PREM IE ISSU R E
3 February | March 2017
PinPointe Magazine
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Contents ON THE COVER: Photo Credit: Patricia Hudson
Serving the Community of Coles Crossing
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15
6 6 Creekwood Grill: An Interview with Brian Sandel
10 Ignore the Tags
9 Nothing Bundt Cakes Opens in Cypress
14 Covid-19 Pfizer Vaccine Experience “A Breeze”
9 Metta’s Local Eats Dine Out For Charity
15 Canine Corner
12 Let’s Dance
PinPointe Magazine
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Creekwood ill
PINPOINTE RESIDENT
An Interview with
PROFILE
ian Sandel Photo by Patricia Hudson
By Patricia Hudson
C
reekwood Grill, located in Cypress at 12710 Telge Road, is a popular site for gatherings of family and friends. What began its life as a grocery in the 1940’s, was probably best known in the 1980’s as P.O.’s. In August 2018, Brian Sandel and Mark McShaffry became partners of Creekwood Grill. I interviewed Brian to learn more about this favorite Cypress restaurant. Brian, your partnership with Mark McShaffry at Creekwood Grill is coming up on three years in August. How did this come about? Mark and I met when I was a Managing Partner for Raising Cane's. We met in 2012, maybe 2013, at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the old Northwest Forest Conference Center, directly across the street from Creekwood, (irony!) His general manager and I ran into each other a lot at various school and marketing functions; we got to know each other through doing business in the Cypress 6 May | June 2021
area in the same industry. The way he built his business at The Backyard Grill is strikingly similar to the way I went about building a brand-new concept to Cypress, Raising Cane's, so we ended up running into each other a lot. What do you see as the reason Creekwood is so popular with the folks in Cypress? I think it's just basic business. We have a great location, away from the freeways and crazy traffic areas. We have a good menu that's easy to understand and we use high quality ingredients; we followed what our customers were telling us that they wanted us to be. We're a fun, laid back, easy to hang out at with friends kind of place, with a killer burger and great beer. Oh, yeah, the BEER! We have 40 rotating taps of great beer with a style and choice for anyone. We work hard to be a place where people can come learn about new beers without feeling like the beer snobs are everywhere. We're constantly Texas BBQ Chicken
looking for great, mostly local craft beers for everyone to try. There is so much amazing beer that is brewed right here in the Houston / Gulf Coast area, and we try to showcase as much of that as we can. In a nutshell, good food, good beer, good music in a comfortable environment.
Pulled Pork Sandwich
More than a year into the pandemic, has business finally turned the corner? Absolutely! We are so blessed to have the support of the community and it seems like some of the folks that were waiting for things to become safer to return to normal are coming back to restaurants. I've heard many times over the past few weeks that "This is the first time we've eaten in a restaurant in a year." Known as a music venue, entertainment plays an important role at Creekwood Grill. The stage in our building has seen a lot of talent over the years. When we started, we just asked a few friends to come set up a guitar and a stool and sing a few songs. As word got around, we had more and more artists approach us to play. Now we have a group of probably a dozen or
Photo by Patricia Hudson
so artists that play on a rotational basis. What are the improvements/ accomplishments of which you are most proud at CG? What improvements are still in the works? We are happy with the way we've taken a location that has been a go-to for multiple generations of Cypress families and just continued to evolve it to fit what the community seems to be telling us they want right now. We want to keep moving forward, but still maintain the soul of P.O.'s and Cypress Saloon for generations to come. Many of the things you see today are ideas that came about during the pandemic, and from us trying to adapt to the ever-changing conditions over the past year. The massive outdoor dining area was developed so that folks could have a place to dine where they felt comfortable based on what the authorities were saying at the time, and as the situation evolved, we found that people still like to eat and drink in the sunshine, so it stayed. Several of our menu items were developed as family meals to do
whatever we could to keep business coming in through the shutdowns, and ended up being so popular they made the menu. So, I suppose the thing I'm most proud of is the fact that we were able to survive a global Righteous Cause performing
pandemic 18 months into opening a restaurant by constantly adapting and re-inventing ourselves. I'm also super proud to be able to continue to host Cypress Chapel every Sunday morning. Pastor Stephen DeMik has been a great partner with us from day one and the contributions the church has made to our facility and to our local neighborhood are invaluable. Our next project is getting the former P.O.'s building back into use. We've remodeled it, and we've had several ideas over time, but I believe we have finally settled on the PinPointe Magazine
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Photo by Patricia Hudson
direction we want to take it. It's still early in the process, so I don't want to give too much away, but we are excited about the direction we're headed, and that we may finally be using the entire building and property soon!
