Ruby Tequila's dares you to take the fajita challenge

I'm always look for the best so when I heard a rumer that the best fajitas in Houston were located at the newest Midtown Mex-Tex restaurant, Ruby Tequila's Mexican Kitchen, I had to check them out.

"Our fajitas are the best in the city," said Ruby Tequila's president Cory Strickland. "In fact, if you try them and don't agree, they're FREE."

Now I bet that has your attention.

BEEF, CHICKEN AND SUNSET?
It definitely got my attention so I had to go check them out - not that I'm a fajita connoisseur or anything, but I do know a thing or two about food having written for a food trade magazine for six years. Besides, I've been eating all my life.

Ruby Tequila's is opening officially on October 12 in Midtown and the venue has three types of fajitas: Fajitas al Carbon, Shrimp Fajitas and something called a Sunset Fajita, which is like your basic chicken or beef fajita but smothered with their special homemade queso inferno.

But before we even get to the fajitas, let me tell you what impressed me most about Ruby's is that everything is fresh...really fresh. I checked out their kitchen and they don't even have a microwave or warming station, which means every order is made to order. It also means, you're not going to get rubbery quesadillas, dried out tamales or crunchy old Mexican-style rice.

"Everything is made from scratch," said Strickland. "We don't buy anything pre-prepared. We chop up all the peppers, tomatoes and onions in the kitchen, we create our marinade for the meat, and we are cooking and prepping all day long."

I checked out the cooking stations and he wasn't exaggerating. Everything was made the old fashioned way and they don't fry their meat; they actually have a mesquite oven in the kitchen so everything has an authentic smoky flavor.

"All our meat is certified Angus beef that we trim and cut in-house," Strickland said, as he showed me the actual wood they use in the oven.

I even checked out their giant cooler and there weren't bottles of processed salad dressing or jars of pre-made salsa. It even kind of smelled good in there. And if you don't believe me, you can check it out yourself.

"We have an open kitchen policy. Any customer who wants to see the kitchen is welcome to come back for a tour," said Strickland. "The pico de gallo, guacamole, sauces, salsas, tortillas and beans are made throughout the day to ensure consistent freshness on every plate. At the end of each day, any leftovers are discarded. Nothing is reheated, frozen or saved for the next day."

In fact, the made-fresh concept is carried right out to the tables as they will make your guacamole dip right in front of you to your own level of spiciness and chunkiness. In other words, you're not going to get some just-add-water powder version.

THE RITAS TO GO WITH THE FAJITAS
While the food is good, the margaritas are outstanding and according to the bartender, what makes them so good is that they are made from real ingredients.

"We don't use a mix. They are made with premium tequila, Grand Marnier, Patron and freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice," said the bartender.

Their signature margarita is their Supreme Rita. It's your choice of tequila (I got Tres Generaciones), Grand Marnier, Patron Citronge and a little lime juice for $7.99. An extra shot is only $1.00.

The bartender also recommended their Pineapple Fusion Rita.

"That one is my favorite. It's pineapple infused sauza tequila, vanilla bean and Grand Marnier," said the bartender.

SO ARE YOU UP FOR THE FAJITA CHALLENGE?
So DO they the best fajitas in town? Give them a try at one of their two locations and let me know.

You'll find Ruby Tequila's Mexican Kitchen in Willowbrook at FM 1960 and Highway 249 and in Midtown located at 2616 Louisiana at McGowen.

Oh, and they have a Happy Hour. Monday to Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and all day Wednesday, they serve $0.99 draft beer and $1.99 house margaritas.

"Our Wednesday Happy Hour turns the middle of the week into a Friday," said Strickland.

Hmmm...weekend thinking on a Wednesday. Gotta love that.

Calling all ghost hunters -- it's time to get spooky

Did you know Galveston isn't just famous for hurricanes; it's also pretty famous for being haunted. In fact, a number of books, Web sites and ghost hunters claim it's one of the most haunted cities in America.

Naturally, I'm always up for a little historical spookiness, which is a good thing because this fall the Galveston Historical Foundation has added a "Spirits of the Past" Cemetery Tour to its Haunted Happenings offerings...and they say the "hauntings" are happening at the Broadway Cemetery.

Apparently, this cemetery isn't just full of rotting corpses. It's got some interesting local people and a few history-makers buried there.

Of course, they can't guarantee any of the ghosties will actually appear - because you just can't tell a dead person what to do, but they do say the spirit of Major General James B. Magruder who led a land and sea operation that successfully returned the City of Galveston to the Confederacy in 1863 is there - although I didn't see him. Not that I'm complaining. I love the ghosties , but am totally afraid of them at the same time.

Anyways, if you go and have more balls than I do, you may also sense (or maybe see if they really like you) the Perugini Brothers. These two guys were born on the same date two years apart. They later joined the Navy in separate states on the same day, unbeknownst to each other. And then they both died on the same day in a torpedo gun turret in World War II.

