ago). But somewhere along the way, I traded in the reliably, dermatologist-developed, multi-step skin care regimen in exchange for lazy nights of not really washing my face much at all. (Please stop judging me.)

When it comes to seasonal apparel for kids, The Children’s Place is a WoodlandsMommy.com Editor's Pick. I've been buying their graphic tees for my kids for over a decade, and while the prices have gone up a dollar or two over the years, it’s still a bargain to get a cute, 100% cotton shirt for fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, for only about five dollars. (Of course they have shirts for the other seasons too - Easter, Valentine's Day, patriotic days, etc.)

So, Popeyes has beignets now. I’m not a beignet snob, but I’ve had my fair share of beignets that didn’t measure up. These DO! Otherwise, I wouldn’t bother writing a whole post on a fast food dessert, trust me.

The beignets are filled with Hershey’s chocolate, they’re slightly crunchy, slightly chewy, and made fresh to order (which added an extra 4 minutes to my wait.) I WOULD say I like them better than the ones I’ve had at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans, but I don’t need anybody (particularly my husband) coming after me. So I won’t say it.

We found 3 of the most amazing salads in The Woodlands! These salads are all packed with enough greens and nutrient-rich foods to satisfy your doctor’s orders, but they also contain some sinfully delicious ingredients that take their flavor over the top! If you enjoy biting into a scrumptious, crunchy, hodgepodge of ingredients that blend perfectly together even when maybe you can’t really identify all the individual components (that’s what makes salads so fun to each), you’ll love this list of the most heavenly salads to be found in The Woodlands!

1. Blackened Shrimp Chopped Salad ($20.00) - Tommy Bahama - This flavorful, gluten-free salad does not skimp on the shrimp and bacon, its two most divine ingredients. The salad is served in a beautiful, cylinder-shaped mound, with tomatoes on the bottom, the shredded romaine with herb buttermilk dressing in the middle, and topped with perfectly blackened shrimp. I ordered mine with a side of vinaigrette that  I didn’t use. The pecanwood bacon in the salad is the good, meaty stuff – not cheap crumbles. Other ingredients that make this salad delightful are avocado, roasted corn salsa, and egg. PICTURED ABOVE

2. Turkey and Avocado Cobb ($12.95) - Flower Child
   
   
   We’ll start with a disclaimer here. The Turkey and Avocado Cobb salad at Flower Child is addictive. Chances are, you’ll try it once and then have to order it weekly for a month or two just to get enough of it, after which point a once monthly or twice monthly order might suffice. Call us crazy, but two of the unlikeliest ingredients - pickled onion and gorgonzola vinaigrette – are the show-stoppers of this decadent salad! It’s FULL of fun ingredients in every bite – romaine & arugula greens, red cabbage, abundant chunks of avocado, cucumber slices, crunchy corn, tomato, and smoked almonds. The moist and tender smoked turkey in this salad is enough to make this salad a wholesome, satisfying meal. We love this salad so much, we’ve tried many times to duplicate it at home (to no avail). Alas, we've resolved to just let Flower Child take our money!

3. Pappa's Greek Salad ($15.95) - Pappadeaux
   
   
   The seafood-lovers Paradise might be the LAST place you'd expect to find one of the best Greek salads in the Houston area. What, with seafood platters, crab and fish specialties, and gumbo options, why would you go to Pappadeaux to order a salad? Well, because the salad really is THAT good! The waiter prepares it table side for you, and to be honest, there is really no entertainment value there. They just basically bring the ingredients out and mix them together on a tray table adjacent to your own table. No knive flipping, etc., like at a hibachi grill! And let's be real - the finished results don't necessarily look like anything to write home about. But oh man... one bite of this tangy, delicious goodness, and all bets are off! There's feta cheese, kalamata olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, capers, green peppers, pepperoncini peppers, red onion, and the most delicious Greek dressing ever! Our favorite part  is the 2 beautiful shrimp, perfectly cooked shrimp that top this salad. Just so you know, this huge salad is meant to serve up to 2 people. 

The Heritage Museum of Montgomery County was an excellent midday stop! My family got a full, docent-led tour that took us through the fascinating details about Montgomery County and the City of Conroe. The kids enjoyed the charming, outdoor setting with wooden train car, courtyard fountain, and porch swing. The indoors was fun to explore with hundreds of artifacts, old-fashioned telephones, and a discovery room with throwback toys, animal skins, and dress-up clothes.  You can breeze throught the museum in a few minutes, or take your time and spend up to an hour there like we did! 

Admission to the museum is free, but you are encouraged to leave a donation of any amount. The museum shares a parking lot with Candy Cane Park, the cherry on top for an afternoon of adventure! 

