The day my Nana died was a good day as ever there could be… she lived to 102 and was as they say “done.” A few hours earlier I had been summoned by sister to get here quickly… but in reality she wasn’t going anywhere .. that is until I arrived. She was a...
In the garden it is time to pull out all the sad and lonely veggies from the summer and rematch and reseed for a fall bounty. Right now you should plant new tomatoes, Plant long-term, frost-tolerant vegetables together. Frost-tolerant vegetables include beet, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, chard, collard, garlic, kale, lettuce, mustard, onion, parsley, spinach and turnip. In the...
It’s time to harvest the seeds from your heirloom tomatoes and dry them and store in a dry place for planting seedling next spring. Also It’s time to can or pickle all the cucumbers and beans in the garden and prepare the stocked pantry for the winter months. This late summer task makes me...
In the garden….it’s time to till the beds and add fresh mulch prior to planting the fall flowers. What looks nice for quite some time and pairs well with our Houston climate are mums. I even have some that made it through the hot summer and are fix’in to bloom yet again! At the...
In the garden it is time to plant cilantro, parsley, dill, mint, lavender and rosemary. Start your leeks and garlic so they will be ready early spring. If you want some blooms going for the holidays you’ll need to choose Crocus, alliums, ranunculus bulbs. Put your tulip bulbs in the refrigerator and on January...
Living The Sweet Life: Dear my Forever Best Friend…. We all have friends. Some of them are always there whilst others tend to shrink into the backgrounds of our lives when things are going a bit rough. We all know who “those” friends are. It’s not often that you run across people that...
One of the hardest decisions we face when we go to a sushi restaurant is whether to also order the tempura. It is so tasty and for years I was a little hesitant to try to make it at home. I discovered that it’s so easy to do and I make it regularly as...
Third Generations small businesses are a rare thing in this country. It is not only rare but, a thing to be proud of and for a community a real treasure. Roland Laurenzo’s of most notably the El Tiempo family has been offering such good eats to Houstonians for a very long time. Born in...
It is always nice to find a spot that almost every time you walk through the door you run into a friend. Russo’s Italian Grill is such a place as there have been many a Sunday after church or a weekday afternoon that I drop in and not only always find something perfectly prepared...
Alisa Murray’s The Artist’s Palate featuring Vallone’s restaurant located at 947 Gessner @ I-10 is one of Houston’s Finest Dinning establishments. “Conceived by Houston restaurant legend Tony Vallone and protégé Scott Sulma (general manager and partner), Vallone’s is its namesake’s latest entry in Houston’s expanding fine dining scene.”Originally from Houston,Tony Vallone has been an...
If you are a meat lover, then the perfect spot for you is Tradicao Brazilian Steakhouse. Opened in 2009 and located at 12000 SW Freeway, this restaurant offers a bountiful salad bar and meat service as you might have guessed it, Brazilian style. The restaurant is both owned and operated by Melissa Abrantes family,...
Well folks I am a southern gal from North Carolina and one thing I know is my fried chicken. Brandani’s located at 3340 FM 1092 Ste 160 not only has the best in Texas but in North Carolina as well. There’s a special sauce Ron co-owner and Executive Chef makes called jalapeno gravy...
Featured Restaurant: Soto’s Kitchen There’s always in a large city plenty of great places to eat and Houston is no different. Perhaps the greatest challenge is in finding those special tiny spots that pop up out of a pure love for cooking and sharing. Almost always, in such places, you are left with the...
If there’s ever been a place that from the moment you walk in you feel like you’ve been there before and there’s a sense of “home” then Turquoise Grill located at Sugar Land Town Square Plaza, 16019 City Walk, Sugar Land, TX is the place. I remember several years ago walking in...
Sugarland has a few hidden treasures and Fernando’s located at 14135 Southwest Fwy is one of them. Fernando, originally from Ecuador began as a teen in the food world and worked his way up from every position to now owner and chef. I visited with him in his kitchen and saw the passion of...
Alisa Murray’s The Artist’s Palate featuring Goode Seafood Co. Being from North Carolina, as you know, there’s a staple in my diet called Pecan pie (pronounced Pee-Can as any good southerner would know) and Goode Seafood Co. located at 10211 Katy Freeway has the very best in this town. In fact, all 7 Goode...
It’s time to plant some trees! Fruit bearing trees are an incredible way to transform your backyard with edible treats right outside your window and when planted near your home they also have the added benefit of shade and blocking heat which can lower your electric bill significantly. Right now I am planting peaches,...
Each summer as a child I would spend many weeks with my Granny and my Aunt Lona. Perhaps aside from her Carmel candy her lemon cake stands out and every time I make it I am taken back to those times together in the North Carolina mountains. With blueberries being so plump and juicy...
In the garden keep weeds under control and get outside and tend to those in the morning before it gets too hot and steamy to manage for very long. Harvesting of tomatoes and cucumbers will be at times overwhelming, especially if you planted a multitude of seeds and plants. These will need a...
Ladies and gentlemen it’s June again and just in time for our wedding issue at the Focus. The styles we have in wooing one another could not be more diverse. Some are attracted to shiny castles and presents while others are content as can be with a simple hand held. What turns us “on”...