Spooky. I have goosebumps just typing this.
MORE GHOSTS TO SEE

But the cemetery isn't the only haunted place on the island. According to the people at the Historical Foundation, there are a lot more ghosties around.

They also have a couple more tours that will leave you wondering just what it is that goes bump in the night.
Ashton Villa's Are We Haunted? Tours
Every Friday in October: 5 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m
October 31: 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The one-hour tour checks out the Ashton Villa which may be haunted by the spirit of "Miss Bettie," the daughter of the house's first owner, James Moreau Brown.

Haunted Harbor Tours Aboard Seagull II
Every Friday and Saturday in October: 4:30 p.m.
October 30 and 31, 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
This tour presents a frightening look at the many tragic events that have occurred in and around Galveston Harbor for their guests aboard the 50-foot passenger boat, Seagull II.
Haunted Cemetery Tours
October 29, 30, 31, 2009, 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Tickets for all the "Haunted Happenings" tours are available at GHF's website: www.galvestonhistory.org.
Adult prices are:
$20 for Ashton Villa
$15 for Haunted Harbor
$12 for Haunted Cemetery.

Whisky Wednesday's at the Manor

There's nothing like listening to the smooth vocals of Frank Sinatra in the comfort of a casual lounge to help chase away the stress of the week.

So when I learned that The Manor on Washington was having their first "Whisky Wednesday" complete with cigars, a special drink menu and music from the Rat Pack, I had to find out more.

"Whisky has always been kind of a tradition with the Rat Pack and Frank Sinatra, so we wanted to bring some of that tradition to the Manor," said Rae Millican, who does PR for the venue.

However, if you think this is going to be some sort of whisky drunk fest, you'll be disappointed. "Whisky Wednesdays" at the Manor are actually quite cool because what they've done is take the concept of traditional wine and food pairing and tweaked it to whisky and cigars.
Yes...you heard me - it's a cigar and whisky pairing.

"There will be five types of cigars ranging from $8.00 to $20.00, and based on what cigar the person picks, we'll pair it up with a whisky or scotch," Millican said.

Millican says they have researched the cigars and brought in a number of whiskys and scotches to make the night unique. In fact, they will even have a special menu that ranges from the basics like Jack Daniels and Crown Royal to top shelf brands.

WHISKY HAPPY HOUR AND A LITTLE SECRET

Now I know "Whisky Wednesday" is already sounding pretty good and I admit they had me hooked when they told me about the pairings, but it gets even better -- and I'm not even a smoker.

From 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. there is a happy hour with discounts on Jack Daniels and Jim Beam. And of course, there is no cover to get in.
"You just show up and have a good time," Millican said.
Wednesday, September 30, is their first "Whisky Wednesday" which is when I went, but don't worry if you can't make it. They plan on doing this every Wednesday.

But for those of you who are true cigar and whisky connoisseurs (or maybe you're like me and just would like to be), Millican let me in on a little secret.

"Two weeks from now, we are bringing in a specialist to do a whisky flight."
Now that sounds like a night that would make the Rat Pack happy.
LOCATION:
In case you haven't been yet, the Manor is located at 4819 Washington (Washington and Sheppard).

Love Guinness? It's time to unite on Arthur's Day

I've never had Guinness. I know you're shocked, but for some reason an opportunity to drink the dark stout has never come up.

But that all may change this Thursday when 5,000 pubs and bars across the United States will host celebrations to toast the world's most iconic stout --whoohoo!

That's right. On September 24, Guinness lovers everywhere will toast 250 years of brewing tradition started by one remarkable man: Arthur Guinness.



The global celebration known as Arthur's Day marks the 250th anniversary of Arthur Guinness signing the 9,000-year lease on the famous St. James's Gate brewery in Dublin in 1759.

The commemoration of this milestone will begin in Dublin and spread westward throughout the United States and across the world.

But what I'm sure you want to know is...just who is celebrating it in Houston.

I know I did. So I called over a dozen pubs and bars in the area, and surprisingly, very few of them even knew it was going on (yeah...I know. How can you call yourself an Irish pub and not know about this?).

Anyways, I did find two that were getting ready to raise a glass in honor of Arthur:

1) The Bull and Bear Tavern and Eatery @ 11980 Westheimer
- Guinness 250 on Draft for $2.50 all day on September 24
- Free Guinness stew and Irish brown bread at 7 p.m.

2) The Dubliner @ 4219 Washington Avenue
- Jamieson promotion at 10:30 p.m.

By the way, don't bother going to The Ginger Man if you feel like sampling Guinness 250. According to the hostess, they have been serving it all summer and are already sold out.

Couple finds love connection through khou.com...and Sarah Palin

Success stories are the best. Whether it's finding love, completing an incredible feat, taking a chance on life, beating a disease or fulfilling a goal , I love to hear about how it.  It's the dreamer in me.  I honestly believe everyone can reach the moon if they put their heart into it.

