The Dumpster is only for Christmas trees — no artificial trees with all lights and decorations removed — and is only for use by Double Oak residents.

Town officials ask that residents do not leave anything outside of the Dumpster. When it is full, nothing else should be dropped off or left on the ground.

As part of the town’s agreement with Waste Management, residents can receive four free passes to the landfill. The passes are available at town hall.

The Flower Mound Parks and Recreation Division is offering free Christmas tree recycling from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m, through Jan. 5 at Gerault Park, 1200 Gerault Road.

The recycling program at 1200 Gerault Road will be offered to residents only, and will not be available to commercial Christmas tree businesses.

Trees cannot be flocked, and must have all the nails and decorations removed as well. Lumber and trash will not be allowed.

Residents who would like mulch are encouraged to bring their own containers. For more information, call 972-874-PARK (7275).

In Highland Village, residents can drop off Christmas trees at Unity Park, 2200 Briarhill Boulevard during the day through Jan. 2.

All decorations should be removed. Trees should be dropped off in the Kids Kastle parking lot.

The post Reminder: Double Oak, others offer Christmas tree recycling appeared first on Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound | News.

Making plans to ring in the New Year? Here is a scattering of events around the region – from performances to celebrations and more.

*9 Social in Highland Village is hosting a party complete with food from Seven Loaves Catering, music from DH Productions, beverages, and a shuttle ride for locals. Limited tickets available. Follow link for details and tickets:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/9-social-new-years-eve-bash-br…

*John Legend performs at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31, at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Okla. http://winstarworldcasino.com/entertainment

*Big D NYE is back to bring in 2015. The focus of attention will of course be Victory Park, where the Big D NYE free party offers food tents, bars, live music including the band competition and of course the famous midnight fireworks, Other features on the Big D NYE are the live music stages, the Victory Music Stage on Olive Street and the eponymous  Big D NYE Stage in Victory Plaza. For those wanting to stand out from the crowd, there is also a VIP option in the form of the Red Carpet Party, which adds access to exclusive VIP areas, the best fireworks views and complimentary champagne.

*City of Highland Village Parks and Recreation is planning the Senior All-Stars New Year’s Eve Party beginning at 7-11 p.m. on Dec. 31 at the Robert & Lee DuVall Center. It will include a traditional New Year’s meal.

*TopGolf, 3760 Blair Oaks, in The Colony is planning a New Year’s Eve Fire and Ice event from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Prices range from $75 to $450. A live DJ will play top hits of the year.

*The 3 Redneck Tenors will perform a New Year’s Eve concert benefiting OhLook Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 8:15 p.m., at Medical Center of Lewisville Grand Theater, 100 N. Charles St. Doors will open at 7 p.m., and dancing at the post-show party for VIP ticket holders will go until 1 a.m. Show tickets are $45 and include the show, all pre-show and intermission entertainment, cash bar and complimentary hors d’oeuvres. VIP tickets are $75, which adds access to the post-show New Year’s Eve party with live entertainment, specialty showcase performances, food, dancing and a midnight toast with the 3 Redneck Tenors. Tickets are available at www.OhLookPerform.com.

*At Silver Lake Marina (Tejas Houseboat), Grapevine – Arispop offers the opportunity to cruise, dance and eat in the romantic moonlit atmosphere of beautiful Lake Grapevine as we praise, dance and pray in the New Year 2015. Event begins at 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31.

*At the Sportsman’s Club in The Embassy Suites, Grapevine, a Black & White New Year’s Eve Ball featuring Blu Print DFW Band is slated to begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Formal tickets are $75 per person in advance.

*Interested in a family-oriented New Year’s Eve celebration? Little Elm Public Library, 100 W. Eldorado Pkwy., is planning an evening event beginning at 6 p.m. where families can hear stories, make crafts and count down to the new year. The cost is free. http://littleelmlibrary.org/

*A number of restaurants in Flower Mound are planning special New Year’s Eve dinners. See Jay Mark’s Foodie Friday column here.

If you know of other events in Southern Denton County, please send an email to dawn@crosstimbersgazette.com and it will be included on this list.

