Heights Happenings: March 28 - April 4, 2012

Dear Readers, Blogger has a mind of its own. Sorry if the formatting here is way off, but there is no way to fix it. Believe me, I have tried. Thanks, THL




Thursday, March 29, 5:30 pm- 8:30pm: The 2nd Annual Tacky Wedding Pub Crawl hits the Heights to benefit Wish Upon A Wedding

• Come out in your most creative, most tacky wedding attire for a night of pub crawling with plenty of laughs along the way. Last year's crawl had an impromptu hula hoop contest and a scavenger hunt like no other. 
• Pub Special’s:
• BB’s Café on Thursday has Big A$$ Beer night and they are going to do some $6 Happy Hour Specials for us.
• Christian’s Tailgate: $2.50 domestic drafts, $2.50 domestic bottles, $2.50 Wells, and $7 domestic pitchers. In addition it’s ladies night on Thursday’s so they have $2.50 Jack Daniels and $2.50 Crown.
• Onion Creek: $2 Red Stripe special and they are going to do some $6 happy hour specials for us.
• Purchase tickets at www.tackyweddingpubcrawlhouston.eventbrite.com
• The Tacky Wedding Pub Crawl benefits Wish Upon a Wedding. Wish Upon a Wedding is the first nonprofit wish granting organization providing weddings and vow renewals for couples facing terminal illness and serious life altering circumstances, regardless of sexual orientation. Wish Upon a Wedding was established in January, 2010 and currently has over 20 chapters throughout the United States.

Thursday, March 29, 7:30 pm - 11:30 pm: Corkeoke at The Corkscrew

• “The perfect marriage of marginally talented people, with massive amounts of alcohol.” What’s not to like, right?
• 1308 W 20th

Saturday, March 31, 9 am - 11 am: 5th Annual Egg Hunt at Proctor Park

• This amazing event is pulled off by the hard work of Ms Pam at the park and the community who comes together to provide candy and man power. It's always a wonderful time!
• Kids under 5 will search first, with older kids going in a later round. If you have a young kiddo, be there on time so they don't miss out!
• Proctor Park, Julian at Temple

Saturday, March 31, 11 am- 2 pm: Bubblefest at Hogg Spark Park

• Houston Vineyard Church is hosting this fun event for kids ages 3-12. The event will feature a 900 sq. ft bubble foam pit, performances by Crockett Elemenary Marimba band, bubble contests, bubble art, bubble gum buffets, face painting, bubble photo booth, and parents' relaxation area. 
• All children must be accompanied by an adult

PLAN AHEAD:

Friday, April 6, 10 am- 6 pm: Eggstravaganza at Fixer's

Friday, April 13, 5:30 - 9 pm: Meet the Author of “Houston Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Bayou City” 

• Write Now! Greetings is happy to host Houston Chronicle editor and beer blog writer Ronnie Crocker. Ronnie launched the Beer, TX blog in March 2009. Born in Galveston, raised in Pearland and worked as a journalist at the Bryan-College Station Eagle in Texas and the Daily Press in Newport News, Virginia, before returning home to the Woodland Heights to join the Chronicle in 1994. He holds a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University and a master's of business administration from the College of William and Mary. Follow his beer writing at blog.chron.com/beertx, twitter.com/rcrocker and facebook.com/rcrocker.beertx. 
• In his book “Houston Beer,” Crocker chronicles Houston's long and surprising history of brewing, tracing everything from the grand legacy of Anheuser-Busch to the up-and-coming craft beer makers and those brewing it right at home.
• Refreshments will be served
• 3122 B White Oak

