FREE Wine Tasting and Cooking Classes at Whole Foods and Wiliam-Sonoma

WHOLE FOODS

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Online, Free               

Springtime's biggest food holiday is coming up! Share stories and find recipes, menus and other great ideas for Easter celebrating. Follow #WFMdish to join the conversation from 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm CST.

 Twitter Chat: Wines From Italy Part II

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Thursday, April 10th

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Online, Free

Deliciously diverse, the wines of Italy are perfect for every occasion. Pick up one of the four bottles we'll be tasting and tweeting about tonight (Find the wines here: http://wholefoodsmarket.com/wine) and contribute to the fun! Follow #WFMwine to join in on the conversation from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm CST.

William-Sonoma always has FREE cooking/technique classes! Please call in advance to reserve your spot! 4060 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77027
(713) 212-0346

      

From classic coconut cake to a citrus tart – when serving either Easter brunch or dinner – don’t forget your Easter sweets. Join us and learn how to make a flaky tart crust as well as other classic baking techniques.

Want to take this year’s Easter brunch to a new level? Join us and learn how to create classic standards plus some new recipes to add flair to your brunch table.

Spring into action with your Vitamix. Learn how to make delicious dips, nut butters and milks – all with your Vitamix. This blender is the chef’s choice and will be yours too when you can see all it can do!

       

FREE THINGS TO DO IN HOUSTON (CHANNEL 13)

Houston for Free

It's easy to enjoy budget-friendly sights that make cents.

Spend your day exploring Houston’s hotspots, while saving big with a well-edited list of the city’s most-loved free things to do. Fortunately, for locals and visitors alike, several of Houston’s most memorable attractions won’t break the bank, in fact they won’t even cost a dime. In Houston, it’s easy to enjoy budget-friendly sights that make cents.
 

Miller Outdoor Theatre

Miller Outdoor Theatre might be one of the best reasons to visit (and live in!) Houston.  Open from March through November, the venue hosts a range of performances including classical music, ballet, dance, film, Shakespeare and more.  The theater, set inside Hermann Park, also allows patrons to BYOB (no glass containers, please!), so pack a picnic and settle in for the show.

Downtown's new 12-acre Discovery Green park has something going on all the time.  In the spring and fall, spend happy hour listening to local musicians perform in the amphitheater, pick up fresh produce at the Green Market on Sundays and, in the winter, enjoy ice skating on Kinder Lake (for a small fee).

The Menil Collection - a local treasure, global destination and one of the top free attractions in Houston - opened to the public in June 1987 to house the art collection of philanthropists John and Dominique de Menil.  Widely considered one of the greatest of the twentieth century, the collection consists of more than 16,000 works dating from the Paleolithic era to the present day. Although historically vast, it uniquely resists the conventional museum model of the encyclopedia. Instead, within the four areas that largely define the collection - Antiquity, Byzantine and Medieval, Tribal, and Twentieth-Century Art (with a concentration in Surrealism) - one finds a selective - and even wonderfully eccentric - approach to collecting and displaying art.

The Art Car Museum

Dubbed the Garage Mahal, the Art Car Museum is unlike anything you've ever imagined.  It's the only place you'll find the antennae and wing-cloaked Roachster or the Honda motorcycle that has been transformed into a shiny red rolling stiletto art car.

The Lee and Joe Jamail Skatepark is the creme de la creme of the grinding and boarding world.  The $2.2 million, state-of-the-art facility - thought to contain the largest cradle in the world - is located close to downtown, near Eleanor Tinsley Park.

Tucked on the west side of Memorial park is the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, a 155-acre nature sanctuary that educates visitors on how to protect native plants and animals in the city.  Walk the center's five miles of trails and visit the sanctuary's interactive exhibits free of charge. Dogs on leashes are welcome.

Designed by architect Philip Johnson more than 20 years ago, the Galleria-area Water Wall offers a refreshing respite for visitors seeking a mid-afternoon break.  The 64-foot-tall fountain - built to look like a "horseshoe of running water" - sits among 1,118 oak trees at the base of the 64-story Williams Tower.

Set sail on a free, 90-minute boat tour of the Port of Houston.  While on board the 90-passenger boat, you'll learn about the history of the seaport and be able to watch ocean freighters and barges navigate the 50-mile channel.  The tour is free, but reservations are required.

Houston's Contemporary Arts Museum focuses on showing new work from national and international artists.  In addition to hosting exhibits, the CAMH also offers lectures, special programs and a stellar shop chock-full of unique books and gifts.

