Around Town ~ Miss Behavin

 

               Twenty-Twenty changed many things and one great thing that changed was Miss Behavin moved to the square.  County Court offices moved to a new facility and a large space opened up on the square.  Miss Behavin took over a large part while the Chamber of Commerce occupied the rest.  They are open Monday thru Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.  Their website is www.missbehavinss.com.  You can shop there anytime you need.

 

               Miss Behavin has been in Sulphur Springs since 2010 and is owned by Chris and Lis Childress.  They started out at the VF Outlet mall, grew an online presence and moved downtown.  It’s been a great adventure that has been made even better because of their customers and community.

 

               Community is important to Miss Behavin, you can pretty much expect their support at major local events in the city and county.  They provide support to all the county schools when requested and feel it’s important to being part of the community as a whole.

 

               When you stop by Miss Behavin you can find something for multiple people on your lists.  Even those new baby boys.  While they feature mainly girls and women clothing, their junior department is a huge hit.  With customers coming from all over the State and even out of state while visiting Sulphur Springs.  The move from the VF mall did not deter the customers who loved their store, now they just have more reasons to visit Sulphur Springs because of the new location.

 

               You can find casual dress options, along with Sunday dinner items inside. Plus, a selection of jeans and shorts to help keep your wardrobe well rounded.  Spice it up with a cute pair of shoes from their selection and top it off with a necklace or hat.  We are sure that you can find a new piece to add to your wardrobe or start new with a little makeover. 

 

               Sizes range from baby to curvy and everything in between.  Be sure to check out their social media and website for new pieces that are hitting the shelves.  Your style can expand and grow at Miss Behavin.  Their staff is friendly and inviting to each customer and they keep up with current fashion trends to make sure you do as well.  Stop in to grab your summer finds and bring your friends.

Let's Eat ~ Redneck Bar and Grill

 

    I feel like only in East Texas or somewhere in the South would you have a restaurant named Redneck Bar and Grill.  The restaurant's reputation lives up to its name and serves steak, chicken or fish smothered in a gravy or grilled.  

    Redneck is a great downtown dining experience if you are looking for large portions that will fill you up and make your taste buds water in anticipation of what to expect in your dining experience.  We often ask our guests who stay with us at The Oaks, what they want for dinner and direct them to the right options.  Never has anyone come away from Redneck disappointed.  

    In our last visit into Redneck, we both ordered a salad with steak or tuna as our protein option.  Maybe not the best option, for dining at Redneck but both meats were cooked to order and met our expectations. I would have liked the addition of a mixed lettuce selection rather than only iceberg, for a good quality salad.  

    All the other offerings are just what people would expect.  Top Sirloin cooked to your desired finish, smothered hamburger steak, or grilled chicken.  Daily specials are served anytime a patron desires that option.  For example one guest ordered a Risky Chicken, which is a grilled chicken covered in sautéed mushrooms, onions and swiss cheese.  A definite pleasure for the taste buds.

    Redneck also offers a variety of bar drinks, for their patrons to enjoy.  There is a good selection of beer and wine options as well for those who don't want to mix it up.  Since portions are so large they only offer plain cheese cake for dessert.  However, they encourage patrons who want something a little sweet, to walk around the corner to another local option, the Magic Scoop.  

    If you are in need of a space for a larger group event, Redneck has a semi private room available for those functions to utilize as well.  Call ahead and make sure it's available for your special occasion.  Be sure to stop in for lunch or dinner the next time you are downtown.

Make your own soap ~ Buff City Soap

    

 Nestled along main street in downtown Sulphur Springs is Buff City Soap.  A franchise that focuses on handmade, plant based soaps for the whole house. When Buff City Soap first came to town I thought it would be a great touch to add their soaps to our rooms for guest to enjoy.  With a local store from at 217 Main Street, guest could easily find their location and select some new favorites to take home.  Since our goal is to help promote the local shopping industry in Sulphur Springs, our addition of their products would help drive customers to their downtown location without overwhelming guests and provides them with a local treat to enjoy while staying in Sulphur Springs, at The Oaks.  

    One day a couple came and stayed with us and had visited Buff City, while at breakfast they told me they made their own custom bar of soap.  I think I vaguely remember them asking me if I wanted to make the soap myself when I ordered mine but I said no at the time.  Well this time, I needed to refill my bar soap supply so I figured why not give it a go and make the soap that the guests will be enjoying in the rooms.  

    I set up a time to come in and make my product, and the day had finally arrived.  I only added color to my soaps this time, to add some interest to our bars, but it would hopefully keep with the décor of the rooms.  

