FOOD-DAY, TUESDAY!

Having grown up in Midland, I could eat Mexican food everyday of the week and not get tired of it. One of my many favorite local Mexican restaurants is Jorge's Cafe, located at 3323 N. Midland Drive, Suite 100 in Midland.

Founded by Jorge Lopez and opened since 1981, the location on Midland Drive is the original location in Midland. Many patrons have grown-up with the restaurant which now includes locations in Amarillo, Austin and Dallas. 

Once seated, the friendly staff makes sure you have chips and a bowl of Jorge's famous salsa to start your meal off right. The salsa is made fresh daily and it is apparent in the taste. Jorge's salsa is one of my favorites around town.

I decided on the 'Flautas de Pollo' - two chicken grilled flautas topped with salsa espanola. The shredded chicken is rolled in corn tortillas and grilled till crispy. The salsa espanola is a tasty sauce of stewed tomatoes, onions, and peppers. The crispy corn tortilla shell soaks up the juices of the salsa making every bite full of flavor and seasonings. For another layer of flavor, the flautas are accompanied with a small taco bowl full of guacamole for topping. The flautas are served with the usual rice and beans, but as the salsa espanola mixes with these sides it makes yet another layer of flavor for this dish. 

Needless to say my husband and I left Jorge's Cafe full stomachs and very happy.

Oscar's Review with Sarah Brown

Yesterday the Academy of Motion Pictures presented the 84th Annual Academy Awards, aka the Oscar's. And while it was nice to see who won Best Actor, Actress, and Picture, we all know we really watch for the fashion.

Local designer Sarah Brown reviewed the Oscar's and sent us her picks for best and worst dressed, along with some trends of the night, but first a little information about our contributor.

Sarah Brown is a wife, mother, and local wedding gown designer of Sarah Brown Couture.She received her Bachelors of Science degree in Apparel Design and Manufacturing with a minor in Art from Texas Tech University and Florence University of the Arts in Italy.

 Sarah Brown Couture was founded in 2007 and is a full-service design business based out of Lubbock, Texas specializing in couture wedding gowns, trousseau, and formal dresses, Sarah Brown Couture.... Where a woman's special occasion needs are met from illustration to dress through a personalized and unique process.

Sarah picked up on several trends pertaining to the dresses, including metallic fabrics, asymmetrical details including one-shoulder and diagonal seam lines, and draping. The colors trending last night were platinum, shades of red and tones of white/silver. As for styling, Sarah picked out bold colored lips in shades of plum, fuchsia, and red. And in hair, the trend leaned towards very polished straight hair, straight cuts, and loose wavy hair.

And now to what we really care about....best and worst.

In the best dressed nominees Sarah choose Cameron Diaz, Octavia Spencer, Stacy Keibler, Jessica Chastain, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Penelope Cruz.

Sarah's best dressed pick is Milla Jovovich in an Ellie Saab one shoulder dress with paillette beading.

 As for worst dress Sarah choose another Ellie Saab dress, this time worn by Kate Mara. The pale blush color and the sagging one sleeve detail did not flatter the beautiful actress.

A Day in the Park

What a beautiful Sunday!

 I decided to take my son to walk the nature trails at Tumbleweed Park and Windlands Park, located adjacent to each other at 1000 W. Dengar. With a light breeze and warm sun this leisurely walk was the perfect way to enjoy the spring-like weather.

The trees are just starting to bloom which only makes me excited for Spring.

Sadly there are no sculptures in Windlands Park currently, but hopefully soon the new sculptures for 2012 will be on display.

Enjoy today! Happy Sunday!

Pink Tumbleweed

Today I had the pleasure of meeting Allison Tindle, the very stylish and friendly owner of Pink Tumbleweed, located at 4410 N. Midkiff, Ste. A3 in Midland. 

Allison grew up in Hobbs, NM and dreamed of opening and running her own boutique. After college, Allison returned to Hobbs to open Bedazzled with a close friend.  When Allison's husband transferred to Midland two years ago, Allison decided to open Pink Tumbleweed. 

The goal of Pink Tumbleweed is to offer the women of Midland trendy and fashion forward apparel and accessories at a reasonable price. Allison tries to keep all merchandise under $45, with the focus being able to buy an entire outfit for under $100. And with new shipments arriving every Friday, you will be sure to find the most up to date fashions. Also make sure you check out their Facebook page for weekly deals and special events.

To find these great selections stop by and see Allison Tindle at Pink Tumbleweed, located at 4410 N. Midkiff, Ste A3 in Midland, open Monday-Saturday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM.

And next time you are in Tyler, make sure you stop by the soon-to-be opened Pink Tumbleweed Tyler, opening March 26th.

FOOD-DAY, TUESDAY!

One my family's favorite places for a casual breakfast or lunch is Lori's Cafe, located at 2201 W. Wall Street, Midland. With a comforting, diner feel, eating at Lori's Cafe feels like coming home. The restaurant focuses on the freshest ingredients from the surrounding area.