Starting next Saturday, the museum will host Saturday Pioneer Adventures, a free, family-friendly program designed to be a fun learning experience for families. Reservations are required.

• Saturday, June 11: Texas Snakes – Learn about snakes and their benefits to the ecosystem. This will be an entertaining and educational program.
• Saturday, July 9: Sons of the Republic of Texas Living History – See history come alive as men in period dress discuss flags, weapons, and even toys.
• Saturday, August 13: The Importance of Bees – Learn about the importance of bees in pioneer life and today.

All programs begin at 10:00am. To register, call 936-539-6873. The Heritage Museum is located at 1506 Interstate 45 N in Conroe and is open Wednesday - Saturday, 9am - 4pm.

Lunch in a treehouse? Sign me up!

Actually, when I first noticed Treehouse Café on FM 1488 in Magnolia, I was passing by quickly and saw the treehouse and the sign, and I assumed that the treehouse I was seeing from the road was the very one people were eating lunch in. I couldn’t wait for a chance to give it a try. Months later, when I finally stopped to eat at the restaurant, I learned that the treehouse visible from the road is an old, small-scale treehouse, virtually impossible of housing an entire restaurant, even if someone WAS brave enough to climb up into it! (I wouldn't be!) LOL, it was a laugh that my husband and I shared as we walked pass the small treehouse and down the forested path to the true restaurant.

It’s been a year since Wunsche Bros, founded in 1902, reopened its Old Town Spring location after the fire that caused a devastating blow to the prohibition-era saloon turned restaurant several years ago. I recently dropped in for lunch and was captivated by the renovations of the restaurant in addition to its new dining spaces and the extensive meeting rooms available. The food – Texas café fare with a German flair -  was delicious and the epitome of comfort. While there, I got tidbits of fascinating history thrown in, which made my visit a whole experience!

My daughter and I ordered the chips and Texas Style Queso as a starter. Our main entrees were Wunsche Burger - a thick, juicy burger I had to eat with a knife and fork! I devoured half the burger and was able to save half for my lunch the next day. Request avocado, bacon, or even an egg if that’s your thing! It was mine (sans the egg), and I was pleased with all, including the presentation. My daughter’s chicken fried steak - a generous portion of battered steak served with gravy and potatoes - didn’t disappoint either. 

We topped off our meal with the chocolate whiskey cake – Wunsche Bros.’ famous chocolate and pecan cake with a salted whiskey caramel sauce and a kick of bourbon, and our server indulged us with an exciting legend to go along with the dessert! The cake was moist and delicious, and not too sweet. I highly recommend it if you don’t want to feel like you’re overdoing it.

Here are a few photos I was able to capture at the restaurant. If you’ve visited in past years, you’ll recognized that the darker wood areas are from the original dining space of the restaurant, and now, there’s this large, brighter area (open to more sunlight) and full bar for seating as well. These spaces are adjacent to one another and give off two different vibes, and guests can decide what type of atmosphere they want. Don’t you love having options?

What struck me the most about the restaurant’s renovations was the sea of gorgeous rooms for entertaining your bridal parties, birthday parties, business colleagues, etc. I was astounded! It was my first time upstairs, because before the fire, the upstairs was mainly storage and closed off to guests. Now, what a goldmine! If you’re ever looking for meeting space for your special event, put Wunsche Bros. at the top of your list of places to consider. Here's a peek:

Another gem of the restaurant is the rooftop patio and bar. Beginning on Thursday nights, you can come for live music and a 21 and up crowd while getting a look across at other happenings down below in Old Town Spring.

Many of the stores in Old Town Spring are closed on Mondays or Tuesdays, and most of them even close early in the evening on the other days. Don’t be fooled into thinking everything in the area is shut down though. Wunsche Bros. is open seven days a week, and their friendly servers are eagerly awaiting your visit. If the restaurant isn’t too busy, you might be lucky enough to get a grand tour of the place including the upstairs rooms, with ghost stories to boot! After being in business for 100+ years, you’d better believe there are plenty stories to tell, and the manager, Kevin, was able to deliver the tales with so much precision, my teen abandoned her own bed and slept on the floor in my room the night we ate there! LOL, I’m not kidding!

Go to Wunsche Bros for the food and convenience. Stay for the history and stories!

It’s been a year since Wunsche Bros, founded in 1902, reopened its Old Town Spring location after the fire that caused a devastating blow to the prohibition-era saloon turned restaurant several years ago. I recently dropped in for lunch and was captivated by the renovations of the restaurant in addition to its new dining spaces and the extensive meeting rooms available. The food – Texas café fare with a German flair -  was delicious and the epitome of comfort. While there, I got tidbits of fascinating history thrown in, which made my visit a whole experience!

