February happenings

    This month starts out great with lots of exciting stuff going on in and around the area.  High school sports are in full swing, so if you live far away and want to attend you grandchild's game, look no further for accommodations than here at The Oaks.  

    Be sure to step out and support the local adult football team, The NTX Dragons,  at Gerald Prim Stadium, Saturday, February 5 at 6 pm.  Tickets at the gate are $10.

     Long time country music stars, Shenandoah will be in town for a concert on Friday, February 11, 2022.  This is sure to be a great show, with all their classic songs.  The concert will be held in the High School auditorium.  Be sure to get your tickets soon.

    On Saturday, February 12, the City of Sulphur Springs is hosting the Larry Buster Memorial Kids' Trout Fishing Day from 10-2 pm.  Bring your rod and reel to Peavine Pinion Pond, next to Buford Park and see what you can catch.  The Kiwanis Club will be cooking up hot dogs to eat.  A big shout out to the other sponsors, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Texas Parks and Wildlife.

    Also on Saturday, February 12, Main Street Theatre and Marlene's Sass and Class are teaming up for a fashion show mixer from 6:30 - 8 pm.  For $5 you can enjoy wine, refreshments, door prizes and a coupon.  Come see some latest fashions and hear the musical stylings of the Smith Brothers.

    The Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce is hosting their annual membership banquet to celebrate Hopkins County and recognize many of it's citizens. On Thursday, February 17, members will gather to eat and celebrate those in the community. Tickets can be purchased at the Chamber or from their website.  

    The Kiwanis club will also be hosting their annual pancake breakfast on Saturday, February 19.  The Kiwanis use the money raised to give back to the community and they give out a scholarship each year to seniors who are looking to go to college.  

    The civic center will be hoping as usual with rodeos, horse shows and the annual NETLA show, February 24-26.  North East Texas Livestock Association, helps bring students hard work on raising farm animals to the public.  These students work hard to raise show quality animals that are shown and then auctioned off after the event.  The money raised helps to cover the cost of animal and for many starts a fund for college.  This is a great show for anyone interested in promoting the growth of the next generation of farmers.    

    Do not forget about Valentine's day, plan your special someone a night they won't forget.  With Valentine's on a Monday this year, the weekend before makes for the perfect opportunity to celebrate with your love.  Plan a weekend retreat with us, and ask about our special add-ons such as wine and cheese or in-room massages.  Make your reservations soon, too book the extras during your stay.  

Let's Eat ~ Arturo's

  

  One of the best parts about staying at a bed and breakfast for us is the time spent with guests and helping to guide them to have the best experience here in Sulphur Springs.  Not everyone who visits knows of the glass bathrooms, or the Dairy Museum.  Most visitors want to know our favorite places to eat in town.  I wanted to feature a different restaurant each month for current and future guests to dive into a more intimate look at the dinning scene in town.  

    First up is Arturo's.  Home of some of the best wood fired pizza in the State of Texas and possibly the US.  I have had wood fired pizza in other cities and states and I always compare it to Arturo's.  A little history lesson before we get into the food.  Before the Kunzman's moved to Texas they were in Iowa.  Ready for a new adventure, Tina started talking with the city manager, Marc Maxwell and learned more about Sulphur Springs.  They must have really liked what they heard, since they packed up and moved their family, hundreds of  miles from home and started their wood fired pizza business on the side of the road on Main Street with a mobile pizza kitchen while waiting for one of the downtown buildings to be remodeled.  It has now been six years since they have "fired up" their oven inside.  Downtown Sulphur Springs would be a different experience without them.  We are glad they came and stayed in our little slice of Texas.

      Now let's talk about what to eat.  Not only do they have delicious pizza, they have pasta, calzones and salads for patrons to enjoy.  Don't forget about dessert, home made crème Brule, has often been on the menu, along with bananas foster, and smore's pizza.  If you don't find a pizza made to your specifications, you can toss out the right words and they will throw those toppings on your pizza for you.  I happen to be vegetarian, and was in for lunch recently and Art made me a delicious white wine vegetable pasta that dish that I completely finished.  So yummy!