And speaking of hearts...this story is a love story. One of the regular commenters on the khou.com site emailed the station to thank us -- here's why:

For months, Trip7 had been a regular commenter on our daily khou.com weather story. But while she's been playing on the site everyday and posting comments, she had no idea that she was about to find her soul mate - and she never expected that he would be living 3,289 miles away in Alaska.

"We were talking about how horribly hot it was and he popped in and said something like it's 47 where he is and we all busted back at him with, 'Thanks a lot. Why don't you rub it in?'" said Trip7.

Kascat and Trip7 first connected on khou.com in May 2009. Kascat is originally from Pearland and is currently working in Alaska. He was checking in on the weather back home and came across Trip7's posts.

"He said what drew him to me in the first place was the way I write. I write in character. I write as Trip," said Trip7. "I play and have fun and I do rain dances to bring in the rain. He was drawn to me because of my writing style."

After a couple weeks of responding back and forth on the weather story, the two moved to public message and then onto private emails. From there it was eight hour phone calls and endless Web cam chats.

AND THEN THERE WAS SARAH

But it wasn't just the weather that brought them together.

"When we went to the private pages on khou.com, he said something to me and I said that I had been Palinized. He said I could do worse," said Trip7.

Yup...that's right. He loves Sarah Palin and Trip7, well...she's probably not Sarah's Facebook friend.

"On the weather blog one day, he said something about coming on up and dealing with the weather, and I said I would rather be hot than deal with Sarah Palin," said Trip7.

This sparked the conversation and got them talking about deeper issues.

"I told him she was fine a woman and I respected her for a lot of things, but I didn't respect her for other things. She needed a guide dog and maybe when she got her mainland legs she would be okay," said Trip7. "It kind of endeared him to me that I took her side."

Then there was a story on abuse that KHOU had posted on the site. After reading it, Trip7 posted an encouraging message to women under the story.

"I had been in an abusive relationship before and I posted a long post about women being brave enough to walk away from it because if you didn't you would die --either physically or emotionally," said Trip 7.

Trip7 says it was this post that got the two of them talking more privately. And from there their love bloomed. Their messages got longer, he sent her photos of where he lived and even sent her some salmon from Alaska.

"We just kept talking and getting to know each other. We kept getting closer and closer and he talked about coming home for Christmas to see his family and how he would like to meet me then," said Trip7.

But Christmas was months away and by August Trip7 and Kascat had made a decision: They were going to meet.

"I hadn't had a vacation in 41 years and he said why don't you come?" said Trip7.

TAKING A CHANCE

Flying to Alaska wasn't an easy decision for Trip7. She was nervous about meeting someone she had met on the internet and she was concerned about how safe it would be to fly miles away from her family and friends to meet someone in a place that she didn't know.

She says even though neither of them had ever met someone online before and they had never tried online dating, she decided to take a chance.

"We just clicked and I felt comfortable enough about it that I decided to book the flight and go," Trip7 said.

Her friends and family thought she was crazy. Some thought that he should come to her. Others were simply worried about what could happen.

And they were right. Something did happen--they fell deeper in love.

"I came around the corner and there he stood. It was like I had known him all my life. I was just overjoyed," said Trip7. "He said that when he saw me his first thought was, 'Oh my God, she's so beautiful.'"

For a week they toured the beautiful Kenai Peninsula (click here to see photos) and fell madly in love with each other.

"He's the most kindest, considerate and loving person I have ever known. He planned the whole trip and went out of his way to show me special places," said Trip7.

Trip7 is now back in Houston, but the love affair isn't over.

Originally, Kascat planned to come home for Christmas, but now he's thinking Thanksgiving. Trip7 is also thinking about her next trip.

"If it weren't for the weather blog, we would have never met. And if it wasn't for Sarah Palin, we would not have gotten so close," said Trip7.

TEN ONLINE DATING SAFETY TIPS

While Trip7 and Kascat seem like a match made in heaven, you can never be too careful when it comes to meeting someone online.

Below are some safety tips from Online Dating Magazine.

1. Trust Your Gut Instinct
2. Don't Provide Personal Information Too Soon
3. Use a Free Email Account
4. Use a Cell Phone or Anonymous Phone Service to Chat
5. Beware of Married People
6. Look for Questionable Characteristics in Your Communication
7. Ask for a Recent Photo
8. Stick With Paid Online Dating Services
9. Don't Get a False Sense of Security
10. Meet in a Public Place for Your First Meeting

Precious stones, a swanky bachelor pad and monogamy? Girl penguins have it made

For those who have been following my blog, you have probably noticed some reoccurring trends. Firstly, I love Starbucks (pumpkin spice latte out this week - yay!) and secondly, I'm a little obsessed with the penguins at Moody Gardens.

