DECEMBER/JANUARY 2020-2021
Dining & Entertainment Issue
Organization YOUR WORK-FROM-HOME
SPECIALIST
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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID LEWISVILLE, TX PERMIT NO. 977
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TABLE OF
Contents ASK THE EXPERT 19 Health Advice with Caring For Women BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTS 23 The Colony Wine Bar: A Matter Of Taste ARTICLES 08 12 Tips For Hosting Holiday Guests Like A Pro 12 Foodie Friday DFW: Motor City Pizza 14 Inside Community & Education 16 Your Work From Home Organization Specialists 20 A Covid-19 Safe Holiday In Little Elm 24 Great Taste In Every Bite 26 Proud To Be In Denton County
PAGE
16
YOUR WORK-FROM-HOME
Organization SPECIALIST
Cover Image Jay and Lisa Hemby with Closets by Design
28 The Sneakover Movie
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DECEMBER 2020 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILL | 5
Publisher of Murray Media Group, kelly@murray-media.com
Publisher & Editor Scott & Kelly Murray
Administration
Managing Editor Jana Melton Sub-Editors
Happy
Holidays & CHEERS TO 2021!
W
hat a unique year it has been, to say the least! From shutdowns to quarantine and eLearning, the year 2020 is one most of us are excited to leave behind. December has always been a month of reflection. A time to look back on the highs and lows of the last 12 months. To say there were challenges would be an understatement for most of us. Yet, through it all, I believe our community grew stronger and our families closer. For some, the shutdown brought a chance for them to focus on what’s most important and gave them more time to spend with their family. For many local business owners, it meant shifting gears and traveling a very scary path of the unknown. As we start to ponder our New Year’s resolutions and how we’re going to make 2021 better than this year, I urge you all to reflect on 2020 – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Regardless of whether or not you nailed all of your 2020 resolutions, I’d be willing to bet that you still learned and grew in ways that you never expected this year. I know I did. That’s what I love about life – you never know what the next day (or in this case, the next year) is going to bring. It’s the unexpected challenges that help us grow the most. One of my favorite sayings is “Progress always involves risk. You can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.” – Frederick B. Wilcox Enjoy your family, cherish your friends, always be kind, laugh often, and make the best of the bad days - and years! Wishing you and your families the best!
Bobbi Byrne Alisha Tran
Writers & Editor
Steve Gamel, Brooke Ezzo, Diane Ciarloni, Jean Eisenmann, Jade Kensington, Caylie Howard
Advertising Inquiries
sales@murray-media.com
Production
Graphic Designers Caroline Brock
Alyson Modene
Cayla Thompson
Photography
Miranda Longoria Photography
Your Candid Memories Photography
What’s That Guy’s Name? Guy T Photography
Letters
Life in Castle Hills invites reader feedback, story suggestions and general comments. Email artwork@murray-media.com. All submissions become the sole property of Murray Media Group.
Editorial Inquiries Call 972.899.3637 or email editor@murray-media.com www.Murray-Media.com Address: 3513 Yucca Dr., Ste. 200 Flower Mound, TX 75028 Life in Castle Hills is published monthly by Murray Media
Group. Some articles and/or content may be sponsored by
advertisers. Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Life in Castle Hills is not responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Advertisers and its
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this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the permission in writing from the publisher. © 2020 Murray Media Group
Happy Holidays & Cheers to 2021!
Sincerely, Kelly Murray 6 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILLS | DECEMBER 2020
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DECEMBER 2020 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILL | 7
12 TIPS
Hosting
H O L I D AY
D
FOR
G U E S T S
L I K E
A
P R O
by Contributing Writer
on’t let the stress of hosting guests, parties, and dinner this holiday season get you down. Whether you’re playing hotel for a few guests or hosting the entire Big Day, it’s understandable to worry about all the little things that can go wrong. We’ve got 12 tips for hosting holiday guests like a pro.