Monday, May 12, 6:30 pm- 9:30 pm: Apex Scholarship fundraiser

• Aryn Romero, 18, has been taking Taekwondo from Master Portal at Apex Taekwondo in Oak Forest/Garden Oaks for a year. Aryn happens to have Down’s Syndrome. Master Portal at Apex has been “amazing with Aryn and has included her in a typical taekwondo class learning the same things every other student at Apex learns,” says her mother, Kristin.  Aryn has participated in two tournaments and has earned several medals for sparring, board breaking and forms.  Kristin believes Master Portal has a “special ability to reinforce each student’s strengths, while patiently improving their weaknesses.”  It has an amazing experience for their family and everyone involved. Due to the overwhelmingly positive experience this has been for Aryn and her family, Kristin and Master Portal have created a 501(c)(3) to provide taekwondo scholarships children with Down's Syndrome, and economically disadvantaged children.  Their goal this first year is to give out as many as 12 scholarships for children from these two groups, allowing them to have the enriching experience of Taekwondo without the tuition fees.
• “The program at Apex Taekwondo is designed to provide a positive outlet for students to gain confidence, commitment and determination, as well as expose students to an active lifestyle through individual competition as well as teamwork. Taekwondo is more than kicking and punching.  It is a place where students who otherwise feel isolated by disability or lack of financial resources can make friends while receiving appropriate training and coaching to help develop physically and mentally to perform their best in the sport and in all aspects of life.”
• Kristin would like to build this program to “define our children by their abilities, not disability.”
• Please support this new venture and enjoy music, food, drinks and great auction items.  You can meet the instructors and other students in the program. 
• That Pizza Place
• 3322 Ella Blvd., Houston, TX 77018
• Please contact Master Portal at (713) 290-1911, Kristin Nielsen at (713) 822-5161 or email apexscholarship@gmail.com if you are interested in helping, donating or finding out more about a scholarship for your child.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Huge congrats to Harvard Elementary School for receiving IB status!

• After several year of hard work by Harvard elementary schools staff and students the school is pleased to announce that it has been named an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).  
• The school will offer the Primary Years Programme (PYP) to all students enrolled in pre-k through grade 5. The program focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and the world outside. Harvard Elementary School began the authorization process in 2008 with extensive professional development in the curriculum model and standards; inquiry; promoting international-mindedness; transdisciplinary and concept-based learning; assessment; and the action cycle. http://www.harvardschool.org/

Are you coming to the after party?

• This year the Heights Association is adding a little something extra to the Spring Candlelight Dinner and Home Tour weekend!

New extended hours at Liberty Kitchen!

• Starting Monday, April 2nd, LK will be open all day with a special menu from 2-5 pm. Another great option for a late afternoon meeting, snack, late lunch, or early dinner!
• 1050 Studewood

OUTSIDE THE HEIGHTS:

Thursday, April 5, 7 pm- 10 pm: Kiss My Grits! Gulf Coast Throw Down benefitting Young Texans Against Cancer

I went to this event last year and had a blast! I loved that you had easy access to the Chefs, right behind their tables, so you could ask about their inspiration or anything else. Food was amazing--- and I don't even like grits! Tickets still available!

Participating Chefs include:

Chef David Guerrero - Samba Grille

Chef Gabe Medina - Kata Robata

Chef Jonathan Jones - Beavers

Chef Joshua Martinez - The Modular Food Truck

Chef Kevin Bryant - The Capitol at St. Germain

Chef Mary Cuclis - Pondicheri

Chef Michael Pellegrino - Max's Wine Dive

Chef Philip Speer - Uchi

Chef Randy Rucker - Restaurant Conat

Chef Ronnie Killen - Killen's Steakhouse

Chef Ryan Hildebrand - Triniti

Heights Happenings: March 21- March 28, 2012

Thursday, March 22, 2pm - 6pm: Sip, Shop and Get Styled! at Langford Market Heights 

• Mariko Paterson from Zatori Salon will be doing mini hair up-do's
• Desserts and Champagne are complementary
• Buy 2 accessories, get 2 free
• 249 W 19th

Friday, March 24, Starting at Noon: Heights Cigar Lounge Torano Tasting Class

• Join Heights Cigar Lounge as they welcome Carlos Toraño's Houston sales rep Brian McGee.  Brian will be leading participants through a tasting class, discussing the various components of cigars and how they impact the flavor and taste of a cigar.
• Specials include a sample pack of cigars just for the class for $21.00 (a 10% discount).  The pack will include the 1959 Exodus (50YR), the Loyal, the Vault, and the Brigade. 
• Store Hours- Mon-Sat 10am- 8pm, Sun 12 -6pm
• 240 W 19th St

Friday, March 24, 6 pm- 8:30 pm: Spivey Trunk Show at Heights Beatniks

• Beatniks is thrilled to present work by designer-extraordinaire Megin Spivey. She will be bringing unique and beautiful cufflinks from her amazing collections.
• Megin has a great eye for both detail and quality. Her exquisite pieces are made with materials ranging from meteorites and dinosaur bones to repurposed treasures found on trips to exotic places.
• Meet Megin at the trunk show and hear the history (geological or otherwise) of her cufflinks.
• Check out www.mspivey.com for more information
• 709 E 11th

PLAN AHEAD:

March 31, 9 am- 11 am: Proctor Park's Annual Easter Egg Hunt!

