Texas Trotter

  Ready to take exercise to a doggone exciting level? On December 4th, the Houston Humane Society will be hosting its 40th Annual K9 FunRun! This event will feature a competitive 5K run where guests can enjoy a brisk race with their pooches, as well as meet plenty of adoptable furry friends along the way! For any experienced racer or animal lover, this is the perfect opportunity to really stretch your legs and enjoy some spectacular sights and sounds with the cutest companions in the city!  This event will feature an array of great things to see and do beyond just running! There will be live entertainment, a kid zone, food, drinks, a place for your pets to cool off, and, of course, plenty of adoption opportunities for those of you looking to give Houston’s shelter pets a Forever Home! There will even be a virtual registration package. Tickets are going on sale for around $40-$50 a person so this is definitely an experience you’ll want to enjoy if you’re really big on animal-or...

Believe it or not, the month of October is almost upon us. And you know what that means! That’s right, if you’re a native Houstonian, it means a ton of great festivals and activities to enjoy with friends and family. Get ready because this one is definitely something up your alley! On October 2nd, located at the ever-wonderful Discovery Green in Downtown Houston, guests can enjoy the doggone-great Puptopia Festival! What is the Puptopia Festival? It’s the first-ever amazement park just for dogs and their owners! The festival features an all-day schedule that includes photo opportunities, tons of activities, a stunt dog show, food, drinks, and much more!  If you’re looking for a way to treat Fido to a day of absolute fun, this is definitely something to take note of. There will be ramps, a life-sized fire hydrant, a bowl-shaped ball pit, breed meet-up opportunities, and a wide variety of other dog-themed events to keep you entertained for hours! There will even be a place where you ...

You really can’t put a price on a lazy summer evening, especially when it’s outside in one of the finest areas in Downtown Houston!  I’ve extolled the amazing virtues of Houston’s Discovery Green in the past but it goes without saying that this park really is a spectacle to behold. From its amazing scenic downtown location to its beautiful playgrounds, art, and fountains, Discovery Green is the pride and joy of the area, a perfect place for children and families.  Running throughout the summer, Discovery Green will be featuring its summertime Screen on the Green events. These screenings will include some of your favorite family films including Mulan, Onward, Raya and the Last Dragon, and Abominable to name a few. Families can experience the magic at the movies under the warm glow of the summer evening with the beautiful lights of Downtown Houston all around. And the best part? The movies are FREE, and guests are even invited to bring lawn chairs and blankets! You can even brin...

Houston is home to some really excellent places to visit in the Downtown area, whether it’s Discovery Green to its excellent theater district, to its amazing club scene. You can always find something going on, especially during the summer when things really take a huge turn for the better in terms of exciting events and exhibits. One thing that is great about summer in Houston? Baseball is on! And where else can you go to catch a game than at our amazing Minute Maid Park location! As the most popular place to visit in the downtown Houston area, Minute Maid Park features a ton of killer sightings and exciting opportunities, from its majestic Houston skyline to its exhilarating Astros games!  While I have plenty of fond memories of watching old baseball games over at the still-standing Astrodome, there really is something breathtaking about seeing a game in a huuuuuge stadium filled with roaring sports fans. Minute Maid Park benefits from a humongous sense of scope and atmosphere eac...

Las Vegas is already a pretty exciting city to live in, what with its thriving nightlife, excellent casinos, affordable living, and fine weather.  With that said, residents within the Las Vegas area have an even bigger reason to celebrate with a brand new upcoming music festival they won’t want to miss! Running from April 24th to April 25th, the annual City of Lights Jazz and R&B Festival will take place, sending guests sprawling as Grammy-recognized artists pump up the volume in a day-long celebration of the best jazz and R&B musicians out there!  Located in the show-stopping setting of the Government Amphitheater near downtown and the Las Vegas Strip, there will be plenty of room to dance, party, and take advantage of the best craft and food vendors within the Jazz village! And with its relaxed, green grass atmosphere, there will be plenty of space to relax without fear of Covid-19 contagion. Just make sure to wear your mask! Las Vegas isn’t called the party city for...

