I love my city! On Tuesday I was down in the Galleria area due to unfortunate circumstances (my dog had to be hospitalized), so to make myself feel better I went shooting. There’s so much to see and do in the Galleria – I probably could have shot for hours, but I ran out of space on my CF card. (Left the others at home, along with the Wolverine. Darn!)

In any case, this is one of the shots – more coming soon.

–dani

Tags: Galleria, photo, San Felipe, Houston, TX

Competent, caring professionals committed to pets and their care

Competent, caring professionals committed to pets and their care

Review of: Ashford Veterinary Hospital

By: Danielle Bourgeois

Rating: 5

Read review on Judy's Book.

When we moved to Houston nearly five years ago, we found Ashford Veterinary Hospital by pure luck. Over those five years, the doctors and staff of Ashford Veterinary Hospital have seen our family through routine vaccinations and exams, as well as treating more acute incidents. Always accommodating, they've provided care for even those last minute emergencies that always seem to occur five minutes before closing time.

Located at 12633 Whittington Drive, Ashford Veterinary Hospital is a stylish, compact trimmed in blue and nestled between leafy trees. (They double as fire hydrants for nervous dogs.) Separate dog and cat entrances reduce the chance of inter-species hostilities.

The clinic is staffed by friendly, knowledgeable workers treat the pets with genuine affection. The front desk is efficient and organized, and a hanging white board prominently showcases the the names of that days patients in a bright and colorful welcome. The counter areas display educational literature, as well as brochures for upcoming pet events.

The facilities are clean and feature surgical suites, an ICU, a lab, an x-ray room, and separate cat and dog boarding areas. The equipment is modern and the doctors are versed in the latest veterinary developments. Moreover, the staff encourage you to take the tour of the facilities – be sure to ask when you visit.

The clinic is staffed by three veterinarians, all of whom espouse quality care. Prevention is encouraged, and doctors work with the clients to develop a treatment plan to effectively care for the patient while keeping the financial aspects in mind.

In addition to dogs and cats, Ashford Veterinary Hospital also treats pocket pets and rabbits. Microchipping, spay and neuter, dental care, grooming, and boarding are just some of the services they offer. An impressive selection of premium dog and cat foods line nearly an entire wall in the lobby areas.

Also, a discount is offered for pets being adopted from animal shelters.

Choosing a vet is an important decision and requires a great deal of trust in the vet's abilities and philosophies. After five years of working with Ashford Veterinary Hospital to provide the best care for my pets, I have absolute faith in their skills and enormous respect for their commitment to quality care.

Ashford Veterinary Hospital can be visited online at http://www.vcaashford.com.

Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen

 

Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen

Review of: Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen

By: Danielle Bourgeois

Rating: 5

Read review on Judy's Book.

Sylvia's Enchiladas, located at 12637 Westheimer Rd, Ste 140, Houston, TX, 77077, is located just west of the Westheimer and Dairy Ashford intersections in the bustling Westchase section of Houston. Tucked away in a strip mall, incongruously located next to a giant McDonald's, it's easy to miss this cozy eatery amid the convenience stores and fast food joints that clog the landscape.

Step inside, though, and the frenetic energy of the outside disappears. Inside the light is soft, and the hum of conversation is punctuated by the clink of silverware and the rattle of ice cubes. You'll be greeted warmly, perhaps by Sylvia herself. A trim, aristocratic woman, Sylvia practices hands-on management, personally querying diners as to their experience. Indeed, her presence is felt throughout the establishment, from the quaint collections of miniature tea sets artfully arranged in the nooks and crannies of the dining room to the framed portraits of the proprietress smiling down on diners from the surrounding walls.

Service is responsive and patrons are usually seated immediately. However, as Sylvia's becomes more and more popular, there are nominal wait times of ten-fifteen minutes at peak times, so plan to arrive early during these times.

Bottomless baskets of tortilla chips are served with bowls of salsa, which is a good thing because the smells wafting from the kitchen will soon have your stomach growling.