But how can I not be? The little birds had me captivated in the documentary "March of the Penguins" and now I just can't get enough of them.

And the boy penguins...well, they are just so polite.

IT'S PENGUIN DATING SEASON

If you go to Moody Gardens this month, you'll be in for treat. That's because their Gentoo Penguins are getting a head-start for the mating season--which is fall to winter on our side of the globe.

Yup, that's right. It's kind of like high school prom where the guys have to pick their date. But instead of being limited to the girls in homeroom, they are limited to the ones living in the pyramid.
And here's how they they get their girls:

• Precious Stones: Males collect rocks to build nests to impress the females. They carry the rocks with their beaks.

• The Super-Sexy Bachelor Pad: Males are territorial to defend the nesting sites.

• How you doing?: Just like Joey in Friends, the penguins have their own way of getting the chicks to check out their bachelor pad. The male attracts females with a head-swing & squawk and shows possession of a nest.

• Double head-swing & squawk: This is how the pair strengthens their bond.

• Respectful Bow: This just may be their way of opening the door for the lady.  It seems the respectful bow is the way a potential couple acknowledges each other and lessens aggression.

• Apparel: Tuxedo-clad penguins are always prepared to look sharp for date nights.

Penguin Courtship Facts: Did You Know?

1. Guys always ask girls out: Yup, the males know that "home is where the heart is" so they usually build a nest, and then find a mate.

2. Girls rule: Females have the power in the penguin world. They determine with whom they want to mate with.

3. Monogamy: The good news is that once the girl accepts you, you are a keeper. In fact, 90 percent of Gentoo females go back to the same mates each year.

4. Thanks, but no thanks: The boys only get one chance. Females won't return to the same males if breeding was unsuccessful in the previous season. So sad. I can just imagine the poor penguin boy waddling away with his head down.

If you want to check out the penguins yourself (or maybe bring your own date there), visit www.moodygardens.org.

Sexy stilettos for the Cinderella in me

Just call me Cinderella, because I totally have a shoe fetish. But not just any old shoes. It's stilettos and high boots that make my heart go all a flutter and my toes curl in delight (this blue one is my favorite).

And this weekend, I think I met my Prince Charming -- when it comes to fairy tale shoes that is.

Houston wood sculpter Omar Angel Perez has created a collection of stilettos that have left me and other women wishing they weren't just for artistic display.

"All the heels are a perfect size 8 to 9, but you would never be able to really wear any of them. Although, I've had a lot of women tell that they wish they could," said Perez.

That's because the instead of the traditional 3 or 4 inch heels, Perez' stilettos average 15 to 24 inches tall.

The shoes are constructed out of wood and are accented with various items including band saw blades, snakeskin, leather, feathers and Swarovski crystals. His sexy stiletto creations are currently on display at the Houston Center of Contemporary Craft.

Perez's shoes have been on display in Massachusetts, Washington and Georgia. While they are causing quite a stir in the art world, he says the project started off as a joke.

"I made the first pair just over a year ago as a joke and my wife didn't even know about it. I was in the workshop working on them and I said, 'Honey, I got a little something that I need you to take a picture of,'" said Perez. "The first thing that came out her mouth was, 'You are so crazy.'

Then she said, ' I love them.'"

Unlike me, Perez says he doesn't have a shoe fetish. Instead, he believes that stilettos take a woman to a different mindset and transforms her personality.

"I think heels give women a different persona, so I tried to explore that with my stiletto series. Some of them have a little attitude like my biker heels which have spikes on them," said Perez.

Other shoes in Perez's collection are more about bringing women to new exotic locations. In fact, one of the pairs contains Indian currency as part of the design and henna dye.

"I was using the idea of taking a woman to a different place," said Perez.
Another pair of stilettos is dedicated to wine drinking. The shoes contains cork and corkscrew elements, while another unique pair has a 50mm bullet added to the design.

Nicole Kidman's character in Moulin Rouge also inspired a pair of Perez' shoes. The pair is titled "Satine" and in order to portray Kidman's performance of "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend," the shoes have 100 crystals attached to them.

"I'm really having a lot of fun with the juxtaposition of different elements and how they go together," said Perez. "Stillettos take a woman to a different location, mindset and mood when she wears them --at least that's what I think based on my male perspective."

Omar has sculpted 25 pairs so far and the most expensive pair has sold for $2,400.

Omar's Stillett"O" exhibit will be on display from Saturday August 29 through Sunday October 25 at the Houston Center of Contemporary Craft.

The artist's reception will be held on September 3 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and is open to the public.

No makeup? No problem for WWE Diva and reality star Torrie Wilson

I'm always wondering how celebrities can look so great all the time. I mean, when I work out, I look like poop. If I happen to be wearing makeup, my mascara has run so much I have raccoon eyes and my hair is one sweaty mess.