• This is an amazing event hosted by a favorite park in the Heights. Eggs with candy will be hidden all over the park. Smaller kids will go first and then the bigger kids will hunt after. This is a really great time for neighborhood families. If you have kids, definitely check it out
• Proctor Park, Temple at Julian

Mark your calendars for Spring Fling on 19th! April 21. More details to come but plan on being there and supporting our 19th St businesses!

OUTSIDE THE HEIGHTS:


FotoFest and Bayou City Arts Festival are this weekend. While I rarely advocate leaving the Heights, these events are the kind that make it worth it. 

Click links for details on both events!

The FOTOFEST 2012 BIENNIAL is the Fourteenth International Biennial of Photography and Photo-related Art. The FotoFest Biennial is the United States' largest and longest-running international photography festival. It is one of the oldest international showcases for photography in the world today.

The 40^th Anniversary Bayou City Art Festivals – in Downtown Houston in the fall and at Memorial Park in the spring – are produced by the Art Colony Association, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to producing high quality art festivals and events.  Over the past 40 years, the festivals have raised $2.6 million benefiting local arts and service organizations, as well as Houston parksthroughout the Greater Houston area.

IN OTHER NEWS:

TUTS Promo Code for Heights Residents

• Theater Under The Stats is offering a special promo code for discounted tickets (10-20% off) to the rest of the season for Heights residents.  
• Promo code is: HEIGHTS.  
• In order to use the code go to  www.tuts.com/promo and type in HEIGHTS- this will take them you a page where all of the performances with discounts are listed.  
• This promo code is good through Sunday June 17^th. 

La Cage Aux Folles- Ladies Night Out

• Enjoy exotic bites paired with a wine tasting at MKT BAR/Phoenicia Specialty Foods before heading over to the Hobby Center for the show.  
• Complimentary Garage Parking at Phoenicia
• The Ladies Night package is available on any Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday night during the run of the show.  
• Package Prices range from $59.20-$98 depending on seat selection. 
• To learn more about or to purchase this package CLICK HERE.

REMINDER:

Tuesday, April 17, 7 pm - 10 pm:  Houston Press’s 10th annual Menu of Menus food and wine showcase

• This annual eating and drinking extravaganza will showcase the culinary talents of our fair city. Food sampling will come from over 40 area restaurants and be served up alongside wine, beer and spirit tastings. 
• Why do I think you should go to this event, other than a plain, old good time? A portion of the proceeds benefit KidsMeals. 
• In 2011, Kids' Meals delivered over 390,000 lunches with a staff of eight and with the help of over 10,000 volunteers!  Kids' Meals delivers to 1,400 pre-school aged children, living in poverty who are in need of food. Kids Meals delivers nutritious meals directly to the homes of these hungry children, Monday through Friday, year-round. The lunches are free of cost to each family.
• New this year: The first Iron Fork Competition presented by Whole Foods Market. Celebrity Chef Monica Pope of t’afia will moderate two top chefs as they go head-to-head to produce the best dish using a basket of secret ingredients. 
• Musical Entertainment provided by Faye Robinson & The Mid City Players. 
• March Ticket Pricing - General Admission: $45. VIP Tickets: $85. Prices increase April 1. 
• USE PROMOCODE HEIGHTSLIFE to get General Admission: $35. VIP Tickets: $80. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE --> BUY TICKETS!
• VIP Ticket includes entrance into the event 1 hour prior to the general public and complimentary valet before 6:30pm. 
• Silver Street Station, 1500 Silver Street 

Heights Happenings: March 13- March 20, 2012

Is it just me or is there not a lot going on around the neighborhood this weekend? It could be because Saturday is St Patrick's Day, but most of what I have is upcoming. Stay safe and have a good one, friends!

