A Tribute to Family

Ever had a really long day and when you come home, you can finally take a sigh of relief that you made it to what really matters to you? I will tell you that's how I feel whenever I come home to my family after a long day doing my duties.  To some, the primary inspiration is their son or daughter, and to others, a fiance or set of grandparents.  Whoever it is, they have an impact on what you do throughout your day.  Family, the one thing that will prevail through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, through poverty and wealth, etc.  You may have your quarrels, your disagreements, your grudges, but you must admit that your family, both immediate and extended, is your refuge; your stronghold that has always been there throughout your whole life, brother or sister, niece or nephew, mother or father, aunt or uncle, grandmother or grandfather, or even mother-in-law or father-in-law.  A simple, "I love you!," can make your whole day brighter or give you an inspiration to make it through tough times, a hug or kiss can give your son, daughter, spouse, parents, etc. a better day and lift their spirits.  No matter what life can give you, success, failure, happiness, heart-breaking sadness, a family is what will always make it through, even if there are nuclear-seeming disagreements.  I can tell you this, throughout my whole life, I have had fads come and go, I have had friends who can appear and disappear in my perspective, but no matter what, my family has been a place of refuge and love that I can always depend on.  I have also learned that a family is not, "Every man for himself," but rather a cause for teamwork and team effort.  No matter what beliefs a family has, a family exists when people confide in each other as a place of refuge and support each other and love each other.  A family does not have to exist just because you are related to one another or through marital relationships. No! A family only exists with an exchange of love, true love between one another.  A family can exist between people who are not related to each other as well, but trust each other, support each other, but most importantly love each other. 

The Sweet Boutique

Have you ever wanted a french macaroon, yet could never find a place nearby serving one?  How about a gourmet cake pop, created with the best craftsmanship that only a master baker could duplicate?  Well look no further.  The Sweet Boutique is here ready to serve your craving of gourmet pastries!  Located in Sugar Land's very own Town Center, the Sweet Boutique is a nice little shop that can satisfy a person with an expensive taste of maybe french macaroons, cake pops, snicker doodles, cupcakes, and even custom cakes, at special request!  The French Macaroons are true, exquisite little pastries capturing, "heaven," in a bite, melting as soon as you start to bite in.  It makes you forget all your troubles.  The Cake Pops will satisfy your toddler's craving for a lollipop, and yet have that little firework display in your mouth.  The Cupcakes are the fun-fetti bomb, decorated with the rich and decadent sugar icing on top with edible sprinkles and your choice of red velvet, strawberry, chocolate, cookies & cream, etc.  The choices are endless and offer a satisfaction to any sweet craving of pastries of all kinds!

 
 

Dancing Through Space & Time

Have you gone to a reception or a dance club where it is supposed to be an event for dancing and everyone there does not dance at all? The truth is, studies show that this is because not as many people today know how to dance to the music of today.  The United States of America is a nation made and literally held up by the melting pot of cultures that reside here and migrated here for a variety of reasons.  Not surprisingly, all of these cultures have their very own dances.  Many people who have their roots from other countries are taught these cultural dances as children.  The dilemma is that they do not know how to incorporate them in today's, "modern," music while paralyzed in performing them well to traditional music that they were accustomed to.  What we have to come to realize is that if we allow ourselves to do that, the culture itself will die gradually because of living in the past.

  An alternative to dancing to the cultural music is doing the dances to music of today that have the same beat or tempo as the music we were taught to dance to.  One example of this is the, "Salsa," from the Latin American cultures or Spanish cultures in Western Europe.  We can put this to many different kinds of beats in the so-called, "mainstream," music of today.  How about dances from India & Bollywood? Those are also very energetic dances that be applied to the music of today and the really fast-paced choreography taught to those who have the native blood in them.  What about America's very own Hip-Hop and Break-Dancing? To those who have learned it, you can use it anywhere in America if the music has the right tempo, using dances from today, all the way back to 1980's! There are so many possibilities, that it is not impossible for people not to know how to dance.  Hopping up and down, leg in leg out, that's a dance right there.  Although some people refrain from dancing because they feel they lack the skill or rhythm to do so, I would encourage everyone to try! They might even discover their own hidden passion for dance.  A few years ago, I never thought I would enjoy dancing, but after quite a few Zumba sessions, I was hooked!

Etiquette: Where is it in our world today?

When was the last time you saw a person open the door for someone and letting them go first? How about seeing someone spread a napkin over themselves before a meal? Not too often now that you think about it right? In today's society, some people consider it, "Old-Fashioned," to do the polite things in life, or as it is more well-known, etiquette and manners.  Just following the simple rules of life is simply not enough! Today, you scarcely see anyone smile at strangers in public or greet each other, "Good Morning!" Aren't these small acts of kindness what makes a good opening to your day? There are so many types of manners, such as table manners, traveling manners, restaurant manners, business manners, even manners at the home, that some of these have been forgotten! Have you heard that you are supposed to spoon your soup going outwards when ladling it from your bowl into your mouth? What about that your supposed to sit the elderly at the front and not at the back when traveling in a car? There are some really old ones, like when a lady at the table asks to excuse herself, the men at the table are supposed to partially stand and acknowledge the lady excusing herself from the table.  Even though you may earn some odd looks from witnesses, if you know what to do, then do it! It will earn you respect and if they do not show it, they really just respect and admire you on the inside.  Every little thing counts a lot if every person did their part.

A Hidden Paradise: The Gaylord Hotel & Convention Center

A hidden gem of paradise located in a suburb of Dallas, Texas called Grapevine, The Gaylord Texan Hotel & Convention Center is a true representation of what Texas is all about in luxury and, "Southern Hospitality."  Very homey and comfortable, but boasting of extravagance and the wealth of the South, the Gaylord Texan is the Official Hotel of the Dallas Cowboys, and is the perfect substitute for a water park during the summer months of intense Texan heat. During the winter, they have a, "Winter Wonderland," that caters to a child-friendly audience.  There is a mini city within the hotel with a water park, two swimming pools, shops, restaurants, an Old Spanish Mission, a replica river walk, and a spectacular Texas star beaming down on it all.

Part of what lured us here was the fact that Manny Pacquiao stays here when he fights at The Cowboy Stadium.  (The Pacman is said to rent out a whole section of the the Gaylord Texan for his entourage when he stays there.) Surprisingly, despite its extravagance, it is affordable for most people to stay there.  The accommodations are not so shabby either.  I slept like a baby and felt at home.
Not to mention, it is also conveniently located near The Grapevine Mills Outlet Mall.