8 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILLS | DECEMBER 2020
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1. Create a Timeline
the essential items for your family as well.
so that nothing jumps out at you. Your
small things like making sure all of the
5. Write A Welcome Note
a trial run of the Big Day. Make a list of
your guests feel at home with a kind little
is best to do these things.
the house. You can write down where to
2. Cook Ahead
shop. Write down your WiFi password or
A plan will help lower your stress levels timeline can include the big things like
when to pop the turkey in the oven to the Christmas lights are on. You can even do everything you need to do and what time
It’s a hassle to check the oven a million times and try to whip up some dessert
while tending to guests. You want to enjoy your time with them, so cook as much
ahead of time as possible. You can make soups that are easy to freeze, no-bake
desserts, or put together your main dish the day before Christmas.
Guests just mean there are more people with their literal hand in the cookie jar.
How sweet is a handwritten note? Make
note. You can help them with tips about find extra toiletries or the closest coffee
instructions on how to use your remote for the electronics.
6. Take A Deep Breath
Remember to breathe. You’re the host,
so people understand you’re under a lot
of stress. Take a moment to sit down and
3. Clean Out The Guest Closet
chill out. Drink a glass of wine or take a
things all over your floor. Make space
for them in a closet. Some of your guest
7. Go For The Details
random thing in your house, so it’s a great
flowers in your guests’ room. Play soft
extra room.
their bed. All of these little touches will
Your guests might not want to throw their
closets might be used to stash every
time for you to de-clutter and give guests
4. Stock Your Pantry
bath. No one is going to get mad at you
because they can’t find the toilet paper or they can’t find the milk in the morning.
Love is in the details. Put out some fresh music or put a spare phone charger by make a big impact.
pantry. Stock up on the essentials. Throw
8. Break Out The Nice Stuff
Buy some late-night snacks like crackers
big guns. This means the Christmas china
More guests means less food in your
in some cereal and frozen breakfast items. or goldfish for grab-and-go. It’s also
important to stock up on liquids like water and coffee. Remember to stock up on
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The holiday meal means bringing out the
that’s been in your family for ages, the real silverware, and those linen napkins that
you so carefully ironed once in your life.
Eat in your dining room that you only use once a year.
9. Plan Cleaning Tasks
You don’t want to be vacuuming right
when guests come to your door. Knock
out a little cleaning each day. You might dust one day, clear the clutter the next,
then change the towels the next day. You don’t need to do everything in one day.
10. Remember The Last Things
Before guests arrive, make sure to tie up
all of the loose ends. This means lighting candles throughout the home, turning
on your music, and making sure the ice
bucket is filled. You can set out beverages and put appetizers in the oven. Check the
bathroom to ensure there is enough toilet paper and hand soap.
11. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help You’re the host, but you can ask for help. Ask family members to step in to help fill the ice bucket or cut fresh flowers.
Don’t turn down a guest when they offer to bring a dessert. You don’t have to do everything on your own.
12. Have Fun
Sit back and enjoy your company. The best part of the holidays is getting
together with loved ones. Enjoy your
family and friends during this glorious
season, and celebrate yourself for hosting such a great event.
DECEMBER 2020 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILL | 9
Neighborhood
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Find Your Local Home-Based Business Here!
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DECEMBER 2020 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILL | 11
Foodie Friday DFW: Motor City Pizza
MOTOR
CITY PIZZA
by Jay Marks | photos courtesy of Foodie Friday DFW
H
ave you ever had an authentic, Detroit-style pizza before? We hadn’t until local restaurateur, Greg Tierney, cooked us up a few when we visited his new operation, Motor City Pizza, currently operating as a pop-up out of the Seven Loaves Catering kitchen off Business 121 in Lewisville. Greg is a native of the Detroit area, so this is the pizza he grew up eating with his family. And with the recent news of numerous Detroit-style pizza operations starting up in the Dallas market, Greg knew it was time to come out of retirement and introduce his version of a truly ‘Authentic’ Detroit Pizza. So, what makes a Detroit-style pizza special? Well, we learned there are a lot of different things! From the way the dough is prepared, to how it’s proofed, to how it’s
cooked in the deep-dish style pan, to all of the toppings used on top and the order in which they’re placed. Detroit-style pizza actually has sauce on the top which we really love because you get to taste how truly fresh and delicious it is. Other unique-to-Detroit pizza toppings include Brick cheese from Wisconsin and a specific type of curling, crisping pepperoni that’s used in all Detroit-style pizzas. The result is a pizza with a light and fluffy crust with crisp, buttery edges that has an incredible amount of fresh toppings, cheese, and sauce loaded on top. And Greg and his team aren’t just making this stuff up on the fly. Three years ago, before his daughter was born and his pizza dream took a backseat, he and his
GM actually flew up to Detroit to learn from World Champion pizza maker, Shawn Randazzo. In addition to their delicious pizzas, Greg is also continually introducing new salads to the menu. Some popular salads you’ll want to try include the Motown Salad and the Greektown Salad. So, what’s the best way to get your hands on some of Motor City Pizza’s food? You can order on their website or Facebook page for curbside pickup. Or you can order through UberEats for delivery. But keep in mind, since they are a pop-up, they are currently only operating on Friday and Saturday evenings. So if you want to try it, plan accordingly! What are you waiting for? Hurry and head online to order your pizza today!
