Camp Allen in Navasota, TX

I recently attended a leadership conference and retreat at Camp Allen Retreat Center in Navasota, Texas. Camp Allen is a high-quality retreat and conference venue. The retreat center offers hotel accommodations and cabins.

Visitors enjoy pristine views of nature, a serene lake, nature trails, and (in March-April) Texas wildflowers.

Find out more about Camp Allen at CampAllen.org.

Candytopia

Candytopia is visiting Houston, TX in 2021.  It’s memorable for all ages.  If you’re looking for a great place to get colorful selfies, this is definitely a great place.  

Visitors enjoy candy, a colorful wonderland of varied backdrops, and a foam marshmallow pit at the end.

Rating: 3 Stars!  “Good!”

Website: Candytopia.com

Travel in Texas during Covid-19: Galveston, Texas

Galveston, TX by Mandy Seymour, Best Rated Reviews

Can you travel in Texas during Covid 19? We keep getting this question regularly, so we are engaging in firsthand exploration of travel during Covid 19. Here’s the answer: It depends on who you ask and where you go. Although travel has been limited and many travel plans have been curtailed across the nation and the world, it is possible to still find opportunities to travel – even if it’s somewhat of a Staycation compared to the farther away trip you may have been planning to take before Covid 19.

The last week of May 2020, we visited Galveston, TX for a weekend getaway. It provided a much-needed respite from the new norm of daily life under Corona. People have been visiting Galveston Island for years to enjoy the beach and local activities as well as to improve their overall health and well-being. Sunshine and serenity of the ocean can do anyone good!

Galveston, TX by Mandy Seymour, Best Rated Reviews

We stayed at Hotel Galvez in an oceanfront room. We enjoyed the classic ambiance, first-rate service, and beautifully landscaped pool. The hotel maintained Covid-cleanliness protocols and social distancing. But those necessities did not stifle the trip in any way. We were so thankful to be there, to get to enjoy our Galveston getaway.

We enjoyed swimming, sunbathing and strolling along the beach. We went shopping at a fantastic sundress and swimwear shop. Located 1 block away from Hotel Galvez, we think it’s the best apparel shop in Galveston – and we’ve been to all of them. We enjoyed a scrumptious, fresh-from-the-oven pizza from Marios on the Seawall. And we savored delicious ice cream and sweets at La King’s confectionary on The Strand.

We arrived on a Friday and left on a Saturday. Friday, the Island was fairly quiet day and night. Saturday, about mid-afternoon, it was bustling. Festive beachgoers packed the beaches. By the time it was overcrowded (which doesn’t take long during these Corona times), we left.

Our best advice? Plan to go to Galveston, TX when everyone else won’t be there if possible. Weekdays will be less crowded than weekends during the Summer. Regulations are in place to keep Covid risk to a minimum as much as possible in Galveston. Be smart. Be wise. And enjoy the Texas sunshine!

Rating: 5 stars! Best of the Best!

Galveston’s Website: Galveston.com

Photos from our visit to Galveston, TX during Summer 2020:

Kelly Buckner

Kelly Buckner – BeeBold Collective

UPDATE: Since the time we published this article, we and other clients have done business with Kelly Buckner and been sorely disappointed. What she promises and what she delivers in business are not the same. So we deleted the article since we cannot recommend her.

Kelly’s motto and mission are showcased in her own brand: BeeBold Collective, where she claims to help to empower women to be bold for the good in every area of their lives, including branding, networking, business development and even fashion and home goods. However, she ultimately is only bold about her claims. She does not truly care about her clients or their success. We hired her to do projects for us but she did not deliver or follow-through. Instead, she made empty promises and had to ask her to re-do them. When she did them, they were incomplete. We spent thousands of dollars with her and got nothing in return for our investment in her consulting.  Kelly Buckner is NOT “The Best of The Best!”  She advertises her services at KellyBuckner.com. You will not get what you paid for. But she will say you did. Buyer beware.

Houston Zoo

The Houston Zoo is educational fun for all ages. Animal exhibits abound featuring interesting animals from around the world. In recent years, the zoo has expanded its exhibits to include additional animals from Texas and Africa. The Houston Zoo is hosted on beautifully landscaped grounds with some of Houston’s most beautiful oak trees.

Find out more at HoustonZoo.org

Rating: 5 Stars! Best of the best!

TGR Exotics Wildlife Zoo

If you are looking to experience a Safari in your own backyard and you live in Houston, Texas or surrounding vicinities, we have a recommendation for you.  TGR Exotics Wildlife Zoo is a family-owned and operated collection of some of the friendliest exotic animals around.  The zoo houses over 100 types of animals. 