The post Area events to ring in the new year appeared first on Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound | News.

If you’re anything like The Jay Marks Team, you still have zero idea what your New Year’s Eve plans are this year. So, we thought we’d fill you in on what some of the great Foodie Friday restaurants are offering this year. There’s no better way to bring in the new year than with delicious food, right?

Z Grill & Tap

As we mentioned in our post last week, Z Grill is hosting a killer New Year’s Party complete with live music from the band Inversion. They’ll be serving a menu of appetizers and your choice of steak, seafood or chef selection entrees to start your celebrating. Reservations are required to join the party, so be sure to contact them today to reserve your spot!

Twelve Stones

Twelve Stones will be serving their full menu on New Year’s Eve with their regular hours extended to 11:30 for dinner reservations. You’ll also get to listen to live jazz music from Eric Scortia and Dr. John Murphy as you dine! And then at midnight you can enjoy a toast and party favor at midnight to ring in the new year with other restaurant patrons! Be sure to schedule your reservations today!

Bistecca

Bistecca in Highland Village is hosting a fabulous four-course dinner on New Year’s Eve with a menu including choices like their infamous Steak Salerno, an Heirloom Tomato Salad, Applewood Bacon Wrapped Sea Bass, Espresso Seared Prime Tenderloin and a Tower of Chocolate for dessert. There will also be a special musical guest to entertain during your meal – Stacy Lynn Schriever. Again, reservations are required and the cost is $150 per couple or $75 per person. You can make your reservation by emailing stacey@bisteccasteakhouse.com or by calling 972-318-0515.

Salerno’s

If you want to enjoy New Year’s Eve at one of Flower Mound’s original restaurants, head over to Salerno’s to take part in their annual New Year’s Eve Dinner. You’ll start out with a delicious three-course meal including dishes like Salerno’s classic She-Crab Soup, Tenderloin topped with Crabmeat, Veal Ossobucco and a special New Year’s Eve dessert. After all that incredible food, the DJ and dancing will begin at 9:30 and you’ll also receive a complimentary glass of Chandon Brut at midnight! The cost is $44.99 per person and you can make reservations by calling 972-539-9534.

Bocelli’s

Some of you may want to spend the holiday at home, and if you do, there are also great catering opportunities you can take advantage of like Bocelli’s Italian Bistro! They have a great catering menu where you have the option to cater by person or by item. Your New Year’s Eve guests will love coming to your party with warm and comforting dishes like Bruschetta, Chicken Parmigiano and Penne Chicken! Throw in some mini cannolis and cream puffs and you may have a hard time getting your guests to leave at the end of the night! To coordinate your party menu, just call them at 972-539-2951.

Yellow Rose Steak and Chop House

Just in case there weren’t enough incredible multi-course dinner options for you on New Year’s Eve, Yellow Rose Steak and Chop House is also featuring a mouth-watering four-course dinner. It’s a set menu offering wonderful choices like Char-Grilled Halibut, Slow Roasted Prime Rib, Lamb Chops and Bread Pudding or Creamy Eggnog Cheesecake for dessert. The cost for the meal is $69 per person, but if you make your reservation for 6:30pm or earlier you get a $10 discount!

Savory Bistro

If you’re going to spend New Year’s Eve in and around Argyle, we DEFINITELY recommend you head to Savory Bistro for their New Year’s Eve Tasting Menu including dishes like Duck Confit Spring Rolls, Ribeye Filet, Butter Poached Lobster Tail and a Chocolate Hazelnut Cake with Chocolate Praline. Call them at 940-584-0255 to make your reservation! The cost is $80 per person for the tasting menu, with optional wine pairings and other beverages available separately.

Prime Farm to Table

After your late-night antics on New Year’s Eve, you’ll probably be in the mood for a delicious brunch on Thursday. So, we encourage you to head over to Prime Farm to Table, one of Flower Mound’s newer restaurants, for a fun and festive brunch on New Year’s Day. Make your reservations quickly before they fill up! Prime will also be open for regular lunch and dinner business hours on New Year’s Eve so you can take advantage of their delicious menu then as well!