    Before you can get started you need to get "dressed."  Safety first on this adventure.  Make sure you wear closed toed shoes and long pants for your class.  Otherwise, they will have everything you need to stay safe.  Googles, face shield, apron, gloves and shoe booties are all on and now we were ready to make soap.  

    Since we decided to add color, we chose two different colors to mix together this time around, an orangish gold and a turquoise with our honey oatmeal scent.  The process is fairly simple and you even use a standard kitchen tool, an immersion blender, to mix everything together.  First you mix the water and scent together and then add in the color to blend it all together.  

    Your soap is not ready for the molds.  We added our gold color first then poured the turquoise over the top.  But your artistic skills do not stop there, by dragging a tooth pick through the liquid you are able to create a "design" in your soap to fit your stylistic needs.  

    Once you are satisfied with your pattern, your soap needs to cure and harden before being cut.  Buff City will cut it for you into the desired size you want for your soap to be used and displayed.  This a great and creative way to make gifts or have a unique bar at home for when guests come to stay.  We hope that you will take advantage of making your own bar of soap when you visit, or by making  your own bath bombs. 

    Be sure to stop by Buff City during your visit to Sulphur Springs, they are open seven days a week and are happy to help you find the perfect scent to please your senses. 

March Happenings

    March is just a few days away and things are starting to heat up in town.  There is something for everyone going on this coming month.  Here are a few that we found, that you might be interested in checking out.

As always Canton First Monday Trade Days will be the first Monday of March running from Thursday, March 3 - 5.  Be sure to stop by if you are looking for that hard to find item on your list or just want to help support some local businesses.  There is always something there for everyone.  

    The Hopkins County Civic Center has a full weekend calendar of  Horseshows and Longhorn Shows for everyone to attend.  Along with the High School rodeo finals towards the end of the month.  Be sure to stop by and support all those young athletes as the show off their skills.  

    The fun doesn't stop there, when the Circus comes to town.  The George Carden Circus will be here for two night on March 15-16 for everyone to see.  Come on down to the Civic Center to see the show.  This show will be a delight for everyone in your family, so grab your tickets today and pull up a seat.

    Saturday, March 19 is the Annual North East Texas Beer Run at Backstory Brewery.  This event will be a fundraiser for the Sam Kopal Foundation.  You won't want to miss this chance to get out and stretch your legs while helping to raise money for a good cause.   You can get tickets to enter at by clicking this link.  

    The following Saturday, March 26 Backstory Brewery is hosting a corn hole tournament for the Sulphur Springs Adult Leadership class.  This tournament will be a fundraiser to help make repairs and Kids Kingdom.  Come out and support, Lights, Stain, Action! This will be a fun day for the whole family.  Grab your cornhole team and sign up soon, before all the spots are filled.  

Let's Eat ~ La Victoria

    

     A wonderful, somewhat hidden, gem in Sulphur Springs is La Victoria.  A little Mexican food market that also happens to have a restaurant inside that serves food during the hours of operation.  Not only can you get authentic Mexican food to eat in house, you can do a little bit of grocery shopping as well.  La Victoria can be found at 1135 S. Broadway St, in Sulphur Springs.  

   

     They offer a good variety of choices for dining in or taking out.  Tortas, quesadillas, tacos and burritos.  Plus they have a daily special for each week day, we happened to go on Thursday (Jueves) and the special was Pozole.  One of our favorites but we all ordered something different.  I really want to go back and eat again on Friday for their special. 

   

     Breakfast tacos can be had, with just eggs or chorizo and eggs.  You can select your meat for your tacos, quesadillas and tortas.  The flavor is genuinely delicious and it makes you want to go back for more.  Not only do they make their dishes from scratch, they fry fresh chips and make homemade tortillas that you can purchase and take home with you.

    

    One of my favorite reasons to visit La Victoria is to enjoy a pastry.  Made fresh on the premises, the variety and scale of pastries can make any carb lover fall head over heals.  

   

     After you have finished eating be sure to check out the rest of the store to find fruits and vegetables that can not be found at your local grocer.  They even have a meat counter where you can get fresh cuts of meat to try your own hand at authentic fair at home.  

    

    Today we enjoyed breakfast tacos, veggie tacos, and beef quesadillas.  All made fresh for us while we waited.  This place was hopping for lunch, so be sure to go early and grab your food to go or stay to dine in. 

Oregano Infused Paloma ~ herb infused cocktail

    

 

    We are excited about this months cocktail that we have made up for you.  We wanted to have something that would reflect the season of love in a color, and this pink cocktail hit the spot.  Our Oregano infused Paloma is just what the season ordered.  