So when Houston resident and former WWE Diva Torrie Wilson was willing to share her beauty secrets with me, I jumped at the chance to find out how she managed to look so good all the time.

It turns out even super sexy divas worry about looking good, because with Torrie landed her role on the hit reality show "I'm a Celebrity...Get me out of Here!," she said she had a big dilemma on her hands. How in the world was she going to look good in the sweltering heat of the jungle for weeks with no makeup?


Going without makeup while being on national TV is something most women would dread, but Master Stylist and Lash Queen Noor Daoudi from Xtreme Lashes had the answer for Torrie.


"Torrie wanted something where she would have a little emphasis around her eyes, so I went with lash extensions that were just long and thick enough to look good on TV without looking gaudy," said Noor.


Noor, who has done lash extensions for many celebrities including Kelly Roland from Destiny's child and Rachael Leigh Cook, says the secret to lash extensions has to do with the consultation.


Before applying the extensions, she sits down with each of her clients to find out whether they want a natural look, a day or a night look, lots of drama or something in between. She then comes up with the length of the lash based on the client's eyes to keep them in proportion to her face.

With Torrie, she decided to go with extensions that would keep her looking great while on television, but at the same time, keep her looking natural while in the jungle.


"She wanted a little bit of drama, but not anything extreme," said Noor. "So we went with thick black lashes that were applied to every single eyelash. But we didn't go too long."

Sadly, no matter how great the lashes look going on, lash extensions don't last forever.


Because the lashes are applied one at a time, they shed one at time - as your eyelashes naturally fall out. Noor says that after two weeks, the average client will come back for a refill session to fill in the ones that have fallen out. But it takes six to eight weeks for all of the lash extensions to fall off.

Of course, being in the jungle for four weeks, Torrie did not have the luxury of getting refills every two weeks to replace her extensions. This is why Noor applied them to every single lash at the beginning.


"Because I applied the extensions to all of her lashes, they would continue to look full and thick even as a few were shedding every week," said Noor. "This was an important part of the service for her. She didn't just want to look good the first couple of weeks, but for the whole time she was on the show."


Thankfully, most of us aren't about to go hang out in the jungle. So if Xtreme Lash extensions were able to handle all the bizarre situations Torrie got herself in, then they certainly can handle our day-to-day activities. They are sweat-proof, water-proof and maintenance free. You don't even have to wear mascara unless you want more drama for a special night. For those cases, Xtreme Lash has developed a special mascara made especially for the extensions.


Noor says emphasizing the eyes is one of the secrets that celebrities have embraced as it provides a natural lift to their face.


"If you look at Angelina Jolie or Madonna, they don't pack on the makeup anymore. They have natural looking skin with a natural lip, then heavy mascara on the eyes," said Noor. "For a lot of women, there is no amount of mascara that can give them that length or that lift, so extensions are an option."


The cost of getting extensions depends on the expertise of the stylist, but on average it costs $300 to $350 for the initial set and then $75 to $150 for the refills.


"When broken down by day, it's not more than their daily cup of coffee so for many women, it's becoming a viable solution," said Noor.


But if you haven't had lash extensions, don't feel like you've been left out of the inner beauty circle. Even Torrie was a novice when she came to Xtreme Lashes for help. If you watched the show, then you already know that she made the right decision as she looked gorgeous the whole time. But it wasn't just her luscious lashes that got her through the jungle.


"Torrie has this inner and this physical strength and I just knew she was going to do well on the show," said Noor. "She's one of those people who came from humble beginnings. She a great example of someone who didn't' give up to get her dream. I was really impressed with her when I met her."


On her reality show, "I'm a Celebrity...Get Me out of Here!," which premiered in June, Torrie nearly made it to the end. She was named the runner-up to winner Lou Diamond Phillips.

Meet Houston's hottest bachelors on 'Holidate'

How far would you go to find Mr. Right? Houston's own adventurous Cynthia Hunt and hopeless romantic Jacky were willing to swap cities and dating pools to find out if their match was out there - and they were willing to do while being filmed on SOAPnet's newest dating reality show.

That's right. On Wednesday night Cynthia Hunt, a skin care products company vice president and freelance journalist from Houston, will swap places with Jacky Reres, a regional account manager from Los Angeles.

GETTING TO KNOW THE GIRLS

"I never thought I would do something like this, but my friends talked me into it," said Cynthia.

Each of the women decided to do the show for different reasons. For Jacky, it was all about finding true love.

"I'm a hopeless romantic and I believe it is possible to find someone in another city," said Jacky, who is also in the process of writing a romance novel. "LA is a difficult place to date. A lot of people are in the entertainment business and not focused on having a relationship. For me, at this point in my life, a long term relationship is what I want."

But Cynthia had a different reason.

"I find it a challenge to find guys who are strong enough for me," said Cynthia. "The show was about real women dating real men."

Cynthia says the show addresses the epidemic of smart, single, successful women in their 30s like her.