Jay Marks writes the Foodie Friday each week. You can read his blog at http://iamjaymarks.wordpress.com

The post Foodie Friday: Celebrate New Year’s Eve in (Foodie) Style appeared first on Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound | News.

Shoppers are liking the fast-casual dining experience and the increasing trend of telling consumers from where their food is originating. In addition, retailers will likely be using more mobile technology and e-commerce in the coming year to hone in on customer shopping habits and offer more conveniences.

Dining chains like Baja Fresh, Chipotle, Panera Bread and Qdoba have provided landlords a way to spice up their properties over the past few years, according to reports from the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Sales in the fast-casual food industry hit roughly $35 billion in 2013, an increase of 11 percent over 2012, according to research firm Technomic. And preliminary data shows another estimated 10 percent growth spurt in 2014, officials say.

Will fast-casual dining’s growth continue in 2015?

“We absolutely think it will continue,” said Mary Chapman, senior director of product innovation, in a news release.

In addition to continuing sales growth, innovation is taking hold in the industry with such trends as made-to-order meals from restaurants. And locally, in Flower Mound and Highland Village, the trend has been toward farm-to-table dining with such chains as Modmarket and Prime Farm to Table, among others.

“People really dig the story behind what they are eating,” Chapman said in the news release. “Chipotle gets a lot of credit, for example, for its ‘Food with Integrity’ menu. They do a good job of telling the story of where the food came from and how it is grown sustainably or raised humanely.”

The use of social media has also proven to be beneficial in the restaurant business, officials say, showing the continued move to using technology to reach customers. Pinterest has also picked up in the retail world as more stores call attention to items emerging as Pinterest favorites.

The growth of mobile technology and e-commerce will continue in 2015, according to analysts and researchers.

In a November report, eMarketer projected the number of Internet users worldwide would surpass 3 billion in 2015 with nearly half of the world’s population accessing the Internet at least once per month.

For retailers, the rise of mobile technology also likely will increase opportunities to use customer data in ways to imnprove overall performance, officials say. 

“Stores and malls that have Wi-Fi can use this technology to track traffic patterns, dwell times, repeat visits and more by triangulating people’s locations using the signals generated by their cellphones,” said Steven Keith Platt, director of Platt Retail Institute in Chicago. “It is a huge area right now.”

“The most popular analytic would be sales conversion: whether you are turning those shoppers into buyers,” Platt said. “If that isn’t happening, it could be for a myriad of reasons — everything from inadequate staffing on the floor to too many out-of-stocks to not setting up signage in the appropriate place. This technology clues you in to the problem.”

Other retail trends for 2015 will include growth in the same-day delivery phenomena, tracking technology, increasing use of mobile payment technology, curbside pickup and delivering information to consumers based on locations, shopping trends and more, according to the National Retail Federation.

The post What to expect in retail trends for 2015 appeared first on Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound | News.

The Flower Mound Parks and Recreation Division is offering free Christmas tree recycling from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 5 at Gerault Park, 1200 Gerault Road.

The recycling program at 1200 Gerault Road will be offered to residents only, and will not be available to commercial Christmas tree businesses.

Trees cannot be flocked, and must have all the nails and decorations removed as well. Lumber and trash will not be allowed.

Residents who would like mulch are encouraged to bring their own containers. For more information, call 972-874-PARK (7275).

In Highland Village, residents can drop off Christmas trees at Unity Park, 2200 Briarhill Boulevard during the day from Saturday through Jan. 2.

All decorations should be removed. Trees should be dropped off in the Kids Kastle parking lot.

Trees are used in lakes and river shorelines to prevent soil erosion.

They also can be sunk in lakes or private fish ponds for a refuge and feeding area for fish.

Trees can be placed in a garden or backyard, strung with fresh orange slices or popcorn to serve as bird feeders. Shredded trees are used in some communities as material for hiking paths.

The post Recycle Christmas trees after the holidays appeared first on Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound | News.

The post Merry Christmas appeared first on Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound | News.

