The work of skilled crafters blurs the line between art and craft. That pleasing merger of art and craft depends on the skills of the crafter/artist, the medium and the eye of the beholder. Local experts in mediums as varied as stone and silver, fiber and wood, antler and beads, are creating one-of-a-kind pieces. Across the Valley, you will find craft studios and boutiques specializing in handmade items ranging from…
Once fall arrives, Valley garden centers and nurseries give a collective sigh of relief. Cooler weather allows people to emerge from their homes, eager to work in their gardens and revive their landscapes. Newcomers have absorbed the lesson that summer is not the time to start a garden. For southernmost Texas, which is subtropical planting Zone 10, fall is the best time of year to plant trees, vegetables and flowering…
Our cars, trucks and SUVs represent major investments and lifestyle choices. Investing money in keeping them running well and looking great is a wise decision. We take pride in our vehicles and baby them to keep them in optimal condition: washed, waxed, oiled and aligned, accessorized with custom sound and alarm systems, new tires and window tints. A wide range of Valley businesses stand ready to primp our ride. Vehicle dealers…
The heat’s on: it’s time to get in your boat and fish, cruise and chill. Our beloved bay boats, those shallow-water-loving, tunnel-hulled vessels, let us float across the flats of the Laguna Madre, spotting redfish finning and dolphins jumping. In boats zipping down the Intracoastal canal with friends and family, we are happy to get away from it all and to drift past the islands and sloughs. On good days,…
The Valley’s top outdoor tourist attractions are simultaneously magnets for residents enjoying a staycation. In fact, three of the most popular Valley destinations rely on local clientele in the same way they count on local suppliers to keep them operational. So it makes sense this summer, when you are ready for a break from the ordinary or a mini-vacation, to look no farther than Schlitterbahn Waterpark & Resort, Gladys Porter Zoo and Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. These outside destinations…
For years the Valley has prided itself on its bicultural food traditions: barbacoa and barbecue, pecan pie and flan. Ethnic foods remain the most durable link to our heritage and our families. Yet the Valley is becoming visibly multi-cultural as seen in the proliferation of ethnic markets catering to immigrants and visitors from Asia, India, Africa, the Middle East and South America. On McAllen’s 10th Street alone, you will find Japanese,…
Music, particularly live music, has the power to reach us no matter our age. A great evening out or a memorable party can be enhanced by live music. It might be a black-clad classical guitar virtuoso playing “Malaguena,” a duo singing ballads for a supper crowd, or a rock band moving feet that bopped to the same music 50 years ago. Prized for soothing the savage beast, live music can also tempt others to rock the night away or come a…
The sub-tropical RGV looks lushly green most of the year, but a new definition of green is becoming part of the landscape of palms and poincianas. The contemporary greening of the Valley encompasses environmentally sensitive practices that are becoming visible in green buildings and green walls and in the spreading use of native plants and water-wise irrigation systems. Companies involved in green construction, water conservation and ecotourism are finding opportunities for…
Back in the day, men could retreat to their library or study. Later, males found their havens in the basement or garage. Today, with men more vocal in their need for a space of their own, the testosterone-drenched sanctuary has become the celebrated room called the man cave, manland or manscape. At home, but at a remove from the domestic hub-bub and female-centric preferences in décor, man caves are perfect for indulging in favorite pastimes, such as watching sports and films, tying fishing flies, brewing or raising orchids. Retrofitted into older homes…
Golf has been called a good walk spoiled, but the 29 million active golfers in the U.S. beg to differ. The activity offers challenges and camaraderie along with outdoors exercise and skills development, including anger management. Golf may be a mental discipline but it promotes fitness, flexibility and fun. The majority of American golfers are married, male college graduates over 40 with an average household income of $95,000. This significant segment of the population (9%) contributes to the GDP with their…