972.724.2540 | JayMarksRealEstate.com jay@jaymarksrealestate.com 1013 Long Prairie Rd., Ste. 102 | Flower Mound, TX 75022 12 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILLS | DECEMBER 2020
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DECEMBER 2020 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILL | 13
INSIDE COMMUNITY
BOB’S HOUSE OF HOPE
HOWLIDAY IN THE PARK Sat., Dec. 12 | 11am-2pm | The Shacks Dining & Dog Park 5800 Windhaven Prkwy. • The Colony, TX 75056 Calling all furry friends and their humans! Come down for a professional holiday photo and check out live music by Dylan Shelley while enjoying some tasty food from one of the Shacks restaurants. With an open-air patio, overlooking a one-acre dog park, this will be an event you don’t want to miss!
INSIDE EDUCATION
Bob Williams, founder of Ranch Hands Rescue Counseling Center and Animal Sanctuary has added another piece to the recovery puzzle by opening the first long-term safe house in the country exclusively catering to male abuse victims. Bob’s House of Hope will be open in early 2021. To help, Denton County Sheriff Tracy Murphree presented the organization with a $25,000 check from his drug prevention program. To learn more about the program or to become a partner, visit www.RanchHandsRescue.com. photo courtesy of Bob Williams
STUDENT ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
FREE CURBSIDE MEALS Polser Elementary School | 1520 Polser Rd. • Carrollton, TX 75010 Don’t forget curbside meals are served every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11am- 12:30pm. Breakfast and lunch is served weekly for all LISD students, including virtual learning students. If a student is not present at the time of pickup at the curbside location, a student ID card or other qualifying forms of ID must be provided. For menus and more information, visit www.lisd.net/curbside. photo courtesy of Greg Weghorst 14 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILLS | DECEMBER 2020
If you have graduated from an LISD campus and have ever thought of staying connected, you are invited to join the official Student Alumni Association. Being a member comes with a lot of opportunities to stay involved: class reunion assistance, guest speaking, campus volunteer, student mentoring, and much more. To sign up, visit www.BestSchoolsInTexas.com/ alumni-sign-up. photo courtesy of Greg Weghorst www.CastleHillsMagazine.com
NAIL DOWN NOW
POP-UP PIZZA PLACE Fridays 4-9pm | Saturdays 4-8pm | Motor City Pizza 1305 S. State Hwy. 121 • Lewisville, TX 75057 Motor City Pizza is serving authentic Detroit Style Pizza as a pop-up in the area to learn the market and see if there is a demand. Move over circular pizza, it’s rectangles turn! Motor City is only open two nights a week, offers carry out and delivery with UberEats. Follow them on Facebook and let em’ know what you think! Visit their website, www.MotorCityPizzaTX.com.
Sat., Dec. 12 | Noon- 2pm Music City Mall Lewisville 2401 S Stemmons Fwy. Lewisville, TX 75057 Hosted by Nail Down Mobile PET-icures, Nail Down NOW is a “no appointment needed” event for your fur-babies to have their nails professionally clipped and buffed. PET-icures are $20 a pet. Nail Down offers other services as well; visit www.naildown.net for a full list.