According to Amy Wells, Executive Director for KLB, the Girl Scouts were part of nearly 400 volunteers who braved the cold temperatures to make a difference on November 15. Wells reports, “Altogether, we had 398 volunteers who showed up to help make a difference in our community, who gave 1,393 volunteer hours towards community improvement and litter abatement. Together, we removed 6.6 TONS of trash from our local waterways. These are record breaking numbers for our fall Trinity Trash Bash…”

The Girl Scouts then came out for the Thanksgiving holiday to lend a hand at the First United Methodist Church of Lewisville’s annual community Thanksgiving dinner. The girls from Service Unit (SU) 406 donated 96 cans of chicken broth, 14 cans of cranberry sauce, a 101 oz. can of green beans and 4 cans of lemonade to support the making of 1000 meals for families in need. The Girl Scouts also made 300 placemats for the dinner tables, and four troops prepared the materials to make 200 turkey hats for the children attending. Several Girl Scouts came out on Thanksgiving Day to help set up and serve dinner as well. (photo #1 attached)

This December, the Girl Scouts from SU 406 collected 70 jars of creamy peanut butter, 72 jars of sugar-free or low sugar jelly and made greeting cards to contribute to the Christmas basket program with Hearts for Homes. Hearts for Homes provides no-cost home repairs to low-income senior homeowners in Denton County. At Christmastime, this agency pulls together a spiral ham, food staples and basic household supplies for each of its clients and delivers these baskets to their homes just in time for the holidays. Girl Scout Troops 8953 and 79 from Highland Village delivered the donations collected by their SU and assisted in assembling these baskets on Dec. 13. Some of the girls even got to deliver baskets to these needy seniors who simply appreciated being remembered and cared for during the holiday season. (photo #2 attached)

Girl Scout Troop 3195 visited with the seniors at Brookdale Assisted Living Center in Lewisville on Dec. 7. The troop sang several Christmas songs and then played BINGO with the residents. Christmas wreaths the girls had made were given to the seniors as gifts. It was a fun afternoon spreading Christmas cheer. (photo #3 attached)

Girl Scout Paige Hunden says, “It was fun making Christmas wreaths and seeing how surprised and happy the residents were when they ‘BINGO’d and received a wreath as a prize.”

Lastly, Girl Scout Troop 3530 chose to adopt a grandparent for the holidays. They used some of their cookie money to give back to local seniors at the Rambling Oaks facility in Highland Village. The girls sang and gave each senior hand lotion and fuzzy socks. (photo #4 attached)

Girl Scouts volunteer and serve their community all year long. You can support your local Girl Scouts by purchasing cookies or donating a box to the U.S. military beginning Jan. 16. Volunteerism and service to community are just part of what those cookie profits do to impact this community and support the growing leadership of our young women. Thank you for supporting Girl Scouts.

For more information on the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, visit their website at www.gsnetx.org. For more details on the mission and work of Hearts for Homes, visit their website at www.heartsforhomes.org, and for more about Keep Lewisville Beautiful, go to www.keeplewisvillebeautiful.org.

The post Local Girl Scouts make a difference this season appeared first on Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound | News.

Tucked in the center of a new 1,150-acre development sits the refurbished family home now serving as the community hub of Harvest, a new development by Hillwood Communities.

“All holidays were spent here,” Mary said. “Everybody was invited. Christmas was an especially big holiday.”

Santa would always drop in on Christmas Eve, bringing delight to both young and old alike. As they got older, the teens would try to guess who was missing from the dinner table to find out just who might be subbing for Santa that year, Mary said.

One year, Santa took a tumble off the porch, they recalled, chuckling. The jolly old elf was fine, though. The family also sang Christmas carols, exchanged gifts and read poetry.

The sisters laughed, recalling the stockings hung by the fireplace in the dining/living area. They’d find walnuts, oranges and apples inside – which coincidentally would become that holiday’s fruit salad.

“Christmas was really something,” Sue said.

Sue also recalled huge Thanksgiving Day feasts of 45-65 people where everyone brought something to add to the meal. Even Easter was a special event at the Faught Farm House, where the sisters’ mother would make sure there were enough hard-boiled eggs for family, neighbors and friends alike.

