By Haley Shapeley

 

Indulge in a few of the finer things in life — art, wine and chocolate — at Grapevine’s Chocolate Fest, all while helping Travelers Aid Dallas/Fort Worth, a nonprofit that assists individuals and families who are in transition or who are separated from their normal support systems and are facing a travel-related crisis.

The sixth-annual event kicks off from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, March 12, with An Evening of Chocolate and Wine, held at La Buena Vida Vineyards, where vino, chocolate, hors d’oeuvres, live music and a silent auction will all play a part in a good night. Attendees get a souvenir commemorative wineglass, and Channel 5 morning news anchor Deborah Ferguson will serve as the emcee and celebrity judge. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door.

On Saturday, March 13, chocoholics can head to the Palace Arts Center from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for art exhibits and sales; live music; contests; chocolate samplings from area chocolatiers, caterers, bakeries and restaurants; and more. Tickets for adults are $14 in advance, $15 at the door, and include 10 chocolate tastings. Kids age 7 and younger are $5, and they’ll get three samplings. Order your advance tickets by 6 p.m. on March 11 here.

Local hotels are offering special accommodation packages to go with the Chocolate Fest; click here to learn more.

All the good stuff all in one place and all for a good cause … you can’t beat that guilt-free fun!

Love live music? Then you’ll love Grapevine, which has plenty of venues exhibiting everything from Texas twang tunes to top 40 hits. Here are eight standout places around town to check out a performance:

Ama Lur: This Southwestern restaurant inside the Gaylord Texan sets a romantic tone with a salsa band.

Back Porch Grill & Tavern: Look for country crooners on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, and get in on the action yourself with Thursday night karaoke.

Buon Giorno Coffee: A quintessential coffeehouse, Buon Giorno delivers, as you would expect, on the mellow folk/acoustic vibe.

Dino’s Steak & Claw House: Dark, cozy and romantic, Dino’s serves up an elegant meal accompanied by pitch-perfect piano.

Farina’s Winery: Live entertainment on Thursday and Saturday nights enhances the environment of this Main Street tasting room.

Love & War in Texas: Get a heaping helping of Texas music (and down-home grub, including Texas-shaped cornbread) at this restaurant full of state pride.

 

Palace Arts Center: Home of the Grapevine Opry, Palace Arts Center also hosts concerts throughout the year from other big acts.

Tolbert’s Restaurant: There’s live music at Tolbert’s every day of the week, and you’ll hear everything from pop and funk to R&B and dance to cover bands.

By Haley Shapley

By Haley Shapley

Ahh, it’s February — stores are stocked to the hilt with products in pink and red, rose prices are about to skyrocket and love is in the air. If you’re spending Valentine’s Day with your main squeeze in Grapevine, you’ve picked the right place to celebrate your love.

If you heart vino, you’ll want to check out the Valentine’s Day Wine Trail. The adventure starts at Cross Timbers Winery, and from there, you’ll make your way to seven other wineries around town, receiving three 1-ounce tastes at each location, a premium bottle of wine, a large wine glass and food samplings. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 13, and Sunday, Feb. 14. Tickets are $45 before Feb. 12, $50 at the door.

For something a little different on the day of, climb aboard Grapevine Vintage Railroad’s Sweetheart Express and sip on mimosas while you ride in authentic Victorian-style coaches to Fort Worth. A champagne brunch will be served on the way there, and everyone will get a special gift on the way back. The train departs from Cotton Belt Depot at 10:30 a.m. and returns at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $80 per person and can be purchased here, or by calling (817) 410-3123.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

By Haley Shapley

I’ve only been to England once, but it was — to borrow a quintessentially British word — brilliant. Loads of history, double-decker red buses and lovely accents — what more could you want?

Sure, America and England may have had a misunderstanding or two back in the 1700s, but now we’re quite chummy, and plenty of British expats find themselves working and living in the U.S. To cater to that population in North Texas, British Emporium opened its doors in 1992, offering hard-to-find groceries, imported tea, biscuits, chocolates, frozen products and more.

The shop gets a steady stream of customers, and there are plenty of transplanted Brits delighted over spotting things like Smarties (the chocolate candy sold in Europe, not the *cough cough* delicious American/Canadian sugar candy), sticky toffee pudding, Heinz Baked Beans and curd and relish in almost as many flavors as you can imagine.

There are tons of fun gifts, too, like Beatles Monopoly, British movies, red phone booth coin banks, Underground key chains and everything you’d need for a quite proper tea party (including a huge array of tea, teapots and cups to choose from). Pinkies out!

The British Emporium is located at 140 N. Main St., and is open Monday through Saturday from 10 to 6, Sunday from 12 to 5. Learn more by calling 817.421.2311, or by visiting the Web site.

By Haley Shapley

I love to eat out, but sometimes I really just feel like eating in. Not cooking, mind you — I don’t do that — but curling up on my couch, turning on the TV, and eating some good take-out. If you’re in Grapevine and are ready to escape back to the hotel room with a bag of grub better than fast food, stop by the Cotton Patch Cafe. This Texas institution, founded in 1989, boasts fresh produce and high-quality meats and seafood.

Sitting in the cozy dining room is an option, of course, but you can get anything you want from the to-go counter, including blackened tilapia, crispy fried catfish, a grilled chicken sandwich, hot cinnamon apples and banana puddin’. My choice was the turkey melt with a cup of their famed potato cheese soup. The turkey was fresh and flavorful, while the soup — combining two of my greatest food loves, cheese and potatoes — was creamy and delicious. I’m already dreaming of more ...