We started our meal with an appetizer playfully named "Mouse Bait." Wedges of buttery brie are breaded and fried to create a light crust. Served on a small, wooden block, the wedges are accompanied by a tart raspberry spread.

For lunch, my husband and I both choose to pot roast melt with sweet potato fries. The slow-cooked pot roast is served on toasted, buttered sour dough bread. The roast is very juicy, and topped with sweet grilled onions and Swiss cheese. The sweet potato fries have the perfect ratio of crispy skin and buttery middle.

After hearing the pie selections, I couldn't help but order a slice of chocolate cream pie. The light and fluffy topping is topped with chocolate shavings. The chocolate filling is  light and airy, and not too sweet. And the pie crust, oh the pie crust was delicious, buttery, and flaky,

Lori's Cafe is a great, family-friendly establishment for Midland. 

Upcoming Features

This weekend we were out and about trying to get the word out about Living Midland.

In the next few weeks look for posts featuring...

Frank Hawk Jewelry,

La Bebe Boutique,

and Suzie Q's Pack N Mail and Gifts.

And of course we will have a FOOD-DAY, TUESDAY this week.

FOOD-DAY, TUESDAY!

Last week my husband and I decided to try Harvest Caffe, located at 2101 W. Wadley, for lunch. We were pleasantly surprised by the table service, being that last time we ate there we ordered with the cashier. With eclectic decor and a roaring fire, Harvest Caffe is a cozy place for a cup of coffee, breakfast, or lunch.

I choose the Southwest Blackened Chicken Salad. The nicely seasoned grilled chicken was served on a bed of romaine lettuce with a black bean corn salsa. The lettuce was crisp and crunchy which accompanied the grilled chicken well. The salsa, comprised of black beans, corn, red onion, and red bell pepper is the perfect topping. Two pieces of flat-bread crackers topped with sesame seeds are served alongside the salad, perfect for scooping lettuce and vegetables on your fork. I also am a fan of serving food on simple white plates so that the food is the star.

Now since I had a salad for lunch, I decided that I could treat myself to one of Harvest Caffe's massive lemon squares, after-all isn't that how calorie math works? The lemon filling is the perfect blend of tart and sweet, sitting on top of a flaky crust.

Harvest Caffe is a great place to get a light lunch with friends, or curl up in front of the fireplace with a warm cup of coffee and god book.

The Heart of Walmart

Over the weekend my family and I were honored to attend a presentation, at the south Walmart located at 200 W Interstate 20 in Midland,  given by Walmart Heart to two little girls living with Cystic Fibrosis.

Walmart Heart is one part of the philanthropic side of Walmart. Walmart Heart started with on Walmart Truck Driver befriending a sick child and building  a lasting friendship. Now it includes drivers from across the United States impacting thousands of individuals on a local level. This program allows drivers to reach out to children or adults with chronic medical conditions or special needs, or families of those serving in the military experiencing difficulties.

This past Saturday, February 11, 2012, drivers representing Walmart Heart honored Madison and Kendall by making them honorary truck drivers, and showering them with gifts.

Madison with the Drivers and other Walmart Representatives

 Kendall with the Drivers and other Walmart Representatives

 Madison getting ready to ride in the truck with her father

Kendall getting ready to ride in the truck

The Walmart truck drivers were the nicest guys around. The best way to sum up the feeling we all felt that day for those drivers is a quote from Sam Walton, "When you're out on the highway, you can bet your bottom dollar the guy behind the wheel is a true professional. He's not just driving a truck. He's dedicated to serving our stores and he's an ambassador to everything we stand for out on the road."

FOOD-DAY, TUESDAY!

Every Tuesday I want to highlight local food, being where to find the best local delicacy or a feature on a local restaurant.

Today I pose a question.... Where do you go to get the best hamburger in Midland?

For me, I go to Bob's Better Burger at 3417 Thomason Ave. to get a small jalapeno cheeseburger.

Bob's opened 50+ years ago with the same sign that stands today. A simple drive-in, where you get out of your car to order, pick up your food after hearing your number, and take it back to your car to eat. The recipes have changed very little with everything still being made to order. The hamburgers are simple with toasted buns, juicy meat, simple vegetables, and my personal favorite, very fine chopped jalapenos. The perfect partner for this delicious burger, the extra crispy fires or tater tots. Finish it off with a milkshake and I am one happy girl.

Let me know where to get your favorite burger, I might be persuaded.

Hello Midland!

The inaugural post. I am proud to call Midland my home. I grew up here, met my husband here, and have chosen Midland to raise my family. After searching the internet for a website or blog that featured Midland's events, activities, and people, I found nothing. I decided to start LivingMidland.com. The purpose, to highlight events, activities, local artists, businesses, and restaurants. I have many things planned and I am hoping that LivingMidland.com will become the go to place for everything Midland.

I encourage feedback and ideas at livingmidland@gmail.com.

Let's start this journey together!