"I felt it was very pro-woman. I wasn't asked to get in a bikini and hop in a hot tub. I didn't have to do anything I didn't want to do," said Cynthia.

In fact, the crew and producers made sure the girls were comfortable about everything they did on the show. Cynthia says they made her feel like Cinderella.

"I told them that I would rather eat maggots than wear a bathing suit on TV and they were okay with that," said Cynthia. "From the moment I started, they treated me like I was special and tried to make it the best experience that they could."

THE HOLIDATE DATES WITH THE HOTTEST BACHELORS IN HOUSTON

So what did the the girls have to do?

Well, each of the girls had to go on three blind dates with guys the other girl set them up with. And the dates sounded pretty darn good.

Cynthia said her dates included a helicopter ride and dinner, a Harley ride and beach date, and a hike and then dinner at an exclusive restaurant that was open just for the two of them. Don't these sound fabulous? I'm beginning to think that I need a Holidate.

"Men should watch the show just to learn how to plan a creative date. One thing these bachelors all did was plan creative fun dates," said Cynthia.

Cynthia's bachelors were as exciting as her excursions and included an account executive and a fitness model.

But what surprised Cynthia was surprised that the network set her up with one bachelor that was nearly 10 years younger than her. While she normally doesn't date guys that young, by the end of the date, she was glad she gave him a chance.

"One of the guys they set me up with was 29-years-old and I'm 38. I have gotten over it now, and he was very mature and an old soul. He was actually a male model who was living in LA, but was from Houston," said Cynthia.

But just like other reality shows, there were some conditions to the dates. The girls were not allowed to talk to the dates when the camera was off so if you're watching the show, you will know as much about the men as they do.

Also, all their dates were on camera...and if you've been on a blind date recently you already know how nerve wracking they can be. Just imagine it being caught on camera for the world to see. Talk about stress.

"It was stressful to date on camera. It's just not natural. But you can still figure out if you have a connection or not," said Cynthia.

Jacky, too, went on three dates. Her bachelors included a senior consultant, marketing executive and an architect. The guys took her to all the hot spots in the city. In fact, one Houston restaurant, Tony's at 3755 Richmond, is even making the Holidate drink in honor of the show. It's PAMA (a pomegranate liqueur), cranberry and pineapple juice over ice.

"All my dates were around Houston. They were in places that the guys wanted to me to experience while I was in their city and that they thought that I would enjoy," said Jacky.

Being the ultimate romantic, Jacky wouldn't reveal which date was her favorite or where the guys took her. But just like Cynthia, Jacky learned to expand her dating boundaries.

"Everyone has their criteria of what they want in somebody. I found out that many of my preconceived notions of how somebody would be, based on what they did for a living or their interests, was not what I expected," said Jacky.

Jacky says that usually she'll give up on the guy and leave a date in five minutes if she feels it isn't working. With the show, she couldn't do that. She had to stick it out.

"The show forced me to sit through the duration of the date," said Jacky. "I learned that maybe I should stick out my dates in my real life because you can learn a lot about a person if you hang in there. Maybe they would have been a good match for you if you hadn't blown them off in 5 minutes."

SO HOW DID THE BACHELORS RATE?

The girls weren't allowed to reveal how their dates went. You'll have to tune into the Houston show to find out.

BUT they did let a few things slide....

"Jacky's Houston guys were three sexy gentlemen," said Cynthia. "Ryan, Sam and Rob are all confident and adventurous."

"Guys in Texas are definitely better than LA boys," said Jacky.

Hmmm...sounds like these Houston boys are the ones you single girls should look for -- unless you're not into confident, hot, sexy men.

The girls also had advice for the single people out there:

"Keep an open mind. Maybe the person for you isn't in the city that you live in; maybe they are somewhere else," said Jackie.

"Prince Charming doesn't come knocking on your door. You need to get out, network and let your friends set you up. You have to work at it just like you worked at everything else in your life. It doesn't just magically happen like it does in the movies," said Cynthia.

Now that's good advice from girls who know.

You can catch the Houston episode on Wednesday at 9 p.m. on SOAPnet

Getting bit by the biking bug - and liking it!

I've decided to christen Julie Urlaub as Houston's "IT girl" of the week. Not only is she beautiful and intelligent, but she's an adrenaline junkie who's incredibly inspiring.

And here's why. Julie just finished the 24 Hours of Adrenalin Bike Competition in Canmore, Canada this past weekend and she came in third for her age class (she's in the 40 to 45 age group). Whoo-hoo!!

The competition played host to 1,400 cyclists from all over the world and you have to qualify to get into it.

SO WHO IS JULIE?

So is Julie the female version of Lance Armstrong? Well, not exactly. She is actually a managing partner for Taiga Company in Houston and has only been cycling for about six years.

"Houston really has a great community for cycling, whether it's road racing or mountain biking. I just got bit by the biking bug," said Julie.