FEED THE TEACHERS PRE-KINDERGARTEN ENROLLMENT Lewisville ISD’s pre-kindergarten program is aimed at nurturing and encouraging eager minds. Every pre-kindergarten class has a certified teacher and a trained paraprofessional working together to enrich the lives of young students. Full day and half day are available. Enrollment is open for in-person and virtual learning. To learn more, visit www.lisd.net/prek. www.CastleHillsMagazine.com
The Hebron High School PTSA is providing the school’s staff with holiday box lunches from a local restaurant through the month of December. To donate a $10 box, visit www.HebronPTSA.com. Due to COVID-19 restrictions food donations cannot be accepted. DECEMBER 2020 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILL | 15
Your Work From Home
ORGANIZATION S
P
E
C
I
A
L
I
S
T
S
by Steve Gamel | cover by Nick Allen Photography interior photo of the Hembys by Your Candid Memories ( YourCandidMemories.com) • closet and desk photos courtesy of Closets by Design
W
hen the coronavirus hit in March, and you and your family were forced to work and learn from home, you knew whatever makeshift workspace you had wasn’t going to cut it longterm. But your family made do — an office for mom and dad at the dining room table, a fold-out table in the hallway for the kids, a quiet nook area with a lamp in a walk-in closet for anyone who needed some quiet time — and said it was only temporary. Eight months later, what was supposed to be temporary now looks permanent. Clearly, something needs to change. Jay and Lisa Hemby with Closets by Design have been regarded for years as your home organization specialists. And while much of what they do still involves solutions for closets, pantries, and even garage makeovers, their design team has been asked quite a bit lately to flex their creative muscles in another space: home workstations. Rather than a makeshift setup that leaves a lot to be desired, more and more families are having closets, bonus rooms, bedrooms, and smaller
offices professionally outfitted with
permanent workstations that are designed and customized to look like they came with the house.
These are complete with
IT’S ALL ABOUT CREATIVITY RIGHT NOW
16 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILLS | DECEMBER 2020
desks, drawers, filing
systems, cabinetry, and anything else you can
think of to make work and
school life more organized, efficient, and manageable
desks’ that were maybe just a counter
and a drawer for some pencils into an
area with drawers for filing, cabinets, and even a new cut-out area for a printer.
Some homes have little nooks — we’ve put workstations in those, too. Other
homes have offices that are only set up for one person. We’ve come in and added additional workstations.”
Lisa agreed, saying the ideas brought to
life have been impressive, to say the least. “I recently saw an entertainment station/ workstation combo in one home, and it was really neat to see. It’s all about
creativity right now,” Lisa said. “And it’s a fun time for our designers because they can really think outside the box.”
for everyone in the home.
The fact that people are calling Closets by
“This is a new gear for us,
surprising. Closets By Design specializes
and boy have we been
busy,” Jay said. “We’ve done bonus rooms that were previously a free-for-all room,
and now there’s a quiet place away from the bedroom for the kids to do their
school work. We’ve converted ‘moms’
Design for these solutions and more is not in designing and remodeling attractive storage spaces for any
area of your home, including everything from that packed closet in the master bedroom to home offices, kitchen
pantries, and garages. They have over 60 www.CastleHillsMagazine.com
employees, including a full-service design team that will measure your space and offer a myriad of custom options as if their showroom was right in your home. They also have a large fleet of installation vans that allow them to service all of DFW better and faster than anyone in the industry. Their vast collection of floor-based organizing options such as shelves, drawers, cabinets, dividers, lighting, desks, custom finishings, and more look like they were an original part of your home once installed. “When we go meet with someone, they already have a need. And, obviously, closets are the lion’s share of what we do,” Jay said. “What most people have is a builder-grade closet with a single rod and a shelf above it. It’s useable, but over time, everything starts piling up because you don’t have shelves or drawers. Before you know it, your closet is a disaster. We will come in and redesign that space to optimize storage capacity and help people get organized.” Lisa says that ever since they purchased the 20-year-old company in April of 2019 from another husband-wife team, they’ve been addicted to getting their home totally organized.