Beer Flight
What is your "Go to" meal at Creekwood Grill? My personal go-to? Either the wings with either the dry rub bbq or the Honey Garlic sauce. We smoke the wings for an hour and a half before we flash fry them and I love that subtle smokiness. I'll grab a Wheelhouse Burger if I'm super hungry. What's next for Brian Sandel? Who knows? Truth be told, I'd have never seen this coming, so as soon as God tells me what's next for me, you'll be the first to know! If you know of an exceptional Greater Fairfield, Towne Lake, Coles Crossing, Bridgeland/Blackhorse Ranch, or Cypress Creek Lakes individual or family that needs to be featured in an upcoming issue of PinPointe Magazine, please contact me: texasteacher024@outlook.com.
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Creekwood Grill 12710 Telge Rd. • Cypress, TX 77429 (281) 746-635 • www.CreekwoodGrill.com • eat@creekwoodgrill.com HOURS Monday: Closed Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 11 am to 9 pm Friday & Saturday: 11 am to 10 pm
Nothing Bundt Cakes Opens in Cypress
AROUND
Cy-Fair
By Patricia Hudson Much to the delight of Cypress residents, Nothing Bundt Cakes Cypress held its Grand Opening on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. Leslie Martone, President of the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce, welcomed guests that gathered to celebrate the day’s festivities with a Ribbon Cutting and free Confetti Bundtlets. “I’ve had my eye on Cypress for some time, and am so excited that we were able to open a new Nothing Bundt Cakes bakery in this community,” shares Bindya Patel, owner franchisee. The Grand Opening event featured a Cy-Fair Helping Hands Benefit Day, with 20% of the day’s proceeds donated to the non-profit organization.
Leslie Martone and Bindya Patel
Nothing Bundt Cakes offers Bundt Cakes in ten delicious flavors, four different sizes and a selection of handmade decorations for any occasion. Nothing Bundt Cakes 9822 Fry Rd. • Suite 170 • Cypress, TX 77433 (281) 671-0775 houston-cypress@nothingbundtcakes.com Delivery Offered HOURS OF OPERATION Mon-Sat: 9:00am - 7:00pm Sun: Closed
Metta’s Local Eats Dine Out for Charity
(left to right) Kevin Polivka, Leslie Martone, Bindya Patel, Patricia Hudson. Mitch Medigovich
By Patricia Hudson
Partners with Local Eateries to Fight Hunger and Homelessness
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n April 1, 2021, Metta ArchillaIshida, Founder and Admin. of Metta’s Local Eats, kicked off the second quarter of Metta’s Local Eats Dine Out for Charity, benefitting Cy-Fair Helping Hands. In the second quarter of the program, more than 40 food and beverage businesses are actively participating, many for the second time. “Through food and fellowship, we generated more than $27,000 for CFHH in the last quarter of 2020. We invite you to visit all of these local Cypress and surrounding restaurants, now through June 30th, and join the fight against hunger and homelessness,” encourages Metta.
Participating Restaurants and Artisans
2 Guys 1 Pit BBQ Airi Ramen - Cypress Alchemy Bake Lab Amar Indian Cuisine Ambriza Social Mexican Kitchen - Towne Lake Ambriza Social Mexican Kitchen - Vintage Andy's Kitchen – Cypress Angel’s Churros N Chocolate Backyard Grill Bao Bros Brew30 Taphouse Burger RANCH Cake Fine Pastry Captain Brad’s Coastal Kitchen Creekwood Grill Cupcake Cowgirls d’Vine Wine Bar and Bistro Flour Petal Bakery Floyd’s Cajun Seafood - Cypress Gooey’s Ice Cream Sandwiches
Hanan’s Café Hidden Cellar Wine Bar Just Love Coffee Café Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee and Bakery Little Kitchen HTX Jersey Village Mandi Cocina Mexicana Martha’s Mexican Restaurant Old 300 Ranch - Sausage Cypress Trail Hideout Home of Pappa Charlies Plum Coffee Shop Rita’s Cantina Mexican Kitchen Sizzle and Brew Sleek Creperie & Café Spice Hippies Suzybeez Bakery Tacoland Mex Mex Tacos The Shack Burger Resort The Union Kitchen - KATY The Union Kitchen - Boardwalk Towne Lake Titos Cantina Wicked Boxer Brewery Yokohamaya Japanese Restaurant PinPointe Magazine
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IGNORE THE TAGS. Do n ’ t l e t n u m b e r s r u i n yo u r h a p p i n e ss. BY ALLISON OKUNEYE
Full transparency disclaimer. I have not worked out in 2 years. In those two years, I have gained at LEAST 30 unwanted but definitely hard-earned pounds. Do I regret the Oreos for breakfast? Possibly.