If you’ve got a smaller appetite, and hate wasting the mega-portions at every other restaurant, you’ll love the Dixie Bell Plates. They offer a smaller portion and a smaller price tag. If you do want the whole hog, though, the price is still right — nearly all the menu items can be had for less than $15, and everything off the kids’ menu is under $5.

Cotton Patch Cafe is located at 4020 William D. Tate. Call ahead and order at (817) 545-5511.

By Haley Shapley

When I first tried hot yoga a few months ago, I didn’t know what to expect. Sure, I knew it would be hot and that there’d be some yoga, but what would it really be like? Before heading into the class, the instructor told the newbies that the goal was to stay in the room the entire time, even if we were just lying down on our mats … that didn’t sound promising.

The room took my breath away, literally. They don’t call it hot yoga for nothing. As my body acclimated to the temperature, though, I found it relaxing — although, make no mistake, the temp was still on fire. As we moved through the series of poses, I was surprised by how much more flexible my body was in the heat. By the end of the 90-minute session, I had sweat profusely out of every pore in my body (gross, I know), but I felt great. A little dehydrated and tired, but strong and energized.

If you’re thinking about trying hot yoga for the first time (or if you’ve been practicing for years), Grapevine has a studio for you. Bikram Yoga Grapevine is a certified Bikram Yoga school, with an owner/director who is the most senior Bikram-certified instructor in the DFW area. In each class, you’ll work every muscle, tendon, joint, ligament, internal organ and gland in your body (some of which you’ll never know you had!). If you’re new to the workout, check out their first-timer page and FAQs.

Bikram Yoga Grapevine is located at 240 N. Main St. For more information, visit their site, call (817) 416-YOGA or e-mail info@bikramyogagrapevine.com.

By Haley Shapley

Who doesn’t love a good park? I grew up with one nearby my house that was right on the water and had a walking trail, baseball fields, tennis courts and a playground. That park only did me wrong once: One day, I sat on a chicken swing that rocked back and forth. The next day, I had the chicken pox. I deduced that it was from the chicken at the park — I think that’s pretty rational thinking for a 3-year-old. The next time I went to the park, I hit that chicken swing for giving me what I called “chicken box.” My family still laughs about it, but let me reiterate, dear family: I was three!

Anyway, there’s nothing better than a good park, and Grapevine has got them in spades. They range from teeny-tiny (the 0.25-acre Liberty Park, which houses the historic Torian Cabin) to sprawling (the 119-acre Horseshoe Trails/Snakey Lake Park, with an asphalt trail and mountain bike trail for the athletically inclined). Some, such as Big Bear Creek Nature Preserve/Park and the Botanical Gardens at Heritage Park, will appeal to nature lovers. While others — like Dove Park, with its swimming pool; basketball, tennis and sand volleyball courts; in-line hockey area; gazebos; and play structure — will impress the little ones.

For a good all-around choice, check out Bear Creek Park — which has a trail with interpretive signs; two highly-rated, disc golf courses; athletic fields; play areas; exercise stations; benches; and picnic areas. For more information, and a complete run-down of all of Grapevine’s parks, click here.

By Haley Shapley

No one knows the local scene better than, well, the locals. Amy Robinson, former editor of city magazine Grapevine Today, has lived in North Texas all her life and hangs out regularly in Grapevine with her husband and three daughters, ages 11, 6 and 5. Here is Amy’s take on the best family-oriented spots around town.

What would you recommend checking out first for someone who’s never been to Grapevine?

I’d recommend visiting Main Street first to someone who has never been to Grapevine. There are tons of cute little shops, galleries, restaurants, wineries and fun little things to see on Main Street. My kids love the gazebo and I love being able to stroll down the street at my leisure and wander in and out of all of the stores. One of my personal favorite shops is British Emporium.

What’s a family-friendly restaurant you like to eat at?

We really like Mimi’s. They have some great kids items, plus the servers are always really good at talking to the kids. Another great restaurant is Los Amigos.

Are there any places in town where you like to shop?

I like British Emporium, as I mentioned before, but the entire family enjoys Grapevine Mills. We can spend almost an entire day there!

So take it from Amy and visit some of these places next time you’re in the area — it’s always a good bet to listen to the locals!

By Haley Shapley

When I was in elementary school, one of my friends had a tea-themed birthday party, and I thought it was absolutely the coolest thing ever. Heck, 20 of my adult friends had a tea party the other day at an area restaurant, and it sounded great.

If you want to give your little girl that traditionally-English-but-with-a-twist-of-American-sass childhood experience, Let’s Pretend Tea Parties is the place to go in Grapevine. Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., drop by the Jenkins Street location for dress-up, makeup and tea time, along with a yummy cupcake. The cost is $8.95 per little princess and $5.95 for you (you get tea and a cupcake as well — just because you’re a parent doesn’t mean you have to give up the good stuff!), and you can stay as long as you’d like.

The pictures will be priceless, and if you really want to go all out, take your young’un to the on-site Royal Salon, where she can get a mini mani or pedi and a fancy updo with all the trimmings (including a take-home tiara, if you wish). Little boys are welcome, too, and they can dress up as a swashbuckling pirate or a brave knight, trading blush and eye shadow for tiny tattoos.

If you’re in town on Saturday, February 6, check out Let’s Pretend’s fairy-tale event at the Grapevine Convention Center (1209 S. Main St.), where a host of glamour stations will give girls a chance to get sparkly nails, a new hairdo, a touch of makeup and face-painting. Disney princesses Belle, Snow White and Cinderella will be on hand, taking pictures with all the mini blushing beauties. Tickets are $15 per child (parents are free!).

If I were still 6-years-old, I’d be there!