972.361.0010 | www.ClosetsByDesign.com 4125 Billy Mitchell Dr., Ste. 100A • Addison, TX 75001
“You put our system in your home, and it’s amazing how much more organized it makes you,” she said. The Hembys said their business never slowed down during the pandemic and
attributed it to families who weren’t going on vacation during the summer months and were suddenly taking a harder look at updating their homes. As the school year approached, the requests for office and e-learning solutions skyrocketed. “The temporary work-from-home person has become the permanent work-fromhome person. Plenty of kids are still going to school online, and that necessitates a quieter space in the home for them,” Jay said. “We want to help those people function at a higher level.” www.CastleHillsMagazine.com
DECEMBER 2020 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILL | 17
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Holidays Health Advice: Ask The Expert
Enjoy The
WITHOUT THE STRESS
T
Music can help reduce stress, aid in digestion, lower blood pressure, and reduce anxiety.
he holidays are a fun and festive time of year, but they can also be stressful. Dealing with stress and anxiety can put a strain on your health. Be sure to put your health needs at the forefront of your mind and enjoy the merry season.
How to manage stress during the holiday Don’t let stress and anxiety ruin your holiday. Follow these simple steps to get the most out of “the most wonderful time of the year”. •
Relax: be sure to set aside time for yourself after a holiday celebration. Do whatever it is to help you relax whether it be catching up on sleep,
enjoying the outdoors with your friends and family, or watching your favorite holiday movie. •
Complete one task at a time: making a to-do list and focusing on
one task at a time can prevent you from taking on too much at once. Crossing an item off your list comes with a great feeling of satisfaction. •
Create a playlist: get into the holiday spirit by creating a playlist with all of your favorite holiday songs.
How Caring for Women can help you stay healthy during the holidays Pay attention to your healthcare needs this season. If you are feeling side effects from holiday stress or if you have delayed your healthcare needs due to the pandemic, Caring for Women can help. The team is committed to providing high quality individualized care in a caring environment for every stage of a woman’s life. Together, the staff and clinicians at Caring for Women work to build a healthier future for you.
940.591.6700 | CFWDENTON.COM | DENTON | FLOWER MOUND | FRISCO
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DECEMBER 2020 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILL | 19
COVID-19 A
S A F E
Holid y I N
L
L I T T L E
E L M
press release by Town of LIttle Elm | photos courtesy of Town of LIttle Elm
ITTLE ELM, Texas (November 12, 2020) There is no doubt COVID-19 is changing many things across Texas, and how people are celebrating the holidays is one of them. While many cities are canceling their holiday events, the Town of Little Elm added a new way for families and friends to make holiday memories this year with the Magic of Lights. The Magic of Lights at The Lakefront™ is a COVID-safe and fun drive-thru holiday lights event perfect for the whole family in Little Elm. The 1 1/4 mile experience will be held at Little Elm Park, features more than a million LED lights, and runs from Nov. 20, 2020, until Jan. 2, 2021. The Magic of Lights is an international show, appearing in seven cities across the United States and Canada. The Magic of Lights in The Lakefront™ is the first time
Magic of Lights appears in Texas. The show features two Enchanted Tunnels of light, each over 100 feet long, along with a 200-foot long Blizzard Light Tunnel, a Snowflake Forest, and more.
the Twelve Days of Christmas story, among other scenes, and is expected to draw visitors from across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and the state. Tickets can be purchased at www. magicoflights.com/events/littleelm or the gate. Several theme nights feature discounts for first responders, military, teachers, and healthcare workers. These discounts can only be applied to tickets purchased at the gate.
“Our goal for Magic of Lights at The Lakefront™, as with all of our special events, is to give visitors an outstanding, one-of-a-kind experience, and completely COVID-safe event,” said Little Elm Director of Community Services Chad Hyde.
The Magic of Lights at The Lakefront™ will
Attendees must remain in their cars for the entire drive-thru, but on Saturday, Dec. 5, the Magic of Lights at The Lakefront™ will be a walk-thru event as the Town hosts its annual tree lighting and Christmas Parade—complete with fireworks.
THE LAKEFRONT™,
Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be making an appearance throughout the six-week event, waving at eventgoers as they pass by. This year’s event will also feature a Christmas Around the World display and
be closed on Dec. 31.