See the work of local and national artists who focus on using materials like fiber, metal, glass, clay and wood at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft.  Located next door to Lawndale Art Center, the HCCC has innovative exhibits and unique gifts in the Asher Gallery.  Admission is always free.

Located in the Museum District, the Lawndale Art Center is a staple of Houston's art scene.  Four galleries are contained in the art deco structure, which serves as a backdrop for annually changing exhibits and events like Dia de los Muertos and The Big Show.

Situated inside downtown's Sam Houston Park, the Heritage Society Museum is the city's only interactive, outdoor museum. The site features structures dating back to the 1820s, including a 4th-ward cottage and a Greek revival house build for Rice University founder William Marsh Rice.  The museum itself is free, but guided tours are $10.

Set in Houston's Third Ward, Project Row Houses is a nonprofit art initiative aimed at creating a positive place for local artists to work.  Some of the shotgun-style houses are dedicated to art and photography, while others are devoted to the literary and performing arts.

The Galleria-area Water Wall

Rothko Chapel is a serene place to meditate in the middle of Houston's Museum District.  Founded by John and Dominque de Menil (of Menil Collection fame), Rothko is a non-denominational chapel and exhibit space for modern art that draws thousands of visitors each year.


Tour the city with the help of a personal Houston Greeter.  The program, made up of local volunteers, provides two-to-four hour hosts that are able to show newcomers or visitors local attractions that might be of interest to them. The service is free, and METRORail provides free passes for visitors and greeters. www.houstongreeters.org

Museum/Attraction Free Days

• Buffalo Soldiers National Museum: Free Thursday 1 - 5 pm

• Children's Museum of Houston: Free Thursday 5  -  8 pm

• The Health Museum: Free Thursday 2  -  5 pm

• The John C. Freeman Weather Museum: Free Thursday 12  -  4 pm

SAVING MONEY WHILE SHOPPING AT GOODWILL!

My Love  For Goodwill!

                                                   

                     

          “I would never buy someone else’s things. Doesn’t it smell bad in Goodwill?”

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard these statements! I remember when my mother wouldn’t dare step foot in Goodwill! Now she goes every week! And the things she finds are amazing! Name brand items that are new or very close to it.

          There are quite a few resale shops in the surrounding Houston area that I frequent, but I have to say that Goodwill is my ‘go-to’ resale store. Why? Mainly because the store is extremely organized and easy to shop! Some charity shops are not very "shopper friendly." They keep clothes in large oversized boxes that you have to dig through! Not a fun experience! They may also have housewares in random places. Sometime prices aren’t clearly listed on items. And not to mention, the customer service can be pretty grim! At Goodwill I rarely experience any of the things I just mentioned. The customer service is always on point and workers are always polite and helpful.

          I do find a lot of great clothing items at Goodwill! To many to mention! But there is definitely so much more to see! I always find amazing deals on books that are normally priced at $1! Yesterday I found a new office chair for $20! Very good find! This particular office chair was worth at least $80! I have found tons of name brand shoes over the years that were new for a fraction of what they were worth! And if you’re an album collector, Goodwill is your place! They have TONS of used albums in great condition that you can add to your album collection. One of my favorite things that I have bought from Goodwill is my espresso maker! It was new and I snagged it for $4! It’s an old school small espresso machine that's worth $40! I’ve also gotten a real Louis Vuitton purse for $20 along with other expensive handbags!

          Let’s talk about how things are priced at Goodwill.  Clothing prices range from $2-$10! Other items are priced according to the condition of the item.  Friends have told me that Goodwill is expensive considering it's all donated used items.  But one of things you have to take into consideration is that Goodwill tries to employ individuals with special needs. They also offer job services and training. No to mention, they have great named brand items that you won’t find in a lot of other charity shops. Melinda P says, “I enjoy the big selections that they offer at Goodwill. Certain thing can be overpriced, but I do find a lot name brand quality clothes for a fraction of what they’re worth!”

          When you're shopping at Goodwill or any other resale shop, you have to be very patient! Things aren’t going to pop out at you the same way it would at a shopping mall! You have to look through clothing carefully to see what grabs your attention. When I first begin my resale adventure, I would go into a store and leave out very disappointed! I then went with a friend who showed me how to go through things carefully. I left with a ton of clothes and a great deal! There is an art to resale shopping. But once you get it! You’ll love it! I also want to add that I am in no way affiliated with Goodwill! I’m just a lover of all things resale! Give Goodwill a good go and tell me what you think! I welcome all comments and feedback!

         

           

         

 

 

               

DUMPSTER DIVING! PROTESTING AND EATING FROM A DUMPTER!

“DUMPSTER LANE”

                                    Would you Dumpster Dive for your meal?