The menu boasts 18 varieties of enchiladas, from the classic enchilada entrée featuring cheese, chicken, or beef enchiladas with chili gravy, to the more exotic offerings such as Enchiladas Tampico, an enchilada loaded with tender, sautéed shrimp and topped with a Spanish-style sauce. My personal favorite are the Enchiladas Monterrey, stuffed with a succulent filling of melted Monterrey Jack cheese and smothered in Salsa Espanola, a red salsa with beefy chunks of tomatoes. (Beef and chicken are also available for carnivores.) The Crystal City enchiladas are just as tasty, bursting with fresh spinach and covered in a tomatilla sauce. Classic Mexican fare such as tacos, chalupas, and quesadillas aren't forgotten, either, cooked up with just as much care and flavor as their enchilada counterparts.

Be sure to save room for dessert. Sylvia's is known for its Tres Leches dessert and serves two varieties – pastel and chocolate. Creamy flan topped with a warm caramel sauce, sopapillas, and chocolate cake are also great ways to end your meal.

Dining is casual and the entrées are reasonably priced, with the average cost being around $10. There's a fully stocked bar with the requisite frosty margaritas, and an outdoor dining area as well.

For a complete menu and more information, visit Sylvia's on the web at http://www.sylviasenchiladakitchen.com/.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

I figured it was about time that I break down and get a blog. So here I am!

Took my dogs to the vet today. Well, my new dogs anyway. Penelope and the puppies, as you may remember, are our new dogs adopted from a kill shelter (we used PetFinder.com.) Penelope was picked up by animal control when a neighbor called about her digging in the garbage. When she was picked up, it was clear she had a litter somewhere but no one could find the pups. Penelope stayed in lockup for over a weeke before we busted her out. A few days later the puppies were dumped at the shelter. A rescue organization had been notified, and we ended up fostering the litter of four for them. They were all loves, and after two weeks we were smitten. Two of the puppies were adopted last week from a local pet store, but Jay and I ended up keeping two boys – Sparky and Tiger. So now we have a total of four dogs.

All of them were in bad health when we got them. Penelope had heartworms, fleas, roundworms, tapeworms, and every other vermin known to mankind. The puppies were covered with fleas and had roundworms, hookworms, coccidia, and tapeworms. All of them are on high-quality dog food now, and have had the best vet care money can buy. Penelope will hopefully have no long term effects from the heartworms; she’s undergoing treatment, and is looking better than she ever has. It’s taken her a month, but she’s now doing some of the things that normal dogs do. Instead of sleeping all day, or cowering against someone’s legs, she now chews her bones, chases after balls, and plays with the other dogs.

The puppies are growing like weeds now that the worms aren’t taking all of their nourishment. They also like chewing their bones, playing with squeaky toys, chasing the ball, and of course, wrestling with each other.

1. Please, please – if you aren’t breeding champion stock, spay and neuter your pets. Even if Fido is an indoor dog/cat, accidents can and do happen. And unless you’re going to take personal responsibility for the litter and raise them personally (about a 15 year committment), do everyone a favor and just say no. Remember that every year, millions of dogs and cats are put to sleep because there just aren’t enough homes. Help save a life – don’t contribute to the problem.
2. Heartworms are fatal if left untreated, and there is no easy treatment. Currently, the only successful remedy endorsed by the American Heartworm Society and the American Vetrinary Medical Association involves injecting an arsenic-based drug into the epaxial (lower-back) muscles of the dog. Three injections are needed, usually with a month between the first dose and the second and third doses. (The second and third are given twenty-four hours apart and require an overnight stay.) Moreover, the dog has to be kept completely calm with little to no activity during the entire treatment period. The treatment itself is painful; being caged for two – three months is no picnic for the puppy, either, not to mention how inconvenient it is for an owner.Heartworms can be prevented by giving your dog or cat a monthly heartworm preventative. Our dogs take HeartGard Plus, although Interceptor, Sentinel, and Revolution are other popular preventatives. With the exception of Revolution, the only effort required on your part is popping the chewable pill out of the foil wrap. (Revolution is a topical treatment that is applied from a plastic vial on the fur between your pet’s shoulder blades.) It’s a very small price to pay, especially when you consider that a six month supply of HeartGard Plus is approximately $45 here in Houston, as opposed to the heartworm treatment, which runs a few hundred dollars.

Vaccinations, flea and tick eradication, and microchipping are other preventative measures you can take to make your pet healthy and safe. Now what are you waiting for – don’t you need to call your vet?