Generations of the original Faught family lived in the house, which was slowly built over time after James and Etta Faught began buying the property in 1856. The Faught family holdings eventually grew to 275 acres.

The Faught Farm House, more than 150 years old, still bears many of the original pieces from the wood floors and intricately-designed staircase rails to the fireplace mantel and the surrounding porch. In fact, the development’s name and insignia come from a harvest design found throughout the home – from the front door to the fireplace molding and beyond.

As the hub, the house also has been updated to reflect the newer smart technology and conservation ethos that is the theme of the Harvest community, which opened almost a year ago.

For the holidays, the home is filled with the trimming of Christmas – from the brightly lit trees inside and out to the holiday finery adorning fireplace mantels, porch rails, dining room table and more.

Sitting at a dining room table built using wood from a barn on the family farm, Mary and Sue looked around the house, dazzled by the decorations and enjoying the fact that their family home has been preserved.

“We were most grateful” for the Hillwood Communities’ efforts to preserve the home, Mary said. “We couldn’t have dreamed anything like this.”

Harvest combines smart technology with a conservation theme ranging from community gardening to recycling and more. The development, which is currently home to 65 families, is growing quickly with an estimated 170 contracts for new homes, which are priced from the mid-$200,000 to $400,000.

A greenbelt runs through the entire community, connecting each neighborhood and park to the rest of Harvest. Amenities include the two-acre Community Farm, where residents can have their own plot of land to grow seasonal crops with the help and advice from onsite farmer Rocky Tassione, who offers educational gardening classes.

The farm is across from an event lawn, where residents gather for events, and is adjacent to the newly-opened Harvest Hall, which overlooks an 11-acre lake. The community also has two resort-style pools, an amphitheater, parks, play fields and miles of hike and bike trails.

Approximately 3,200 single-family homes are planned in Harvest with 323 homes in the first phase. Harvest is the first development centered on Hillwood Communities’ five Live Smart principles which include: Sense of community, technology, healthy living, environmental stewardship and education and enrichment.

Harvest also offers an iPhone app for residents and a companion iPad app, which allows residents to connect with Rocky Tassione to see what is being harvested and to access recipes using fresh produce from the garden. Neighbors also stay in touch with each other and check the calendar of events.

The fact that conservation is a central theme to the community rings true to both Mary and Sue, whose father served many years on the Denton County Soil Conservation Board. Their mother was a home economics teacher. The family would plant huge gardens surrounded by plentiful fruit trees bearing pears, peaches, plums and more.

“The fact they are doing this – it’s in our DNA to preserve the land and use its resources,” Mary said. “It’s so fitting.”

The post A Harvest Christmas appeared first on Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound | News.

Paris has a special magic at this time of year. Streets are trimmed up, department store windows come to life and Paris’s finest monuments are illuminated. No doubt, Christmas is definitely approaching!

Paris has an array of festivities and special events for its visitors during this time of year. There are: Christmas markets; Nativity scenes; open-air ice-rinks; merry-go-rounds; festive shows and concerts!

There are many holiday markets and they are all very picturesque, but our personal favorite was the Christmas Market on the Champs-Elysees. I felt like we were in a movie as we strolled through this scenic area. We saw tens of thousands of tiny lights hanging in the giant trees that illuminated this iconic avenue which is crowned by the magnificent Arc de Triumph.

The Christmas Market is a winter wonderland of Christmassy chalets stretching from the Place de la Concorde to the Champs-Elysees roundabout. With more than a hundred wooden chalets, stallholders will be selling arts and crafts and delicious specialities from various regions of France and other Christmas delicacies from all around Europe.

The Christmas Market offers custom holiday treats like mulled wine, gingerbread, sausages and specialties from various regions of France that are an essential part of celebrating Christmas in Paris.

This is a great opportunity to pick up some French delicacies to enjoy over the holiday period, such as champagne, truffles, chocolate, foie gras, cheeses and meats. At the market you can also enjoy freshly made crêpes and waffles, and warm up with a hot chocolate accompanied by delicious cinnamon biscuits. If my suitcase had only been bigger I could have stocked up on delicious traditional foods, handcrafted toys, clothing and other unique items.