Did I fall into an unhealthy “eating my feelings” routine, CLEARLY. All of that changed 2 weeks ago when I finally joined a gym and have been working out 4 days a week. All week I kept hyping myself up saying, way to go self! You are here, you showed up, you are sweating, you are finally moving towards a healthier version of you.
To say I have been in a better place mentally would be a TOTAL understatement. I feel great! I will admit I was slightly confused when I didn’t drop 10 pounds in the first week, but hey, baby steps. So fast forward to a lovely Thursday, I worked out early, took a shower, and had on a super cute outfit. I was 10 May | June 2021
really loving myself for the first time in a LONG time. I will admit that getting comfortable for shopping the sizes that fit my current body has been hard to get used to but I had made peace with it. You can imagine my surprise when I went to try on a bridesmaid dress for a wedding in August. I give the woman a size range thinking to myself, “I have been working out for 2 weeks surely I have dropped a dress size!!” Here is what I know, not only did I NOT drop a dress size, the dress that fit me was 4 sizes bigger than the size that I usually fit in.
Any ounce of feeling cute, feeling good, feeling healthy, FLEW out of that dressing room. I went from feeling confident to feeling completely deflated…well deflated emotionally but obviously INFLATED physically! Once the shock wore off, I got dressed and didn’t even bother to look in the mirror as I left.
I was driving home and I started thinking about why I was so bummed. I felt confident walking in, I loved the dress on me, but I could not get over the number that was associated with the dress. I have been styling people for long enough to know the huge discrepancy in brands and sizing, so why did I let this bother me so much? The whole way back to my house I basically had to hype myself back up because I refused to let that number on the back of a dress (that I loved and looked great on me) ruin my day.
We all have these moments of insecurity about different parts of our bodies and it is extremely hard to let these moments pass without taking some of our self-worth with it. This is my reminder to you, that you are MORE than enough. The size tag on your dress does NOT mean anything about you as a person. If your goal is to get healthier, that is great! But do not equate happiness with a number because there will always be a brand that
will burst that bubble. This has been a ROUGH year and a half, and I think we need to be a little kinder towards ourselves (and to others). Instead of being angry at your current body, try to show it some gratitude for helping us get through this dumpster fire of a year! Try to show yourself kindness and grace regardless of where you are on your health journey. Try to love yourself through the process. Stay fearless, and SCREW THE SIZE TAGS!!
Questions? Comments? Feel free to email me dkdesignheadwear@gmail.com
PinPointe Magazine
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by Liz Arrington f we can thank the internet for anything, it’s cat videos and dancing babies! Nothing captures our hearts quite like a chubby little toddler gleefully jamming to a classic song. Parents send me videos all the time of their little ones dancing to their favorite songs, share with me about how they use family dance parties to relieve stress on long, hard days, ease anxiety in little ones, to help with transitions, or to get through difficult routines like cleaning up or getting dressed. Dancing is one of our basic human instincts, we are just born to move!
I
Developmental Benefits of Dance With all that moving and shaking, it’s easy to forget that there is actually a LOT of learning taking place. In addition to helping build fine and gross motor skills, movement activities help support bilateral coordination (using both sides of the body) and spatial awareness (understanding the relationship between ourselves and objects around us). Recent advancements in brain research present some strong evidence that active music participation can help develop the areas in the brain involved with language, reading, and the processing of speech. This is especially true during early childhood, when the brain is already rapidly developing through experience.