Julie completed her first race about four years ago, but this was the first year she had participated in the 24 Hours of Adrenalin Competition. She says even though she had been training for a while, the course was challenging.

Because it was in the mountains, there was a lot of climbing. In fact, Julie says the climb was about 1,800-2,000 feet per lap and each lap was 12.5 miles long. Julie was able to complete nine laps in the 24 hour period.

"The race was really awesome. Aside from the climbing, there were a lot of technical sections that required you to pay attention," said Julie. "It wasn't like riding the flat terrain in Houston. You had to be in and out of the saddle and be aggressive on the bike."

While she admits the race took a toll on her body, the backdrop was spectacular and made it all worthwhile.

"It was in Canmore, which is the Canadian Rocky Mountains. It was unbelievably beautiful. Incredibly gorgeous," said Julie.

But Julie wasn't the only one feeling the pain. Rebecca Rusch, who won the female division of the competition, also said that it was a hard course.

"I figure if Rebecca says it's hard, then it must be hard," said Julie. "I have a lot of respect for her so if she says it's so, then I'm going to believe her."

But the race would not have been so fantastic if it wasn't for the hard work of Stuart Dorland, the founder and creator of 24 Hours of Adrenalin. He leveraged social media with twitter and other platforms, which made the race engaging. Julie said it felt like a world class event.

"It was incredible. The participants at the competition really looked out for each other. They were so supportive. You would be so tired and feel like your legs were going to fall off, then you would drive by a group of people and they would yell, 'Way to go! You can make it up this hill'," said Julie. "It was so inspiring to hear this. I've never been in an environment where people were so amazingly supportive."

Julie trained hard for the race, but says she couldn't have done it without the support of her husband and her friend Tony DeOre, who were her pit crew during the competition.

"You think it's just one person out on the bike, but it's not. It's you and your pit crew. They can make and break the race. My husband and Tony helped me get through it," Julie said.

TRAINING FOR THE RACE

For those of you who haven't been to the Canadian Rocky Mountains, they are the complete opposite of Houston's landscape. In fact, the word "flat" doesn't even make the list when describing them.

"Houston is as flat as a pancake. I did a lot of training miles here before going to Canmore. I also did some other races where there was more climbing," said Julie. "But if you can't climb hills, you can push on your gears for sustained effort and work with a trainer to try to prepare your body for it."

Julie bikes five or six times a week, but she's not always going for distance. Some days she rides long, but other days she works more on intensity.

"It all depends. Mileage isn't always the goal. You try to work different systems within the body," said Julie. "There are a lot of micro/macro building within your training."

Julie says she learned her cycling training tricks by talking with other cyclists, getting a coach, surfing the Web and getting to know what her body could handle. But it's not just being on the bike that's important. She also watches her nutrition to ensure she's getting enough protein and carbs. Sleep is also important as recovery is almost as important as the training.

"The misconception is that you are only working when you are on your bike, but really it has to do with keeping a positive mindset and balancing your life and work," said Julie.

GETTING STARTED AS A CYCLIST

One of the great things about biking is that all you need is a bike and a helmet. And you don't need to buy a fancy bike unless you really get into it.

If you are looking for equipment, Julie recommends paying a visit to her favorite bike store, BikeSport. They can give you information on cycling gear, local trails or joining groups in the area. They also have a team that you can join

In case you were wondering what Julie rides, her bike is a Pivot.

"I love my bike," said Julie. "I really encourage women to get out there and try cycling. There is a great organization here in Houston called GHORBA.org. There are a lot of great women in the group and they are at all different levels."

Julie says joining a group will help you improve your cycling skills, as well as make new friends.
"The best thing about the sport is that everyone cheers each other on," said Julie. "The people become dear to your heart."

THE BEST CYCLING TRAILS IN HOUSTON

You don't have to go all the way to Canada to cycle great trails. Julie says she has two favorite places around Houston that she likes to bike.

1) Double Lake off of 59 in Coldspring, Texas - Double Lake is about an hour outside of Houston. It's a fun course because regardless of your skill level, you can find some way to challenge yourself. The course is twisty so you can practice cornering, but it's also a great place to bike if you just want to go for a leisurely ride with friends. Julie says she's seen deer and rabbits on the trail. There is also a pretty lake in the area.

2) Rocky Hill Ranch in Smithville - Rocky Hill Ranch has 25 miles of trails. There are also some areas where you can practice your cycling climbing skills. Rocky Hill offers more technical challenges than the Double Lake trail.

Julie also says there are some great trails in the San Antonio area.

Love Criss Angel Mindfreak? Check out CoRE

I'm going to be honest here -the event I'm about to blog about is not for everyone.

But if you are looking for a show that is memorizing with powerful movements, imagery and music, then check out CoRE at the Meridian on July 25.

