Elephant Open House at Houston Zoo
On Saturday, May 19 from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., visit the Houston Zoo for an up close and personal experience with everyone's favorite zoo inhabitant. Gain firsthand knowledge of how elephants are fed and cared for on a daily basis as zoo keepers guide guests through each stall. A continental breakfast will be provided as well.
Tickets are $65 for non-zoo members and $55 for members. If you're not yet a member of the Houston Zoo (you should be), be sure to snag a membership some time before this event. But first, peruse this profile of the Houston Zoo and check out a few awesome photos of the elephants.
Free Car Wash Today
Tidy Cats and the PU Patrol are giving away 100 free car washes this afternoon at an undisclosed Houston car wash location. To find out where to go to get yours, follow @PUpatrolMeg on twitter and wait for the secret locale announcement at noon.
This promotion is part of the Tidy Cats "No More PU" campaign to rid the nation of all its PU's in life, from pet litter boxes to filthy cars. Look for the bright yellow PU Patrol garbage truck all week long as it cruises through Houston.
Celebrate Mother's Day 2012
Mother's Day is Sunday, May 13 which means there is still plenty of time to execute a plan to wow the special moms in your life. This Mother's Day guide holds the perfect gift for the traditional flowers-and-chocolate and the luxurious massage-loving moms alike. Or give mother what she craves most, quality time spent with her children. Opt for a sweet Sunday brunch or a special Mother's Day performance or event.
And if your schedule does not permit being with these special women on Mother's Day, browse this list of May events to find ways to celebrate throughout the month.
Houston Food Truck Festival
On Saturday, May 12, join hundreds of fellow Houston foodies at the 2nd annual Haute Wheels Houston. This two-day festival features over 20 local food truck vendors, a wine and beer garden, live music and plenty of ways to keep the entire family entertained. Tickets are $16 and include a $5 beverage voucher. All food purchases are sold separately.
The festival takes place on Saturday, May 12 and Sunday, May 13 from noon to 5 p.m. on the parking lot of Houston Community College's Southwest (West Loop) campus.
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Cinco de Mayo in Houston
This Saturday, May 5 Americans will celebrate Cinco de Mayo with food, drinks, parades and more. If you haven't finalized your plans for this festive holiday, browse this list of Cinco de Mayo celebrations going on around town this weekend. Outdoorsy types can take a 3-day camping trip with the Houston Hash House Harriers (running club).
Or maybe you prefer to unwind with a margarita with the folks of LATISM at the Maggie Rita's Cinco de Mayo happy hour mixer. Whatever your interest, there will be no excuse to waste the weekend away.
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What's In Store For Summer?
With spring break behind us, it's time for parents and children to begin prepping for ways to spend the long, scorching hot days of summer in Houston. Both indoor and outdoor camps tend to fill up quickly, so sitting down early and sifting through the list of summer camps with your child is a great idea.
And you may want to get reacquainted with all the cool attractions this city has to offer including museums, water parks, splash pads and bike trails. Planning summer fun on a tight budget? I've compiled a list of 10 free things to do this summer to keep everyone entertained.
Zoobilee at the Houston Zoo
On Thursday, April 26th and Friday, April 27th, the Houston Zoo will host Zoobilee, an exclusive members-only party for Houston Zoo membership holders. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., have free run of the grounds and visit all your favorite zoo inhabitants getting your passport stamped at each stop. Snacks (courtesy of Kroger) will be provided and a children's DJ will be on deck. The zoo will be offering free carousel rides as well.
And be sure to visit the upcoming Dinosaurs! exhibit free of charge and before it is open to the general public. This year's exhibit boasts twice as many dinosaur species as the preceding year. Check out my updated profile of the Houston Zoo for up-to-date ticket and exhibit information.
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Have You Seen Beyonce's Tumblr?
The typically hyper-private Beyonce recently launched a Tumblr page chock full of personal snapshots of the Houston-born pop diva's everyday life. It's safe to say many of us were a bit shocked to see that the stars shared the early photos of their offspring, Blue Ivy Carter just days after her birth. Now it seems that Beyonce has caught the blogging bug and is granting her fans access to photos (many of which are sans makeup) of her at her favorite vacation spots, chatting with family and hanging backstage. Beyonce.tumblr.com can be accessed via the starlet's website by clicking the "I AM" tab.
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Spring Festival Season in Full Swing
The month of April is chock full of fun ways to enjoy the warmer temperatures outdoors. On Sunday, April 1, bring the little ones out to the 24th annual Houston Children's Festival for games, karaoke, juggling acts, and appearance from Clifford the Big Red Dog, Buddy the T-Rex (from Dinosaur Train) and more of your kids' TV favorites.
And on April 21, 22, 28 and 29, see the streets of Downtown Houston transformed into a multi-cultural hub at the Houston International Festival. This year's host country is Argentina so expect tango, street soccer and the likes. Tickets are $18 for adults and $5 for children.
And of course, April brings the Easter Bunny and his many festival appearances at churches, community centers and Easter brunches in the Houston area. Browse a list of Easter festivals and activities here.
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Trayvon Martin Prayer Vigil
Community activist Quanell X will host a prayer vigil and community rally for Trayvon Martin on Sunday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m.. The event will be held at Emancipation Park located 3018 Dowling St. in Houston's Third Ward. Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African-American teenage boy was shot dead by volunteer neighborhood watchman, George Zimmerman. Zimmerman was not arrested. The incident has sparked public and social media attention nationwide.