    The pizza is amazing and the crust is all made in house.  Gluten free crust is also available for those who have allergies.  Our favorite pizza is the margarita pizza, fresh mozzarella cheese, diced tomatoes and basil just take the cake.  Our children really enjoy the Korean Bar B Que pizza, I think they like the flavors that meld together on that particular pie.  If you enjoy a little spice in the mix, be sure to take a slice of the Pitt Boss.

    The best part of about dining downtown is many of the restaurants will "deliver" your meal directly to you at the winery.  This partnership allows you to enjoy all the local flavors at once.  If beer is more your style, the local brewery has a beer on tap at Arturo's and you can always grab your meal to go and head over there to enjoy the best of both worlds.

    So pull up a seat and order your favorite wood fired pizza to enjoy at Arturo's.  Be sure to leave the a review when you are done.  We hope you enjoy your dinning experience there as much as we do.  

Let's Eat! 

Travel East Texas ~ Mineola

  

  When you step outside and come for your visit to the Oaks bed and breakfast in Sulphur Springs, Texas, there are many things you can do in and around our great, little town.  In case you want to explore a little more, we want you to get to know the area before you arrive.  Each month we plan to feature another town close to Sulphur Springs, that you can visit and keep the Oaks as your home base for your exploration.  Our first stop is Mineola, Texas.

    We happened to need to be in Mineola for an evening soccer game, for one of our children and I figured this was a great time to explore before the game and get a feel for what the town has to offer for visitors.  Our first stop, like yours should be when visiting anywhere new, was the Chamber of Commerce.  The chamber of commerce in most any city is more than willing to give your tips and ideas about what is best to hit when you visit their town.  Mineola was no different.  The chamber proved to be very helpful in finding a decent place for lunch and pointed us in the right direction for our exploration.

   

Mineola is home to the railroad and that is what helps to keep this Historically registered town on the  map today.  They are home to an Amtrak depot, which makes stops on a regular basis and the town even has a festival later in the year celebrating the "Ironhorse."  The depot stop also has a small train museum located inside so visitors can learn more about the industry and how it has helped the city of Mineola.

    If you are a history buff or just like to learn more about the local area Mineola is host to a Historical Museum.  A cool fact about this museum is that it once housed the Post Office.  The only disadvantage is the days of the week they are open, Thursday - Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p. m. but admission is free.  So plan your visit just right and you can explore this little nugget of East Texas history.

    If museum's are not  your thing, Mineola is home to the oldest, continuously operating theater in the State of Texas.  The Lake Country Playhouse and Select Theater is home to all different kinds of shows and events. 

You can see a first run movie or watch a classic all at the same location depending on what happens to be playing.  This would be great spot to stop by and watch a classic or take in a play.  

    If nature and being outside is more of your jam, then be sure to stop by the 3,000 acre nature preserve.  This beautiful spot in East Texas is sure to appease all the people in your party.  The Mineola Nature Preserve has a little bit of everything for you to enjoy in the outdoors.  A disc golf course, horse riding trails, a kayak or canoe spot, fishing and so much more.  Step outside to explore this small piece of East Texas, it is sure to bring you joy.  Grab your bike and explore!  Don't forget to pack a picnic lunch for your visit.

   The dining scene in Mineola is varied.  There are going to be some great spots and some good spots to pull up a chair and grab a bite of food to enjoy.  We chose to eat downtown and support those local businesses, this time we ate at Logan's.  They have a good selection on their menu and even have a vegetarian section, which if you have spent anytime in East Texas is rare.  We have also eaten at Kitchen's and we stopped in for fudge and coffee at The Fudge Shop inside Between Friends.  You can look up my reviews on both locations at google reviews.  