My daughter and I ordered the chips and Texas Style Queso as a starter. My main entree was a Wunsche Burger - a thick, juicy burger I had to eat with a knife and fork! I devoured half the burger and was able to save half for my lunch the next day. Request avocado, bacon, or even an egg if that’s your thing! It was mine (sans the egg), and I was pleased with all, including the presentation. My daughter’s chicken fried steak - a generous portion of battered steak served with gravy and potatoes - didn’t disappoint either. 

We topped off our meal with the chocolate whiskey cake – Wunsche Bros.’ famous chocolate and pecan cake with a salted whiskey caramel sauce and a kick of bourbon, and our server indulged us with an exciting legend to go along with the dessert! The cake was moist and delicious, and not too sweet. I highly recommend it if you don’t want to feel like you’re overdoing it.

Here are a few photos I was able to capture at the restaurant. If you’ve visited in past years, you’ll recognized that the darker wood areas are from the original dining space of the restaurant, and now, there’s this large, brighter area (open to more sunlight) and full bar for seating as well. These spaces are adjacent to one another and give off two different vibes, and guests can decide what type of atmosphere they want. Don’t you love having options?

What struck me the most about the restaurant’s renovations was the sea of gorgeous rooms for entertaining your bridal parties, birthday parties, business colleagues, etc. I was astounded! It was my first time upstairs, because before the fire, the upstairs was mainly storage and closed off to guests. Now, what a goldmine! If you’re ever looking for meeting space for your special event, put Wunsche Bros. at the top of your list of places to consider. Here's a peek:

Another gem of the restaurant is the rooftop patio and bar. Beginning on Thursday nights, you can come for live music and a 21 and up crowd while getting a look across at other happenings down below in Old Town Spring.

Many of the stores in Old Town Spring are closed on Mondays or Tuesdays, and most of them even close early in the evening on the other days. Don’t be fooled into thinking everything in the area is shut down though. Wunsche Bros. is open seven days a week, and their friendly servers are eagerly awaiting your visit. If the restaurant isn’t too busy, you might be lucky enough to get a grand tour of the place including the upstairs rooms, with ghost stories to boot! After being in business for 100+ years, you’d better believe there are plenty stories to tell, and the manager, Kevin, was able to deliver the tales with so much precision, my teen abandoned her own bed and slept on the floor in my room the night we ate there! LOL, I’m not kidding!

Wunsche Bros is located at 103 Midway St in Spring, TX. Go for the food. Stay for the history and stories!

Baaaaby!! Lama Mediterranean Cuisine restaurant at 1644 Research Forest Dr is a whole vibe! Have you eaten here in the past couple of years? (New owners, totally new restaurant). I can’t believe this gem is right here in The Woodlands!! The food is AH-MAZING yes, but the ambience was thebomb dotcom, with upscale decor, gorgeous greenery everywhere, vibrant colors, and modern lighting. The heated outdoor patio garden nestled amongst plants and pretty lights is charming and cozy! 

We almost turned down the complimentary hot tea. I’m so glad we didn’t. Having this lovely tea arrangement delivered to our table was my favorite thing ever! (I’m a sucker for the small details, and this restaurant is full of extravagant surprises.)

Service last night was second to none. The owner, Ali, is charismatic and welcoming and he came over to our table to chat before we left, and he treated my teens and I like family! He even packed us some complimentary samples of some of the foods from their Persian menu (yes, they have Persian food too), which my husband promptly devoured as soon as we got home. 

Speaking of family, Lama is family friendly with a small area with books and a couple of toys to keep little ones content, plus kids eat free on Wednesdays (ages 10 and under, with adult purchase.). We ordered gyros, chicken & beef shawarma, and the most delicious baklava ever! No exaggeration. Baklava has never been on my top 10 list of enjoyable desserts. I wanted my girls to taste it, but I warned them ahead of time they wouldn’t be super impressed. Goodness, I have never been so wrong! (First time for everything). I would go for Lama’s baklava over my tried and true dessert favorites ANY day of the week. It was so decadent! We tried all 3 offerings, and my fave was the one with pistachios.

I can’t decide if next time I’ll come on Thursday (BOGO half off entrees) or Friday (belly dancing). I’ll likely need reservations to come on the weekends, because apparently this place is really popular after the workweek has come to an end. 

These photos don’t do the place Justice, as I wasn't coming in to do a review (and I ended up having to use my teen's phone to take photos), but I had to share something. Check out more on the Lama Facebook or Instagram pages.  And go ahead and drop in this week and see what all my excitement is about. You won't be disappointed!