Forbidden Gardens Named A Top Roadside Attraction by TIME!

Another great media mention for our area went online yesterday (July 28)…TIME Magazine named Katy’s own Forbidden Gardens to their list of Top 50 American Roadside Attractions!  Congratulations to them!  The tag line that the folks at TIME associate with the attraction is “Things You Don’t See Every Day”, and boy, it THAT the truth! 

If you’ve never visited Forbidden Gardens you might be amazed to find a 1:20 scale of China’s Forbidden City complete with an army of 6,000 terra-cotta soldiers on Franz Road!  Exhibits include a 1/3 scale of the Tomb of the First Emperor,  Qin Shi Huang-di, as well as replicas of ancient Chinese architecture and weapons.  A walk through Forbidden Gardens is like walking into imperial China 2,000 years ago.  Talk about history!

Forbidden Gardens is open Friday, Saturday & Sunday.  As I write this their hours are 10am-3pm, but can vary by season.  Check their website for current hours and admission prices.  Please note that this an outdoor museum which may close for inclement weather.

You can read TIME’s story and see the other 49 attractions (including Houston’s Beer-Can House) here.  You can also follow Forbidden Gardens on Facebook or Twitter.

Forbidden Gardens is located at 23500 Franz Rd, Katy, Texas 77493…just West of the Grand Pkwy (99).  Their phone number is 281.347.8000.  Go out and support this local treasure!

UPDATE JANUARY 14, 2011:  To make way for the expansion of the Grand Parkway, Forbidden Gardens will be closing their doors on January 30, 2011.  If you’ve never visited, here’s your last chance!  So sorry to see them go.

Making Memories…What Can Be Better Than That?

It’s been a CRAZY week!  Here it is 10pm on Friday night and I finally have a minute to sit down and blog…YEA!  With our hectic schedule this week, we’re definitely ready for some family time this weekend.  Have you been making fun memories with your friends and family so far this summer?  Well, if not…what are you waiting for??  Step away from the computer and get out there!  (Oh…but read this first…thanks!) 

So what do you like to do?  Now that Tropical Storm Bonnie has been demoted (sorry Bonnie) to a Depression, our chances of rain have subsided a bit over the next few days.  So here’s a few ideas for spending time outdoors…

• Bust out the kites and generate some wind power
• Play a few rounds of mini golf over at Katy Minature Golf & Batting Cages or Mary Jo Peckham Park 
• Go for a stroll around your neighborhood and chat with your neighbors
• Grab the bikes and head over to George Bush Park for a nature ride or meet other riders at Bike Barn Katy for a Saturday morning ride
• Is running more your thing?  Katy Fit is kicking off the training season this weekend!

And what about indoor activities?  There are plenty of those to choose from as well!  How about…

• Take in a performance over at Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center (KVPAC)
• Have a friendly bowling competition at Times Square Entertainment or Ten Pins Bowling (bumpers or no bumpers?)
• Check out a movie at AMC Katy Mills, Cinemark, Alamo Drafthouse or Rave Motion Pictures
• Show off your skating skills at Mason Road Skate Center or Bear Creek Roller Rink (you’ve still got it, don’t you?)
• And if you feel like a real adventure, take a drive over to the Houston Museum of Natural Science to see (and smell) Lois, the Corpse Flower bloom!

What other activities are you enjoying this weekend and for the rest of the summer?  Whatever you choose, have fun making lasting memories!

Katy Area Events: FREE SAT/ACT Practice Exams

OK folks, so my plan is really NOT to post a new blog every other day.  But this morning as I was tweeting and facebooking about weekend events around Katy, it occurred to me that one of tomorrow’s events is extra important.  Tomorrow (July 17) the Katy Library is hosting a FREE SAT/ACT practice test!

Prior to earning my MBA and before Tom and I started our marketing business, Right On The Money, I was an Admissions & Marketing Officer for the graduate business school at Rice University.  So after years of reviewing grad school applications, I feel pretty qualified to say that college (and grad school) entrance exams are a BIG DEAL!!  Regardless of anyone’s personal like or dislike for them, standardized test scores really can make the difference in whether or not a student is accepted to the school of their choice.  And, further, they are often used (at least in part) in determining scholarship money.

So if you or your teen are looking at starting college in the next couple of years, now is a good time to start preparing for the entrance exams.  Talk to the admissions folks at the schools you are interested in to find out which exam they prefer and the best times to submit official scores to them.  And then spend serious time preparing for the exam.  These entrance exams are as much about HOW to take them as they are about the questions actually on them.  Having a sense of the types of questions and how to efficiently approach those questions will go a long way in raising scores.

There are several ways you can prepare:  you can borrow test prep books from the library, you can buy a copy, you can hire a tutor or participate in a full-blown course.  Select the option that’s right for you (and your wallet), and take it seriously.  An easy first step is to take the FREE Practice Test tomorrow at the Katy Library.  That’s right…it’s FREEEEEE!!! 

The Katy Library is located at 5414 Franz Rd, Katy TX 77493.  Their number is 281.391.3509.  The Library opens at 10am tomorrow and the practice exams begin at 10:15.  Good Luck!!!

You can find web links to all of the Katy Area libraries on the Education page of GetToKnowKaty.com.