Friday, March 16, 9 am: Jazzercize Free Friday at Woodland Park

• Classes are usually $15 for a single drop in, so this is a great way to check out the class and see if it's for you!
• Classes are held in the Woodland Park community center building, 212 Parkview St
• The website also has a discount off registration fees right now

Sunday, March 18, 5 pm- 11pm: Dine at DownHouse to fight cancer!

• Pretty easy! Sunday night have dinner at DownHouse and 20% of sales will go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

OUTSIDE THE HEIGHTS:

Saturday, March 17, 12 pm- 12 am: Paint The Town Blue- UNICEF Tap Project at Pearl Bar and Hughes Hangar

• Houston joins thousands of restaurants, dining patrons and supporters nationwide for the fifth annual World Water Week
• Pearl Bar, 4216 Washington Avenue, 12pm – 8pm. Live band and giveaways
• Hughes Hangar, 2811 Washington Avenue, 7pm – 12 midnight. Prizes from Jet Blue, Sprinkles, and Nice Wines.
• UNICEF TAP PROJECT Ambassadors will be at both events, offering information about clean water  and sanitation issues.  Now in its fifth year, the UNICEF Tap Project affords everyone the opportunity to help provide the world’s children with safe, clean water. To date, more than $3 million has been raised for children across the globe. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is committed to building on that momentum by once again offering volunteers, restaurants, partners and individuals across the nation the opportunity to sign up and participate to help raise millions of dollars to support UNICEF in its efforts. The concept is basic and compelling: “When You Take Water, Give Water.”
• UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. Working in more than 150 countries, UNICEF provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more.

PLAN AHEAD:


Saturday, March 24, 1 pm- 5 pm: Shady Acres Civic Club Annual Crawfish Boil

• Crawfish, potatoes and corn will be served. 
• Drink tickets and hot dogs will be available for purchase at the door. 
• There will be 10 minute chair massages available for $15.00. 
• Crawfish Boil tickets may be purchased in advance at www.shadyacres.org for $15.00 per person or at the door for $17.00 per person. 
• All proceeds support the Shady Acres Civic Club’s upcoming events scheduled during 2012
• Shady Tavern Ice House, 1206 W. 20th Street. 

Saturday, April 21, 3pm - 5 pm: Houston Heights Woman’s Club’s Spring Tea, “Hats off!  100 Years and Counting."

• This new event is being introduced as part of the year long celebration of the Centennial of the HHWC’s historic Clubhouse. The Victorian Tea, held each year around the winter holidays, has become the HHWC’s signature event, known for fun and high energy.  This Spring Tea is definitely expected follow suit. Each table in the Clubhouse has a volunteer hostess, who uses their imagination to create beautiful tables with china and centerpieces. 
• Refreshments will include three courses of twelve varieties of cakes, cookies and tea sandwiches. Club members volunteer to bake and provide attendees with amazing, homemade treats.
• Proceeds from the Spring Tea will fund the repainting of the organization's Clubhouse. Originally planned as a Sunday afternoon tea, that event sold out with in days of its announcement. To accommodate the high demand, the Club is offering a Saturday afternoon Tea as well. Seats at the Saturday, April 21^st seating are still available in limited quantity. 
• $35 per person
• Call Debbie at (713) 753-6727 for more information and to secure your seat now! 

Saturday and Sunday, April 14 and 15, Noon- 6 pm: Heights Association Home & Garden Tour 