“OUR GOAL FOR M A G I C O F L I G H T S AT
AS WITH ALL OF OUR SPECIAL EVENTS, IS TO GIVE VISITORS AN O U T S TA N D I N G , O N E - O F A-KIND EXPERIENCE, AND C O M P L E T E LY C O V I D S A F E E V E N T,”
Town of Little Elm • Erin Mudie • 469.525.0863 • emudie@littleelm.org 20 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILLS | DECEMBER 2020
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T H E S H O W F E AT U R E S TWO ENCHANTED T U N N E L S O F L I G H T, E A C H OVER 100 FEET LONG, ALONG WITH A 200-FOOT LONG BLIZZARD LIGHT TUNNEL, A SNOWFLAKE F O R E S T, A N D M O R E .
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DECEMBER 2020 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILL | 21
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a Matter
Business Spotlight
Of
Taste by Diane Ciarloni | photo courtesy of The Colony Wine Bar
I
t really doesn’t matter how you prefer to enjoy your wine at Amy Hamage’s Colony Wine Bar, since it has practically everything going for it.
experience...I cannot say enough great
First is the location in the new, ultra-withit Grandscape real estate development. The unique 400-acre, mixed-use project ultimately will offer 3.9 million square feet of retail, entertainment, residential, dining and a 5,000-person capacity concert center.
are the classics, the old standbys, and
Second, The Colony Wine Bar is already one of the early favorites. It provides premium counter service where you can sip wine from a glass, buy it by the bottle, or take some of the house favorites from a can – with a straw if you prefer. One fivestar reviewer wrote: “I never would have imagined wine could taste so good out of a can.” Another wrote: “Such an amazing www.CastleHillsMagazine.com
things about this place!”
Shelves are stocked with a wide variety of wines from around the world. There
the new discoveries. If you like, there is
also a knowledgeable team who is more than happy to guide you through some of the more in-depth complexities of
wine. Or, if you want, just sit and sip and have fun with the other patrons.
The Colony Wine Bar’s selection also includes beer and non-alcoholic
beverages. Finally, they frequently
showcase special events such as wine
It provides premium counter service where you can sip wine from a glass, buy it by the bottle, or take some of the house favorites from a can – with a straw if you prefer.
tasting, wine education, and music.
There are even more event perks and special club-only gatherings for Loyalty Club Members.
www.TheColonyWineBar.com 5768 Grandscape Blvd., Ste. 145 The Colony, TX 75056 DECEMBER 2020 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILL | 23
Every G R E A T
IN
T A S T E
Bite
W
ho doesn’t love a good baked good during the holiday season? After all, isn’t it true that calories don’t count during the holidays? To help out with your baked goods browsing, we’ve composed a list of our top ten bakeries in Denton County.
THE FLOUR SHOP BAKERY
This cozy local bakery, located at 6100 Long Prairie Road in Flower Mound,
offers a variety of cupcakes, cakes, pies, brownies, cookies, and more. They also have several gluten-free options! Their
quick breads and cookie bars are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
CANDY HAVEN & CAKES This family owned bakery has been in business for over 34 years. They are
known for their fresh, never frozen, custom
24 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILLS | DECEMBER 2020
cakes that they make for any occasion.
They are located at 301 N. Interstate 35 E.
by Caylie Howard
scratch, custom cakes and desserts for
all occasions. They offer everything from breads, cupcakes, brownies, cookies,
custom cakes, and more! They also offer
gluten-free and vegan options! They are located at 360 Parker Square Road.
in Denton.
THE COOKIE CRAVE
RAVELIN BAKERY
The Cookie Crave is a Denton local
Ravelin Bakery is a neighborhood
bakeshop located in Denton at 416 S Elm
bakeshop located at 519 Locust Street. This family-oriented bakery is famous
Street. They are known for their European-
for their gluten, dairy, soy and nut free
desserts. If you are wanting an out of
where you can try out multiple flavors.
style breads, pastries, and specialty
country experience, this is the perfect place for you!