 

            Does the word “Freegans” sound familiar? What about “Freeganisim?” No? Let’s move to “Dumpster Diver!” If you haven’t heard any of these terms before, I want you to walk with me down a road I like to call “Dumpster Lane!” Not as romantic as it sounds! What you thought you knew about eating from a trash dumpster will blow your mind and make you think twice about food!

Let’s talk about a Freegan! Some may call them “Hippies” or “New Agers!”  Dare I say extremist or fanatics?” Fregans are defiantly accustomed to terms like these! So what is a Freegan? In a nutshell, a Freegan is a person who reclaims food that has been dumped by a store or restaurant by retrieving that food from a store’s dumpster bens. Yes! You read right! Freegans believe that way too much food is wasted in America. They want to do their part by NOT buying from restaurants and grocery stores! Instead, they DUMPSTER DIVE! Now we get to the fun part! How it all works is that a groups of Freegans usually wait until a particular grocery store or restaurant is about to close and then march badly to the store’s dumpster that’s usually located outside in a dark alley or the in the back. They then dive in and begin their man hunt for food. What kind of food? Mostly fruits, vegetables and breads! Some Freegan can find anything from unopened organic juices to a cartoon of eggs. Fruits and vegetables as well. (And by the way, Freegans are vegans or vegetarians).                                                                                                                                    The number one rule of a Freegan Dumpster Diver is not to take more than you need. And they are very neat in their food diving practice. They make sure to clean up after dive. “Leave it cleaner than you found it!” Another Freegan rule! If you think all of this sound simple enough, then you’ve delved a little into the dumpster diving world yourself or you’ve never been near a dumpster! The smell alone can send you back a few feet! I personally don’t even like to touch my garbage can! Even less, a huge dumpster! But Feegans consider what they do a personal protest against the laws that have been established. A duty of sorts to show American politicians those enormous amounts of perfectly good produce is thrown out on a daily basis!

     The dumpster diving process sounds very simplistic in its own way. You meet up with your fellow Freegans at let’s say, “Trader Joe’s” (one of the most wasteful grocers according to some Freegans). You break out the flashlights and sticks or whatever you’ve decided to bring with you and you dive in or poke around the dumpster. You take what you think is worthy and move on to the next dumpster. Sounds like a plan! But we can’t forget the laws! Oh! You didn’t know about those? In some states if the dumpsters are on store property, then you are NOT allowed to take anything from it. It’s considered stealing! Yes! Taking food that’s going to a waste field of garbage is illegal! Why? If you become ill from that tomato you took from Trader Joes’ dumpster, you may decide to sue Mr. Joe. Or if you die, from that infested tomato, your loved ones may try to sue. It’s all so…American! But this does not stop a Freegan from dumpster diving! No Sir! Some dive daily or weekly without getting arrested or fined. Some establishments frown on these protestors, while others allow them to dive. Here in my hometown of Houston, a law has been established to protect dumpster divers. They are legally allowed to dive in dumpsters without penalty. Of course there is that private property thing. But as I said, most places will turn a blind eye to these Freegan citizens. Mostly because they are peaceful and neat. Who really wants to be the guy to arrest a person that cleans up a dumpster when they’re finished?

            I wanted you to also keep in mind that Freegans aren’t the only ones who Dumpster Dives. So who else digs around in dumpsters that don't necessarily have to? Well established professionals who make more than enough money to buy groceries. Some are just people who want to save money on food! They put on their hard hats with that little light on it, lace up those work boots, put on those gloves and dive in for dinner! They may find foods like steak or ground beef. Maybe bread that’s about to expire or has expired. According to Dumpster Divers there are buried treasures to be found under all that garbage. Yes! That engineer that works with you may get his dinner from a dumpster. It’s becoming so common in America that establishments have gotten quite use to seeing all kinds of people roaming around in their dumpsters at night!

            Anyone who knows me knows I’m about saving money! But getting food from a dumpster? Not for me! I get that Americans are EXTREMLY wasteful! Beyond wasteful! But I just don’t have the skin to go into dirty dumpsters where rats and roaches have been crawling around! And I’m pretty sure they’ve been crawling on the same food that Dumpster Divers are packing away in there sacks. One has to also keep in mind that restaurant and grocery stores are heavily penalized and can even get shut down if they don’t throw away certain foods. All it takes is one person to become ill and in no time at all, that restaurant or grocery store will be out of business!"

So if you’re looking for a way to save money on food, you could go down “Dumpster Lane!” It’s certainly not for the weak! And I truly commend those who fight the good fight! But the question is, would you Dumpster Dive to save money?