Choosing Music to Listen to at Home The thing about music and dancing at home is, it has never been more accessible! As a child in the 80’s and 90’s I remember my dad gathering my younger brother and I around our family record player. He gingerly pulled out one shiny dark disc after another, encouraging the proper respect for classics from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. We danced with abandon, yet we still knew not to stomp or jump too hard, or we risked the dreaded record skip that happened when the needle bounced. Now, my family gathers around Alexa- shouting song requests one after another. Our favorites range from decades in the past
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to current pop hits and a very long obsession with the Blippi collection of truck songs. Providing a variety of songs, including music that your little ones love, is a great way to make family dance parties a well-rounded and collaborative experience. Sharing music that you love with your children is one of the great joys of parenting! Your kids might not always love your music as much as you do, especially as they get older and start forming their own tastes and identities. Above all- sharing a love for music enforces a lifelong disposition as a musical person. Family dance parties bring everyone together, allow your children to see a fun and relaxed side to their grownups, and eases stress and tension. There are a MILLION amazing songs to dance to with your little ones! Especially when they are very young, they will be thrilled just to be spending that time together with you. If you’re a parent who is looking for a few new songs to add to your collection, here is a list of songs that never fail to get toddlers, preschoolers, and grownups moving and laughing together. William Tell Overture (Main Theme) Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen Shout! - The Isley Brothers Jump! - Patty Shukla We are the Dinosaurs - Laurie Berkner Run Baby Run - Caspar Babypants Animal Freeze Dance - The Kiboomers Freeze Dance - The Kiboomers Twist and Shout - The Beatles Allee Galloo - Music Together Liz Arrington combines her background in working with children and families with her love of music, to provide early childhood music and movement classes to the families of Cypress. Online music classes also available. See more at www.songfulbeginnings.com.
Canine Corner
By Patricia Hudson and Sophia Hudson, the Rescue Yorkiepoo
H
appy Spring, everyone! Sophie, here! I’d like to introduce you to my newest four-footed friend, Autumn! Beautiful Autumn is ready for her forever home. She is a 2.5 yearold lab mix that is 40 lbs., fully grown. Autumn is kennel trained, potty trained, and is a very well-behaved girl, but does jump when she gets overly excited. She is great on the leash and would make an excellent walking/running partner. Autumn is good with dogs of all sizes and would love a playmate, but would be fine as an only dog, too. She isn’t overly hyper, but does require daily exercise. She’s good with kids and is in a foster home with two boys, ages 2 and 4. Autumn would do great in most environments. Did you know that Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue is a Cypress based, foster only rescue, run totally by volunteers? This rescue is dedicated to rescuing homeless and abandoned puppies and dogs from high-kill shelters and owners who can no longer care for them. Autumn is so lucky to be fostered through Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue. She is getting the best of care, and is looking for her forever home.
Autumn
Cypress Lucky Mutt Rescue www.cypressluckymuttrescue.org luckymuttrescuecypress@gmail.com
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Photo Credit: Danny Burke Photography WWW.ISSUU.COM/INTOWNMAGAZINE
By Patricia Hudson front of me numbered no more than a dozen, with personnel distributing clipboards holding a brief consent form. (Prior to the visit, basic information was submitted requiring recipients only to show proof of completion, further speeding up the process).
A
ccording to the Harris County Public Health Department, there have been 343,573 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Houston/Harris county, and 3,235 deaths, as of February 23, 2021. While the number of deaths appear to be decreasing, for those of us in the 65 and older age range, and for those with pre-existing health conditions, the reality is that we are the most susceptible to contracting the virus. As someone identified as an “Essential Worker,” and with a history of breast cancer, the decision was simple; when the opportunity presented itself, I would receive the vaccine. My appointment for the Covid-19 Vaccine Dose #1 was scheduled via email: February 10, 2021. The location, approximately a 45-minute drive from my home, was at the UT Cooley Health Center. After hearing the horror stories of people waiting 3 hours in line, I was pleasantly surprised to find ample parking in a self-pay surface lot, with directional signs clearly marking the path to the vaccine site. The line in
My appointment was for 11 a.m., but as they were ahead of schedule, my first vaccine was administered early. Truthfully, I didn’t even feel it! After a 15-minute wait to check for a possible reaction, I was on my way out the door. For the next few days, I experienced some arm and shoulder pain, but as it dissipated, no other reactions manifested. I received Vaccine Dose #2 on Sunday, March 7, 2021; what a pleasant realization it was that I didn’t have to fight the Houston traffic. Side effects of my second dosage were limited to body aches and weakness for a couple of days. This is totally an individual result, as a recipient of 24 developed a number of these symptoms, a woman in her mid-70’s reported that flulike symptoms lasted only a few days. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is reported to have a 52% efficacy after the first dose, and a 95% efficacy after the second. Covid-19 vaccines help our bodies develop immunity to the virus that causes Covid-19 without us having to get the illness. The vaccine leaves the body with a supply of “memory” T-lymphocytes, as well as B-lymphocytes that will remember how to fight the virus in the future. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC).
PinPointe Magazine
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