HIVE BAKERY Hive Bakery is a local Flower Mound
bakery that specializes in their made from
cookies. They also offer bundle packs,
IRENE’S BAKERY Irene’s Bakery is famous for their amazing and creative wedding and special
occasion cakes. They also offer spectacular cupcakes in a wide variety of flavors such
www.CastleHillsMagazine.com
velvet, white chocolate and more! Irene’s
H E AV E N LY TAY LO R E D SW E E TS
is known for it’s stunning customizable
Town Lewisville.
Heavenly Taylored Sweets offers a
sure to impress.
MIKE’S BAKERY
chocolates, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, pies,
as Italian crème, key lime, carrot cake, red is located at 116 W Main Street in Old
Mike’s is a bakery located in Corinth at
4251 FM 2181, Ste. 216. Mike’s Bakery is
famous for providing top of the line, New-
York style baked goods and desserts. Their
wide range of custom cakes, cookies,
cake pops, and more. They even offer a variety of gluten free options! They are
located at 260 S Interstate 35 E in Denton.
specialties include danishes, cheesecakes,
THIRSTY CUPCAKE CUSTOM CAKES
out of the Big Apple, Mike’s Bakery is the
This Custom Cake shop located at 502 S
and cakes. If you’re wanting to take a bite place for you!
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Old Orchard Lane, Ste. 134 in Lewisville
cakes. From weddings to birthdays and
everywhere in between, these cakes are
LINNYBIRD BAKESHOP Linnybird Bakeshop is located in Lake
Dallas at 204 W Hundley Drive. They offer unique flavors and use all high quality
ingredients. Their baked goods range
from cakes to pies and even more. But the
thing that they are most famous for is their out of this world cupcakes!
DECEMBER 2020 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILL | 25
PROUD TO B E I N
Denton County by Denton County Judge Andy Eads photo courtesy of Judge Andy Eads
A
accounts of how the 1918 influenza
impacted the county. I was amazed at how we responded to that pandemic as well. From the beginning of the
pandemic, I realized how important it would be to save all of the
information related to the pandemic for future historical purposes. If you have items to share with us such as oral histories, documents or
photographs, please let us know. LOOKING AHEAD: 2021 1. Collaboration is key. We created
connections among many parts of
s the number of COVID-19 positive cases continue to rise, not only across the state and across the U.S., it can sometimes seem as if the information is overwhelming in terms of how this pandemic has and will affect each of us.
our county – from municipal and
state officials to hospital CEOs. We
also worked closely with non-profit
partners, developing new systems to
It is true that we are seeing community
Commissioners Court awarded over $35
assist our residents where and when
in comparison with other areas, Denton
grants to our local businesses that were
us well in the years ahead.
spread and that it is increasing. However, County has seen fewer cases and fatalities. I am proud of our Denton County
residents who have taken personal
responsibility and also been considerate of others throughout this year. Their
actions and precautions have helped
keep our cases lower than some other comparable counties. Let me be clear,
one fatality is too many. But when we look at the overall numbers, Denton County
has fared much better than in some areas across our state and the U.S.
As part of a vibrant area of growth, we
have also seen a lower overall economic
impact as well as a lower unemployment rate. Denton County continues to see
ongoing economic development. Drive
along any of our major thoroughfares, and you will see what I mean: construction of restaurants, retail shopping centers, and new housing of all types are ongoing. Even our Economic Development
Department is seeing more activity than ever before with queries and
calls. I am pleased the Denton County
million of our federal funds for business closed, partially closed, or who had
financial losses. This has helped stabilize our local economy.
I compiled a starter list, and I welcome your feedback on some additions. LESSONS LEARNED: 2020 1. Plan for anything; it can happen.
help was needed. All of this will serve 2. Technology is the wave of now.
We all quickly learned how to use
Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other
software that will be part of our lives from now on.
3. Denton County IS the best place to
be. This past year has taught us that
In mid-March, before anyone
we are all fortunate to be part of a
pandemic, I remember one late
feel amid significant growth as we
emergency command center
box to find solutions. As we forge
understood the scope of the
county that has kept its hometown
night in particular at the county
collectively thought outside the
when we were working on county
ahead, we all should strive to keep
pandemic plans at the same
time our county was under a tornado warning.
2. Communicate, communicate and
then, communicate again. We have done a lot of communicating on
many platforms, but we can always do better.