There’s a great honor that comes with being a native Texan. Some say that we’re naturally proud due to our warm climate and a steady supply of crops and livestock. And while that may indeed be true, we have one staple of pride that no other state in the US has--the Alamo. I’ve held off on talking about the Alamo for a while. But mostly because I wanted to whet your tastebuds if you’re not as familiar with the place. To make things simple, the Alamo is a BIG deal for Texans. It was the place where brave men fought and died for Texas’ freedom from Mexico. And though the Alamo ultimately ended in death instead of victory, it remains a pinnacle landmark in Texas’ proud history. If you’re living in San Antonio, I would pretty much say that it is your civic duty to visit the Alamo at least once. Not only will you get to learn about a major cornerstone of Texas history, but you’ll also get to immerse yourself deeper into the scope of San Antonio’s rich climate and culture. And while that does...

Is there anyplace as perfect and serene as Discovery Green?  I highly doubt it. Year-round, the park provides excellent attractions and services for the Downtown Houston community, whether it’s for special holiday events or social gatherings. One of the more striking features of Discovery Green is its massive outdoor skating rink.  This rink is the perfect weekend activity for family and friends alike, with guests having the chance to skate and glide beneath the sparkling city lights of Downtown Houston. And now, every Wednesday night starting at 5 pm, visitors have the chance to party like rockstars on the rink while DJ Chocolate plays all the latest hits.  While a reduced number of tickets will be sold in order to maintain proper Covid-19 social distancing protocol, you can still purchase your tickets in advance online to ensure contactless service. Masks will additionally be required in order to keep everyone safe and healthy.  Houston is the KING of affordable li...

Get ready to kick back and relax because Spring Break has arrived! Whether you’re a student, young adult, parent, or local, it’s always great to set aside time to chill out and enjoy the new season.  And for San Antonio residents, there are even more reasons to celebrate when it comes to exciting things going on in the area! Running from Saturday, March 6th to Sunday, March 21st, guests can hear local artists live in Discovery Village at Natural Bridge Caverns in honor of the Spring Break season. You’ll be able to check out the new LED lighting in Discovery Passages, along with brand new zip rails on the Twisted Trails Adventure Course. And all the while, you’ll get the chance to enjoy some great live music from 12 to 3 pm daily.  I’ve only been to the Natural Bridge Caverns once, but I distinctly remember it being breathtakingly beautiful with glittering walls and unique natural rock formations. San Antonio is very quirky in that it has a thriving cityscape but also some spec...

Houston is a great city. It is also, according to experts and enthusiasts of the supernatural, incredibly haunted . That’s right--a regular ghost-buffet! For those of you who love the idea of taking a thrilling ghost-focused outing, Houston is full of plenty of exciting supernatural spots to offer!  Directly nearby the Houston Zoo, Hermann Park is one of the best places to visit in the area! But now, as the Spring sun touches down from the sky and night emerges, gloomy ghouls begin to haunt the city as ghosts emerge from their daytime slumber.  Now, thanks to tour guides Edward S. Burns and Doc. Strangeway, guests can take a detailed tour through some of the most haunted spots across Hermann Park. There, you’ll get an in-depth history of all the most famous ghost sightings throughout the city. It’s the perfect way to enjoy some post-Halloween fun for friends and family. And if you’re a parent with a little one, don’t worry! The event features two different touring options--a ...