Free shows are held at the Christmas Market every day, and Santa visits the market in person, delighting kids of all ages. There was definitely a magical charm of the Christmas season at the Christmas market on the Champs-Elysees!

Another must see this time of year is Notre-Dame de Paris. It’s over 800 years old! This cathedral is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture and is the largest and one of the most well-known church buildings in the world. They

had a beautiful Nativity Scene that runs the months of December and January.

Ron had heard of a fun and interesting bell tower tour of Notre-Dame that is not widely publicized. Of course, we did that and what an adventure it was. This was backdrop for the book and movie, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. All I could think about while on this fascinating tour was Quasimodo, the bell-ringer of Notre-Dame, who was a barely verbal hunchback. Ringing the church bells had made him deaf. Quasimodo’s life was within the confines of the cathedral and his only outlet was ringing the bells of Notre-Dame. Well, one thing is for sure he had a fantastic view of Paris. We were fascinated with this roof top tour – one of our most memorable tours ever!

Outside of Norte-Dame we could hear Christmas carolers. I could not believe they were singing many of our traditional and beloved Christian Christmas songs, many in English. We listened for a while and then they invited me to sing along. One of my favorite memories is singing Silent Night with the carolers near Norte-Dame.

And not to be forgotten, the Eiffel Tower is always exciting to see but at night it is one of the greatest sights of Paris and shouldn’t be missed. At Christmas they really show off with extra twinkle lights that are memorizing to watch. Taking the elevator to the top in this iconic structure is so much fun and it’s truly the quintessential “Parisian view”. I just could not get enough of the Eiffel Tower.

Paris is always spectacular but at Christmas time it’s even more beautiful – if that’s possible. It’s simply unforgettable to see Paris come alive with the Christmas spirit!

Terri Guthrie travels the world with her husband, Ron, an airline pilot, and occasionally find time to share her travel experiences with our readers. If you have any questions about traveling overseas or want to know about a specific place, send an email to dawn@crosstimbersgazette.com and we’ll be sure to get it to her. For more photos of Paris during Christmas, visit The Cross Timbers Gazette Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ctgazette

The post Terri's Travels: Christmas in Paris appeared first on Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound | News.

The holidays are always hectic, but for those caring for an elderly parent or a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia, there are often added layers of stress. Unhappy emotions – like frustration or sadness –may bubble to the surface at a time when it seems as if everyone else is feeling festive. 

Families can handle the holidays more smoothly and calmly by planning ahead, says Jerri Johnston, director of sales and marketing at Autumn Leaves of Flower Mound.

“It’s important to set realistic expectations,” she says. “You may not do everything the way you’ve always done it. That’s okay.”

Those caring for loved ones should ask for help, Johnston adds. If Mom always cooked the big family meal for the holiday, this may be the year to pass the tradition along to another family member, or to host a potluck and let others bring favorite dishes, too.

Other tips for caregivers for navigating the holidays:

Timing is everything. Many people with dementia are less likely to experience agitation or confusion in the morning. When possible, scheduling events earlier in the day may help.

Schedule quiet time. Allowing time to pause, away from crowds and noise, is important for a person living with dementia, as well as the caregiver. 

Take care of physical and mental health. Adult day stay or respite care can give caregivers some time for a short getaway, or just a movie and lunch with a friend. “It’s really important to take breaks for rest and renewal,” Johnston says. “Sometimes caregivers feel guilty about that, but when you care for yourself, you’re a better caregiver.”

Prepare for the post-holiday letdown. Almost everyone experiences this from time to time. But for those who are full-time caregivers, the post-holiday blues can hit even harder. Plan a post-holiday activity – a massage or a dinner out – to rejuvenate.

Autumn Leaves of Flower Mound offers a monthly support group that’s open to the public as well as day stay and respite care.  For information, call 972-355-5432. The memory care community is located at 3201 Karnes Road in Flower Mound.

This content was provided by our local sponsors.

The post Holidays and Alzheimer's: Tips to enjoy the season appeared first on Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound | News.