3. Preserve for future reflection. Early on, I had our county historians compile
this generosity of spirit and sense of
community at the center of our efforts. It has, and will continue to, serve us well.
In our time of reflection during this
holiday season, particularly after one of
the toughest years in all of our lifetimes, we find both hard truths and hope. It’s my sincerest wish that we let hope be
foremost in our minds as we go into 2021.
CONNECT WITH US: andy.eads@dentoncounty.com | 940.349-2820 | www.dentoncounty.gov/countyjudgenewslettersignup 26 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILLS | DECEMBER 2020
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Sneakover THE
M O V I E by Caylie Howard | photos courtesy of IMDB
R
eed Taylor is taking the acting world by storm with his new movie, The Sneakover. Taylor, 13 and a Castle Hills resident, plays the lead role of Henry Hudson. His character has just moved into the area, and his father is a film collector of rare movies. “I love rare movies, too.” Taylor informed us.
In the movie, a group of local kids invite Reed’s character to a movie club. They ask him to bring an extremely rare movie with him, but he accidentally forgets the movie at his home. So late at night, Henry and the group sneak out of the house and travel across the entire neighborhood to sneak into Henry’s house to retrieve the movie. Once the movie is retrieved, they must find their way back to the home of
the movie club, all without crossing paths with the unfortunate McGuffin brothers – the bullies of the neighborhood. “It ends up being kind of like The Sandlot or The Goonies – one of the kinds of movies with a bunch of kid hi-jinks.” Taylor’s father said. Taylor said his role as Henry Hudson was a lot about making new friends, meeting new people, and interacting with others in the film club.
When asked if filming took place during the school year or during the summer, Taylor jokingly said, “It took place in the summer, sadly.”
“The directors and crew were super nice. I loved working with them. They really helped.”
Reed says that his favorite part of filming was a scene where he was talking to five different people in a large group and got to give a motivational speech. While the movie doesn’t have an official release date, the premiere will be December 30th in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which is where the filming of the movie took place. 28 | LIFE IN CASTLE HILLS | DECEMBER 2020
“The audition process was very nice. My grandma actually volunteered to take me all the way to Tulsa, Oklahoma for this one audition, which I thought was really nice.” Taylor said. “I think it went great.” He added.
During filming, Taylor stayed in a hotel for three weeks. Taylor’s mom, dad, and grandma alternated on staying with him since Taylor’s mom and dad both work.
Taylor started his acting career at a very young age. In first grade, he signed up for a school play at his elementary school and fell in love with it. From then on, he continued to sign up for the school plays and did at least one play each year while he was in elementary school. While in elementary school, he attended acting classes at Encore Kids. But after his fall play in the 5th grade, he started attending Studio 7 Acting School. One
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day, after an acting class, the coach of the acting class said, “We need to get this kid an agent.” “And then it all took off from there.” Taylor said. He then proceeded to audition for the Campbell Agency. He got that and then started getting auditions. “It was really great.” He said. Taylor said that a very challenging part of portraying his role as Henry was having to cry during a scene, which was something that he had never had to do before. He said that his older co-star in the movie really helped him. Taylor said that he had to really go back to a dark time in his life. For him, it was thinking about the death of his dog, Red. Taylor said that it took him 10 minutes to get into “the zone.” Taylor is a lover of all animals but has a soft spot for dogs. His family has four dogs in their household. His dad said that anytime they visit a shelter, they always come home with a new dog. Taylor has been a resident of Castle Hills his entire life. His dad, Robert, and mom, Tica, built their house in 2004 and moved from Plano in 2005. Taylor has an older brother, Luke, who is 17. Reed says that his brother is very supportive of his acting career. He says that his brother even enjoys running lines with him. “He is very nice.” Taylor said of his brother.
The humor in the movie is what Reed said he is most excited for people to see in The Sneakover.
Reed said that he really enjoyed his time on set. “The directors and crew were super nice. I loved working with them. They really helped.” Taylor said that we can expect a lot of jokes and puns in the movie. Taylor’s dad said that Reed is really good at playing humorous roles. The humor in the movie is what Reed said he is most excited for people to see in The Sneakover.
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