Weekend GetAways: Galveston Island

Can you believe we’re already in mid-July?!?  Even though summer is flying by, it’s not too late to take the family on a weekend getaway!  As natives of the area, we grew up visiting our coastal neighbors:  Surfside…Jamaica Beach…and of course, Galveston Island.  Over the years we’ve seen some old friends shut down.  Gone are the days of Sea-A-Rama Marine Park, and a few of our favorites (like Fullen’s Waterwall) were taken out by Hurricane Ike in 2008.  But even as “The Island” works to rebuild following the beating it received from Ike, it remains one of our favorite nearby family getaways.

I’m always surprised by how little some folks around the Katy Area know about Galveston.  In the past 2 weeks, I’ve had this conversation twice!  So why not put it out there for everyone?  The Island is a lot more than beaches!  So if you’re looking for a quick day trip or mini-vacation, here are some Galveston classics you won’t want to miss!

Cafe Michael Burger.  Sitting on the West end, a little past the end of the Seawall, Cafe Michael Burger features awesome gourmet burgers and German food.  It’s an interesting menu combo and it works!

La King’s Confectionary.  Stepping into La King’s is like stepping back in time to the 1920′s.  They make their own candy using century old equipment…very cool.  And their ice cream is phenomenal!!  Located in the historic Strand.  We never miss a stop at La King’s! 

Magic Carpet Mini Golf.  On your way out to Cafe Michael Burger, check out Magic Carpet Mini Golf on the Seawall.  2 18-hole courses with some of the neatest obstacles we’ve ever seen on a putt-putt course!  Outsmart an ostrich, shoot through a cannon…we usually have so much fun here we play both courses. 

Texas Seaport Museum & the 1877 tall ship Elissa.  Next to the Strand, in the shadow of the cruise ships sits the Elissa.  This, my friends, is NOT a replica…she is the real thing built in 1877 and open to tours.  Parts of the museum are still being restored, but rates are discounted.

Seawolf Park.  A favorite from my childhood (we 1st visited shortly after the arrival of the vessels)…Seawolf Park offers tours of a World War II Submarine (the USS CAVALLA) and the USS STEWART…one of only 3 WWII destroyer escorts still in existence. 

Still Rebuilding After Hurricane Ike:  We are anxiously awaiting the reopenings of the Galveston Island Railroad Museum (“the largest railroad museum in the southwest”) and the Galveston Rail Trolleys.  Watch their sites for restoration information.  These are GREAT family activities!

The fun doesn’t stop there!  Galveston has Duck Tours, the Lone Star Flight Museum, the Grand 1894 Opera House, the Moody Mansion, Schlitterbahn, Moody Gardens, and “the oldest continually operating library in Texas”: Rosenberg Library.  And if you’d like to take a longer vacation, Carnival Cruises and Royal Caribbean sail out of Galveston!  In fact, it was on one of those cruises a few years back that we met Debra, the owner of Cafe Michael Burger…and fittingly enough, we met her when we were assigned to the same table for dinner!

For more info on things to do and places to stay in Galveston, visit Galveston.com and the Galveston Historical Foundation.  So, now you know our favorites?  What are yours?

Profile on Katy Business: Athletic Nation

Travel to the corner of Cinco Ranch Boulevard and Mason Road and you will find Athletic Nation, a full-service fitness and nutrition education facility staffed by experienced, licensed personal trainers who believe in one-on-one attention.  And they have an interesting story on what brought them here…

Will Denyko, Owner: Athletic Nation

Owner Will Denyko is an 11-year veteran of the U.S. Army who served in Iraq.  His post-military career began in oilfield services during which time he found himself moving through New Mexico, Louisiana and Texas including the Houston area.  It was during this time that Will began to gain weight.  When he had trouble physically fitting into areas that were required for his work on oil rigs, he knew he had to make a change.  Through months of research, Will learned to change his nutritional habits and began to exercise.  As his health and physical appearance improved, friends began to ask him for guidance and advice.  Will saw an opportunity to help others change their lives, and decided to pursue formal education to become a personal trainer. 

While he was working as a professional fitness trainer at a large national gym, Will met fellow trainer (and Mayde Creek alum) Adrian Gonzalez.  Will and Adrian share the belief that working with a personal trainer should be about more than just a 20 or 30 minute appointment running through exercises.  They started Athletic Nation to provide personal attention to each client, to learn their goals and their history in nutrition and fitness…to answer questions and provide guidance…to teach proper form and nutrition.  Denyko and Gonzalez believe that time spent with clients in one-on-one counseling is critical to success.

The Athletic Nation model is based on what Will and Adrian believe are the “3 Keys to Success:  Dedication, Motivation & Determination”…all things that folks tend to apply to the education and

Adrian Gonzalez, General Manager: Athletic Nation

career facets of their lives, but often forget in regard to their health.  So what can you expect when you walk in to Athletic Nation?  personal consultation with a Certified Fitness Professional, nutrition education, fitness assessments, 2-3 weeks of foundation building followed by re-assessments…a full, truly customized fitness program based on mini-goals and progress.

Perhaps Will says it best, “It’s not a body style change, it’s a lifestyle change”.  

Are you ready to change your life?  Athletic Nation is located at 2944 S Mason, Suite F, Katy, TX 77450 (in the Compass Bank strip center at Cinco Ranch Blvd).  Call them at 281.693.3656 or visit their website:  http://www.athleticnationhtx.com.