    We are going to give you two recipes for this post, one for the cocktail and one for the simple syrup.  You can make your simple syrup in advance and with any type of herb you want to feature for additional cocktails or food recipes.  But first a little history over the origins of the Paloma.

    The Paloma was really first found to be paired with Squirt, grapefruit soda, served to guests when entertaining at home.  The simplicity of a little flavored soda and tequila gained popularity as new brands of grapefruit drinks were developed by other manufactures.  To an extent it became the "rum and coke" of the Mexican household.  Squirt found it's place in the fridge like an extra condiment to be used when guests came to call.  We have chosen to "color" our drink with grapefruit juice instead of soda to achieve the pink in honor of Valentine's Day. 

    Oregano is part of the mint family, and was originally grown in Greece. Then traveled North to Rome and on to the East where people in Asia used it for medicinal means.  In some areas it can be grown as a perennial for warmer climates.  While in Northern areas, it might only be grown annual because of the cold weather.  "It was first used by the Greeks.  They believed that this herb was created by the Goddess Aphrodite.  She wanted it to be a symbol of joy gowning in her garden." (myspicer.com/history-of-oregano)

    The Simple Syrup is just that a very simple even ratio mix of water and sugar to create a syrup to sweeten tea or cocktails.  Add in your favorite flavor to make it your own.

Simple Syrup

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

2 springs of oregano 

1 sprigs of oregano diced - to release the oils and flavors

Cook on the stove top until the sugar is dissolved fully.  Let cool and add to your drink of choice.

    Now lets get to the good stuff.  We first salted the rim of our glass. We used the remainder of the grapefruit to "wet" the rim so the salt would stick.  After measuring out all the liquid we mixed everything together in a shaker 3/4's full of ice.  Shake it up and pour into your glass.  Top off the drink with a splash of club soda.  Garnish the glass with a slice of grapefruit and a sprig of oregano.

    You can make your drink a mocktail by eliminating the tequila with all club soda. Or go about it in a more traditional route and use Squirt for the additional bubbles.  I would watch the sugar level on this adaptation if you still plan to use the simple syrup.  Sweeten to your desired taste. This would make for a refreshing summer drink as well as a pink holiday drink in winter. 

Oregano Infused Paloma

2 oz. Tequila Blanco

4 oz. Grapefruit juice

1 oz. Oregano simple syrup

Club Soda

Add everything but the club soda to your shaker and shake to combine.  Pour into your cup and top off with a splash of club soda.  Enjoy with chips and guacamole. 

Give us a shout when you try this drink for yourselves.  Mix it up and share your images on social media, be sure to tag us while enjoying your mixer.  Until then Cheers from the Oaks bed and breakfast.

Terrarium Class ~ The Plant Niche

     If you are looking for a great Girls Night Out event or a fun and unique Date Night, look no further than The Plant Niche for one of their hands on classes.  You can schedule a private class for  your group or join in on one of her pre set classes and savor the fun.  

    Not only is Erika very helpful and hands on, she is knowledgeable about her products and services that she has to offer.  Part of her business is coming to your home or office, placing plants and maintaining them on a schedule that fits your plants life style.  I know I can get discouraged when I purchase a plant and it does not do well.  Erika helps to make your plant investment grow.  

    
                                                    

    In one type of class Erika teaches you how to create your terrarium and allow for the best environment possible for your plants to thrive.  She provides the container, tools, soil, rocks and plants for your experience.  As she said you are creating an "artistic botanical garden, and you are the artist." 

    

In our class we had the choice to create a foliage garden or a succulent garden.  Usually she has each class select one or the other, so plan your class well.  The foliage garden we built came with rock for the bottom, soil, three plants and moss for the top to help retain moisture for a happy plant home.  To keep your plants happy Erika suggested misting the plants every so often and that the mist is like, "lotion on the foliage."  If one of the plants starts to look a little weepy, add a little bit of water just to that plant.  There is no need to add water to the whole of the terrarium. 

    For the succulent gardens, the glass bowls began with rock, soil, three plants and then they layered with rock and sand.  We had adorable little tools to help move our sand and rocks around so as not to damage the plants after placement.  The tools helped to bring sand and rock into artistic shapes and make a lovely home environment for the succulents.  Erika suggested keeping the succulent terrariums in a location that had good indirect light and some humidity so the plants could pull the water from the air.  I think a bathroom with some lovely light would work wonders for this tiny garden.

   

 No matter if you are looking for a great night out or if you want to liven and freshen your home or office with plants, look no further than The Plant Niche.  Erika will help you to select the best plants for your environment and maintain them for your ease.

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! 

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.