Mars. The beautiful red mass that exists within the list of planets in our solar system. That crimson, rocky terrain has never stopped capturing the hearts of earthlings everywhere, dazzling us all with its mysterious atmosphere.  This year, running all the way into October, the Houston Museum of Natural Science is proudly presenting its amazing Mars exhibit! While there won’t be any Martians, guests can enjoy a truly spectacular high-resolution sculpture by Luke Jerram. The sculpture will feature 120 dpi detailed NASA imagery that has been compiled from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter data. From distinct craters, canyons, Rover landing sites, and luminescent lighting, this sculpture is sure to be absolutely breathtaking.  The Houston Museum of Natural Science is the pride of the Houston Museum District. Complete with an array of informative and exciting exhibits from dinosaurs to scientific reactions to historical artifacts, it’s a great place to visit either solo or with your fa...

There are more great reasons to enjoy living in Dallas if you’re a tech-person!  As I’ve previously mentioned, Dallas has become one of the new great tech-hubs within the country, the “new Silicon Valley” as they call it. And this is no exception when it comes to the PAY that future workers in the Dallas tech industry can look forward to!  According to a report published on January 11th by Austin-based tech company Spanning Cloud Apps LLC, workers in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area can expect more than DOUBLE their pay when they work in a tech job. DFW actually ranks fourth among the country’s largest metro areas for the pay advantage in tech fields versus all other occupations. The median annual pay for a tech-job worker in Dallas stood at $91,760 in 2019 compared to the annual pay for other occupations at $40,430. And on the heels of that, that data signifies that the area’s median tech pay is actually 127 PERCENT higher than the median pay for all other occupations! Whew, ...

When it comes to living in the Las Vegas area , you always need to be prepared! Becoming an apartment resident within the city is certainly something no one wants to jump into headfirst. While Las Vegas is a great place to live for all residents and has a ton of different fun things to see and do, you’ll still want to have a heads up on all the most essential details about living in the city. And that’s why I’m breaking down some tips here for you today to help you become better acquainted with living in the Las Vegas area! Are you ready? Let’s go! Enjoy Las Vegas BEYOND the Strip! When it comes to living the high life, there’s more to Vegas than just the Strip. There’s plenty of excellent places to eat, shop, and entertain yourself apart from the spots that attract the most tourism. What’s great about living in Vegas is that it’s always got something new for you to see. Try to check out the full scope of the Downtown area, as well as look for parks and neat little dives to enjoy. I ca...

60 years! That’s how long Six Flags Over Texas has served as a staple of fast-paced entertainment within the Dallas and Arlington area. That’s why, on January 23rd, 24th, and 30th, Six Flags Over Texas will present the Fire & Ice Festival to celebrate the park’s 60th anniversary season! The Fire & Ice Festival will feature a wide variety of great things to see and do, including The Frosty Snowhill, four live performance stages, the Fire and Ice Marketplace, the Mystic Acres Winter Wonderland, and a Dancing Fountain Show at Texas Star Mall. And to put the icing on the cake, guests will get to enjoy the glow of millions of twinkling lights at the Fire and Ice Light Show every night after dark, along with fireworks.  While I’ve covered Six Flags Over Texas before, this is the perfect place for all Dallas and Arlington residents to enjoy if they like high-speed adventure and family-friendly fun. And now as the park is celebrating its 60th anniversary, there will be plenty of op...

For those of you anxious about new developments with the Covid-19 vaccine in the Houston area, look sharp!  On the 16th of January, the Houston Health Department and the Astros Foundation partnered together for a second Covid-19 vaccination mega site at the famous Minute Maid Park! This event featured 2,400 pre-scheduled appointments and 2,600 new appointments, with plans to vaccinate 5,000 people in total. The site featured the first dose of the vaccine and was assigned to Houstonians who met Phase 1A and Phase 1B of the state’s criteria.  Though chances are you or your family were not among the first wave of Houstonians to receive the vaccine, this is nonetheless a crucial event to note! Why? Because the vaccine will soon be out soon for everyone to take part in! And, as expected, Minute Maid Park will continue to be the number one place for Houstonians to get what they need to protect themselves against Covid. When it’s not the Covid season, Minute Maid Park is the best sp...