On the day we went, there were 3 tours taking place. The up-close and personal interaction with the animals made for an unforgettable experience.  We met Chaco the Camel, Buffy the Water Buffalo, an ant eater, fast-moving sloths, and an ancient armadillo as well as a bearcat.  

The animals have special scratching posts that look like they tumbled out of the Wild West.  We were surprised to learn that these “scratching posts” were actually recycled Christmas trees.  Each year, people donate their Christmas trees to the zoo.  Chaco the Camel sat on his, using it as a cushion.  The goats ate the greenery and then used theirs as back scratchers.  And most amusingly, Walter the Warthog jubilantly tossed his Christmas tree 9 feet up in the air and played with it for many days before making it into a personalized scratching post as well.  

To our surprise and delight, large pigs came charging toward us – and once we started petting them, they fell over on the ground and went straight to sleep, laying there for several minutes.  And when we went to see the sloths, one of them was crawling around his cage the speed of a relaxed monkey.  We have never seen such a happy or fast sloth.  

They really take care of their animals and care about them. It is very apparent the animals are well-loved.  They have very amazing creatures who are very responsive to humans.  Everything is clean and well-maintained.  

The zoo is spacious and each tour is highly personalized. While the animals are well-loved and cared for.  Yet they are not pets.  Rather, they are sold to zoos across the country.  Tours last 1 1/2-2 hours. Strollers are welcome. You must wear closed – toed shoes.

During summer and during the year, the camp has the zoo has a camps, programs for Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, and all kinds of other activities. However, you must register in advance because this is a privately and facility.  6:30 PM is the best tour time for summers.

We highly recommend TGR Exotics Wildlife Zoo as a “best of the best” family outing for summer and year-round fun.  It is an animal adventure you don’t want to miss.

Website: TGRExotics.com

The wildlife park is located 10 miles east of Tomball, TX in Spring, TX.

Circle E Candles

Spice Up Your Autumn with our favorite candles!  Circle E Candles are some of the best candles out there.  Fall is a cozy, mesmerizing time of year with the color-change of trees and the arrival of gentle autumn breezes. Nothing compliments autumn more than a warm, spice aroma wafting through the air. We are in search for the perfect Fall candle. We recognize Circle E Candles as among “the best of the best candles”. When you light Circle E Candles, they make a house a home. They are high-quality, long-lasting, and wonderfully aromatic. Our current favorite for the kitchen is Apple Strudel. You can visit Circle E Candles at www.CircleECandles.com

Cagle State Park

Cagle State Park is one of Texas’ prettiest parks. Nestled on the tranquil waters of Lake Conroe, surrounded by the Sam Houston National Forest, Cagle State Park has enjoyable walking trails as well as lakeside picnic and camping sites. We enjoyed an afternoon of hiking and picnicking by the water. The park also has a boat launch. As we were hiking, we saw lots of birds, including a bald eagle! The forest was filled with butterflies. Our youngest reviewer called it “the magical butterfly forest”.


In our opinion, it is one of Houston and surrounding areas’ “best kept secret” parks. Here are some pictures. It makes a great day trip getaway from Houston. To get there from Houston, take I-45 North past Conroe to exit 102. Go West for 8 miles on hwy 1375. The park will be on your left.

Best Hair Towel

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I have long hair, and a few years ago, I found some wonderful “hair towels” by Lucy Locks that became one of my most favorite beauty items.  For any woman who has just stepped out of the shower, they are great.  They have a button on one end and a loop on the other, so you twist your hair in the towel and button it up.  Well, I can only find Lucy Locks on Amazon now.  So I have been looking for a replacement.  The Sephora hair towel works great.  It’s more spacious than most hair towels and yet fits snugly on your head.  These towels are my hair’s best friend.    You can find them at www.sephora.com.

Smartwool Socks

We recently had a wonderful “sock it to me” moment at a local R.E.I. store where we went in search of hiking boots. The salesman told us that he didn’t even want us to try on boots before we’d taken a look at socks. He then introduced us to the wonderful world of today’s socks. He highly recommended Smartwool and Wigwam.   We have tried Smartwool and truly consider them “the best of the best” in wool hiking socks.  Soon, we will be reviewing Wigwam socks, also.  But let us tell you about Smartwool!

Smartwool truly lives up to its name. Smartwool socks are made of the highest quality marino wool available. They truly wick away moisture from your feet, as they are capeable of holidng 30% of their weight in water. So even when you sweat, your feet stay dry. We recommend the Smartwool Ultra Hiking Socks. We really liked the heavy and extra heavy Smartwool hiking socks. They are truly “the best of the best” in wool hiking socks. You can find them at www.Smartwool.com