• Featured on this year’s tour are six outstanding homes and gardens, all within walking distance to the hike and bike trails.
• Luxury bus shuttles to all of the homes, included in the Home Tour ticket price, will be standing by at the Heights Fire Station and at Comerica Bank where parking is available.
• Featured Homes & Gardens
• Purday/Coon Home (2007 Contemporary)          1109 Oxford
• Mueller Home (1920s Bungalow Style)                941 Cortlandt
• Tegtmeier Home (1920s Bungalow)                     706 Cortlandt
• Womble Home (1906 Queen Anne Cottage)        515 Harvard
• Fritsch Home (1920s Cottage)                              1243 Tulane
• Smith/Yeatts Home (1903 Cottage)                       531 W. 16^th
• Spring is a great time of year to enjoy the local trails on a bicycle. Tour goers who choose to ride their bicycles from house to house can purchase day-of-tour tickets for just $20 – a $5 discount! A special route has been mapped for cyclists. The entire loop is less than five miles long. Bicycle racks will be available at each tour home, along with a “bicycle valet” to assist with parking and securing bikes. Riders can do the tour at their own pace, taking time to stop at local eateries for refreshments along the way. Riders are encouraged to practice bike safety, wear a helmet and bring a lock if possible.
• Tickets will be available at www.houstonheights.org and at these local merchant locations: Another Place in Time, Buchanan’s Native Plants, Davis Hardware, Jubilee, Lovejoy’s Antiques, and Write Now!. Tickets are $20 each when purchased in advance. Tickets purchased during the hours of the Tour are $25 at the Heights Fire Station (107 W. 12^th Street @ Yale), at Comerica Bank (414 W. 19^th Street) and at each home-tour home. 
• Tickets for individual homes are available for $5 at each home. Blocks of 10 tickets will be available online only for $175.

^{IN OTHER NEWS:}

^{You can now follow me on Pinterest!}

Heights Happenings: March 7- March 14, 2012

So, you wanna get discounted tickets to Houston Press's food and drink extravaganza, 

Menu of Menus? 

I can help with that!

Tuesday, April 17, 7 pm - 10 pm:  Houston Press’s 10th annual Menu of Menus food and wine showcase

• This annual eating and drinking extravaganza will showcase the culinary talents of our fair city. Food sampling will come from over 40 area restaurants and be served up alongside wine, beer and spirit tastings. 
• Why do I think you should go to this event, other than a plain, old good time? A portion of the proceeds benefit KidsMeals. 
• In 2011, Kids' Meals delivered over 390,000 lunches with a staff of eight and with the help of over 10,000 volunteers!  Kids' Meals delivers to 1,400 pre-school aged children, living in poverty who are in need of food. Kids Meals delivers nutritious meals directly to the homes of these hungry children, Monday through Friday, year-round. The lunches are free of cost to each family.
• New this year: The first Iron Fork Competition presented by Whole Foods Market. Celebrity Chef Monica Pope of t’afia will moderate two top chefs as they go head-to-head to produce the best dish using a basket of secret ingredients. 
• Musical Entertainment provided by Faye Robinson & The Mid City Players. 
• March Ticket Pricing - General Admission: $45. VIP Tickets: $85. Prices increase April 1. 
• USE PROMOCODE HEIGHTSLIFE to get General Admission: $35. VIP Tickets: $80. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE --> BUY TICKETS!
• VIP Ticket includes entrance into the event 1 hour prior to the general public and complimentary valet before 6:30pm. 
• Silver Street Station, 1500 Silver Street 

Now back to our regularly scheduled program...

Thursday, March 8, 8 pm: Obsidian Art Space opens "13 Miles from Security" 

• This work by local playwright Kathy Drum is “riveting.” A dark comedy, it is set in Cut-N-Shoot, TX, on one side of the stage and Texarkana, AR, on the other. 
• Herb and Tonic are best friends from high school, sitting on a rural front porch in Cut-N-Shoot, speculating on why their wives aren't back from the convenience store after 9 hours. 
• Judy and Tess wander up to a gas station with their gas can in Texarkana, after driving like Hell to escape their lives and running out of gas just outside the Texas state line. 
• This world premier is produced by Big Head Productions and directed by Ricky Welch. 
• On stage through March 24, 2012
• 3522 White Oak
• Featuring:
• Tom Stell - Herb
• Ryan Kelly - Tonic
• Kathy Drum - Judy
• Leighza Walker - Tess
• Randi Hall - Wanda
• Jon Egging - William 

Friday, March 9: Heights Cigar Lounge’s San Lotano event
The events at this Heights smoking lounge are all about the deals. At this event, here’s what you can look forward to:

• Buy 3 cigars get 1 free 
• Buy sample pack (4 cigars) get 10% off and 1 free cigar
• Buy a box get 20% off and 8 free cigars (this could net you over $70 in savings)
• Everyone purchasing one of these deals will be entered into a raffle for free cigars