CRISS ANGEL IS A WUSS COMPARED TO THESE GUYS

When I first heard about the event, someone told me it was a performance that blended theatrical arts with ancient and modern day rituals of suspension and body piercing.

I know - it sounds a little different from your traditional theatre experience, but I had two big questions: "People really go see that?" and "What exactly does it mean?"

So I had to find out more. And guess what? While it's not exactly a family event, it's kind of cool. That's because the theatre performances of CoRE are sort of like a combination of Criss Angel Mindfreak and Cirque du Soleil, except a lot more raw and intense. In fact, after checking out some their stuff I'm beginning to think Criss Angel may need to kick it up a notch.

"The show is similar to the small original street performances of Cirque du Soleil before they hit the bit time," said Gary Driscoll, Marketing Director of CoRE.

Yup, that's right. There's great lighting, original music, costumes - the whole works. And just like other theatrical performances, the entire audience becomes immersed in the event while becoming a part of it.

But instead of acrobats swinging around or Criss Angel being burned alive or getting run over while laying on a bed of nails, these performers use piercings, swords, spears and other ancient ritualistic items in their performance. There are also no magical illusions. This is the real thing.
"What we do is not new by any standards. The rituals that we do have been done by cultures all over the world. We just put a modern day spin on them and throw in some theatrics," said Driscoll.

SO WHAT WILL YOU SEE ON SATURDAY?

Saturday's performance the Meridian is a special show.

CoRE started in Houston nearly 10 years ago and has since branched out to Los Angeles and Oakland, California. The LA group recently lost their costumes and theatrical equipment in a fire, so showing their true Texas spirit, the Houston group has rallied together to put on a fundraiser for them.

"This show is a small one and it's got a carnival free to it," said Driscoll. "We want you to 'step right up and see the sideshow freak'."

Like all of their shows, this event will have lighting, costumes and original music. The audience will feel like they have been transported into a carnival, but there's a twist: This carnival has a real life voodoo doll as the main attraction.

"To raise money, we want people to buy a dart to hit the voodoo doll, and get a real live person pierced," said Driscoll.

Can you say "ouch"?

Of course, there are some restrictions. There are no piercings on the face, hands or private areas.

Are you ready to "Mindfreaked" Houston style and transported into a carnival that will open your eyes to an ancient artform? If so, check out CoRE at The Meridian.

EVENT DETAILS

Doors open at 9 p.m.
Cover is $10 for ages 21 and up and $12 for 18-21
Location: 1503 Chartres St., Houston , TX 77006
Performances by: ION, Morgue City and CoRE.

Meeting up with a cool Nike Dunk collector

Sometimes the most interesting people are in your own backyard - or in this case, working on a Web site in Dallas.

While at a training seminar, I ran into this guy who had the coolest sneakers, so I had to ask him about them. It turns out, he doesn't just have one pair of cool sneakers but over 900!!

Yes, that's right. That equals 1,800 shoes.

I must admit when he told me this, I went into instant shoe envy. His collection makes my 24 pairs look pitiful in comparison.

But these aren't just any shoes, these are Nike Dunks.

"Some of them are rare and hard to find, so now I'm invested," said Doug, Nike Dunk collector.

Doug says he started collecting the sneakers in 1999 and they just started to grow. In fact, the collection is so massive, he's had them insured for $100,000, but says they are probably worth at least three times more.

I have never meet an avid collector like this before. Yeah, I've met stamp collectors and some people that think their collection of Barbies is pretty big, but they have nothing compared to this. I mean, where do you store 900 pairs of sneakers?

"I have them stacked up in the office, and stacked up in other places in house," said Doug. "But my collection is nothing compared to other people's collections."

DOUG SHOWS OFF HIS NIKE DUNKS ON YOUTUBE

After meeting Doug and researching Nike Dunks, I discovered Doug showing off his shoes on Good Morning Texas. This video is a couple of years old, back in the days when he only had 400 to 500 pairs of shoes.



Like a true collector, Doug is always looking for pairs he doesn't have. He's on the Internet, visits skateboard shops around the country and has even camped out in London for a rare pair of laser Dunks.

But he has a method to his purchases. He says, at first he used to just buy one pair of the sneakers, but now he buys three.

"One pair to wear, one pair to save and one pair just in case something happens to the other two pairs," said Doug.

Doug has Dunks ranging from the "Tiffany's" (which have a little diamond on them), the "Huf Dunks" (which are made with the San Francisco Giants colors) and the Melvins.

After meeting Doug, I was intrigued - not to buy a pair of Nike Dunks, but to see if there were other Nike Dunk sneaker addicts out there.

I was surprised to find that there were. There's actually a whole little community of Nike Dunk sneaker wearing people around that I had no idea existed. (The photo on the left is proof that other collectors love these shoes as much as Doug. They guy filled up his entire sofa!)

But if you're a collector, don't bother calling Doug. He loves his shoes and doesn't want to part with any of them.