     Just past the Nature Preserve is a winery, Grand Oaks, that people should be sure to check out.  They only have tasting hours on Saturday, so be sure to call ahead to see if you can get in to grab a taste.  We always fill like visiting these type of wineries, and feel it is important to help keep them open and making great wine.  Unfortunately we happened by on a weekday, so we could not stop, but would love to hear about your experience.  

 Needless to say, Mineola is a great stop when exploring East Texas.  It is close enough to Sulphur Springs to make The Oaks your home base and yet far enough away from home to make it like a little staycation.  We encourage you to book your stay and then explore.  Until then "take only memories, leave only footprints." ~ Chief Seattle.

Cranberry Rose ~ herb infused cocktail

  

   We are back with our herb infused drinks for the New Year.  I have a plan of action to make one happen once per month, so check back here to see what new drink we are mixing up.  And be sure to follow us on social media, there might be a cocktail hour during the month featuring our latest drink.

    This month we are featuring the drink we made for our New Year's Eve party.  A Rosemary Cranberry Vodka, we called the Cranberry Rose, that is sure to be a crowd pleaser at any time of the year.  We wanted to feature an herb that is currently growing and a little bit of fizz to help ring in the New Year.  Have no fear's this drink can be enjoyed at any time of the year, as rosemary is typically growing all year round.  

    We found this drink to be full of flavor and the more rosemary you want to taste the longer you let it sit in the vodka.  For our purposes we let ours sit for about four days, in a window, to allow the flavor to meld with the alcohol. That brings us to how we made this drink.  We do have to prep a few days in advance to truly get the rosemary to seep into the vodka.  We cut a few stems off, and placed them in a jar and coved with some vodka.  I let mine sit in the window to speed up the process, since I started a little late.  

    The rest is pretty easy, if you are making for a larger group you could just pour directly into a pitcher but since I had a smaller group I made each drink directly into the champagne flute we would be drinking out of.

    The rosemary flavor really came through in the vodka and gave this drink and extra kick of tastiness.  The cranberry combined with your sparkling drink of choice made for a simple and pleasurable experience.  

    If you wanted to make this drink a mocktail, I would make a simple syrup infused with the rosemary in stead of letting it seep with the vodka.  I would then use club soda or a sparkling water of your choice to add the bubbles.  You could then have a great version of this drink for those designated drivers or friends who choose not to drink. 

Cranberry Rose

1 oz Rosemary infused vodka

2 oz Cranberry juice

squeeze of some lemon

Top off with Moscato/Champagne/Prosecco

Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and lemon.

    We always have a Moscato on hand for events, or special occasions for guests celebrating a Wedding or Anniversary, that I like which isn't too sweet or dry.  This Moscato is the perfect blend for those who like one that is a middle of the road.  Depending on your tastes you can make your drink sweeter or drier based on the alcohol you choose to use.  Don't forget you can always make a mocktail.  Be safe and use a designated driver!

Cheers! From the Oaks bed and breakfast.

January Happenings

  

  It's a New Year and time to hit the streets.  Sulphur Springs still has a lot to offer in the "off season." The Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a First Responders banquet on Thursday, January 6th at the Civic center.  Our community feels that it is important to recognize and support our local first responders and celebrate all that they do to help our community.  The banquet is one way the community gives back to those who help protect and saves lives daily in our area.

    The Civic center is hopping with rodeo events every weekend.  If you want to see some roping action or riding skills they have you covered. 

   

Workforce Solutions in North East Texas is hosting their annual event for students, the LEAP Expo on Friday, January 14 at the Civic Center.  This event is for 8th grade students around the county to find out more information about jobs in our area and help them select the learning path they would desire to enter in High School.  Companies from around the area attend and teach the students more about what they do and how they can work in our community.

 

  As always our local shops and dining are in full swing, ready to serve your needs or help you locate that special item as a gift or just a treat for yourself.  

    We can't wait for you to stop by in the New Year and check out our little space in North East Texas.