Saturday, March 10, Noon - 4 pm: 2nd Saturday Craftacular

• Hello, Lucky proudly presents this opportunity for you to support local artists and craftspeople. Come out and find unique and handmade goods from several vendors
• Food this month by Divine Teriyaki 
• 1025 Studewood

PLAN AHEAD:

Saturday, March 31, 1pm - 2:30pm: Inversion workshop at Happy Belly Studios

• This workshop is designed for students who are looking build strength and confidence in their inversion practice, whether it's learning the basics of Sirsasana (headstand), Adho MukhaVrksasana (handstand), or Pincha Mayurasana (forearm balance) - either against the wall or in the center of the room.
• Taught by Aaron
• Cost: $25

OUTSIDE THE HEIGHTS:

This event and this group are technically outside the Heights. However, how goes Washington, so go parts of the Heights. Our neighborhoods are inextricably linked and residents of one need to be concerned about what happens in the other. Make it if you can.

Thursday, March 8, 6:30- 8:30 pm: Washington Avenue Livable Center Public Meeting #1

• Join Washington Ave Livable Centers for a public meeting. Get updates on the project so far and add your hopes and dreams for our little slice of the inner loop.
• The Houston-Galveston Area Council, in partnership with Better Houston, the City of Houston and TIRZ 15, is conducting a Livable Centers study of Houston’s historic Washington Avenue Corridor. The Livable Centers program seeks to create walkable, mixed-use places that provide multi-modal transportation, improve environmental quality and promote economic development. The Washington Avenue Livable Centers study area, which is bounded by I-45 in the East, I-10 in the North, Westcott in the West and Buffalo Bayou in the south, includes much of Superneighborhood 22 and contains all or most of the First and Sixth Wards, Memorial Heights, West End, Magnolia Grove, Westwood Grove, Rice Military, Wood Crest and Cottage Grove neighborhoods
• 1900 Kane St, at the MECA Center

The Scene at Ruggle's Green, Part 1

I have a lot of information to disseminate about the new Ruggles Green going in at 11th St Cafe. I just don't have the time or my thoughts in order yet... In the meantime, I wanted to share the renderings with you:

Enjoy and next week I'll fill you in with the rest of the info.

Farmhouse ---> Your House

The word comes across the family wire pretty quickly in the Heights. Whether it's crime, a school fundraiser, or a speed trap on Yale, Heights families seem to know about it moments after it happens. By the time I started to hear non- mommy rumblings of the new Farmhouse Delivery, Heights Kids Group already had a thread about it for a week. This had gotten me thinking about whether this was a good option for my family, especially because I am typically skeptical about all things Austin based. "What do they want with Houston? Will they respect our own local food folks? Will this effect our local businesses?" I wondered. As I contemplated these questions, I was lucky enough to actually get connected with Farmhouse's co-founder, Elizabeth Winslow. 

Wanting to know, I asked Elizabeth how the expansion to Houston came about. The official, press-release oriented line is this:

In 2012, Farmhouse Delivery co-founders Elizabeth Winslow and Stephanie Scherzer became inspired by the burgeoning local food movement in Houston, and made the decision to expand east.  “There are so many growers in the Houston area that we are excited to work with—innovative farmers using sustainable methods to farm intensively and producing gorgeous, abundant produce, “says Scherzer.  Winslow, too is excited about the eastward expansion, “As an East Texas native, Houston has always been one of my favorite food cities.  My connections in this community run deep, and I can’t wait to bring both incredible ingredients and inspiration to Houston homes.  

This was an ok answer, sure. I mean, Houston is indeed a fertile market for anything food related. We do love our whole farm-to-table thing and this sounds great for a press release, but it wasn't enough. I knew there was bound to be just a little but more. She had to know something else besides the fact that we have a local foods movement. And it came out: there are selfish reasons Elizabeth and her partner, Stephanie Scherzer, decided to expand here. "We selfishly wanted access to Slow Dough Bread, Words & Food pimiento cheese and cheese from The Houston Dairymaids," she told me. She said she is also looking forward to "all the other great Houston food artisans we have yet to discover." There will be many! For this skeptic, this demonstrated some knowledge of what was actually going on, versus just a "we can sell stuff there" mentality.

I told her I would love to check it out, knowing I could share the goodies (or maybe not-so-goodies) with you guys. Let's just say, I loved what I saw. Elizabeth dropped a big, gray crate on my door step. That was Win #1. I didn't have to go anywhere. Win #2 came when I opened the crate.

A big bunch of green bursted out of the crate. I was bowled over, in a great way, by the smell of earth and onions. Kale, spinach, lettuce, and green onions. As I dug down, I also unearthed a container of brussel sprouts, a family favorite. Just looking at them made me drool, thinking of the bacon they would soon be pan roasted with.

Tucked in with the greens were another of my family's favorite foods: Eggs! Not only eggs, but farm eggs that come in colors that make kids stare at them as if they had just uncovered a pirate's chest. My fear is that they actually won't want to crack them!

I dug deeper and the colors just kept on coming. I found red, yellow, white, and orange. Rhubarb! I haven't seen real, fresh rhubarb in ages. Where I grew up in western Massachusetts, it grew like weeds behind the apartment house I lived in. Kids used to pick it, dip it's bitter ends in sugar and suck on it. It was nothing unusual to see a bunch of kids sitting on the curb on a summer day, sucking the ends of rhubarb. Turnips, a favorite of my mother. A giant yam. Oranges and limes.

So, I loved the produce I recieved. The eggs were an awesome bonus. In the bottom of the crate was paper shred (eco conscious) and a reused frozen water bottle to keep the contents fresh for a couple hours. It didn't need a couple hours in my case, though. I put it all in the sink and got it washed up. I had a couple hours before the kids were home and decided I would make short order of that yam. I am not a yam eater but they're easy to cook and the kids love them. 

Basically, I scrubbed it clean, sliced it in to big chunks, covered it with olive oil, salt & pepper, and put it in the oven set to 400. It took about 35 minutes to soften enough to stick a fork through, which means a yam is done. The smell through the house made it hard for me to believe I wasn't going to be eating it. Even if I did like yams, this one was going in my younger son's lunch the next day. I put the cooked chunks in the fridge and the next morning delivered them to school with him. 

Aren't sure you'll know how to cook each bushel's produce? With every delivery, you'll get an email with at least one recipe for the crate's contents.

I was pretty sold on the ease of delivery and impressed with the quality of the food. I was still left wondering, though, why the Heights? What about our own local folks and was our neighborhood being targeted for the right reasons?

Elizabeth had no problem answering those questions for me. "Morgan Weber [of Revival Market] is a good friend of ours.  I met him when I wrote an article about his heritage pig farm for Edible Austin--I loved hearing about his plans for the market, and he really inspired me with stories about the growing locavore movement in Houston."  Weber is unofficial ambassador for our local foods folks, so this was a good enough reason to be open to Farmhouse's concept. Would they compete with Revival, I wondered?  Probably not, considering Revival Market serves as a drop/pick-up point for those who are outside of the delivery area or who prefer pick up for another reason.  And not only is Revival a pick up point, they'll soon be a part of the offerings. Farmhouse will be "offering Revival Market sausages, bacon, and handmade condiments to Farmhouse Delivery customers in both Houston and Austin." 

Elizabeth appealed to my Heights-centricity, adding "Also, The Heights is one of our favorite neighborhoods--we love the architecture, the wide grassy boulevard on Heights Blvd, the community vibe and endless restaurant and retail discoveries." Indeed!

You can find out a lot more about Farmhouse Delivery on their website or their Facebook page, but here is the nuts and bolts:

There are 2 membership options:

Weekly- $37, with a one time $20 set up fee

Bi-weekly- $39 with a one time $20 set up fee

If you're a residence, you'll get your crate on Saturdays. If you're a business, you'll get your deliveries on Wednesday.

If you're a Heights Life reader, you can also get $10 off your 1st delivery with promo code

HEIGHTS

You can join here

Currently, Farmhouse is sourcing from their favorite Houston based companies [Houston Dairymaids, Words & Food Pimiento Cheese, Slow Dough Bread] 

as well as the following farms:

Wateroak Farm-- Bryan, TX

Sand Creek Farm-- Cameron, TX

Fruitfull Hill-- Smithville, TX

Comanche Oaks-- La Grange, TX

Gunderman Acres-- Wharton County, TX

Hatfield Farms-- Navasota, TX

Home Sweet Farm-- Brenham, TX

A sink full, plus more