Check out these houses!

Have you seen what's going on at Trietsch Methodist up on Morriss, just north of Marcus HS? Our church is building a Habitat home on the front parking lot. Once finished and dedicated next month, Habitat will move it to a site in the Denton area where a family will move in.

Next to the big house are three very cool playhouses. Each one will have a different theme (castle, beach shack and theater), and each will be totally decked out. The playhouses will be auctioned off Sunday October 23rd, tentative time 1:30pm. Anyone is welcome to stop by and bid at our live auction. See you there!

Flower Mound Wrestling - a myriad of feelings and viewpoints

I'm still unsure what to think of the big story of the alleged hazing that took place at a party for the Flower Mound wrestling team. Where did some of the accused cross the line into something illegal?

When I first heard this story, I was mad. Really mad. Mad at the people who were reported to have done this. Mad at the coach(es) and parent(s) who were at the party, but who apparently did little or nothing. Even mad at those who claimed to be victims. It just seems so stupid that we're dealing with something like this in this day and age.

As the days went on, and as news media coverage increased (including three stories by my TV newsroom), I still don't have much sense of direction for my feelings. I don't really believe the disbelieving parents of those accused when they say it was just boys being boys. I think they're just grand-standing for their kids, which is natural. I'm not sure if I totally believe the victims either. I do believe the police conducted a fair investigation, and I do believe they took great pains to make sure the charges handed out reflect their view of what happened. But will a jury buy the fact that kids committed a crime? I've read a couple of the police arrest affadavits, and I'm not so sure if these charges will get guilty verdicts.

This story has the potential to tear apart an important community within our community.

Gone But Not Forgotten

Lamenting those castaways from the local restaurant scene ...

Jerry Van Dyke's Soda Shop (original tenant Parker Square)
Schlotsky's (FM3040 just east of Sonic)
KFC (FM3040/FM2499 behind Walgreens) -- closed recently
Local Diner (Morriss Rd)
Simply Fondue (Morriss at FM407)
Stone Creek Grill (where Z is now)

2005 list of the best restaurants in town

This list is completely subjective (one man's opinions), but at least I'll offer some reasons for my choices. In our almost 10 years of living in Flower Mound, we've visited most of these restaurants multiple times (some more than 10 times). Exceptions are explained below.

#10 - El Chico (Morriss at FM407)
This list will heavily lean toward locally-owned restaurants, as opposed to chains. But this El Chico has a variety of good Mexican dishes. I love their chipotle chicken. Service has always been consistently good.

#9 - La Sierra Mexican Grill (SW corner Morriss at Cross Timbers)
Very popular Mexican joint. Always crowded.

#8 - Beijing Wok (FM2499 north of Forest Vista)
About as easy and cheap as it gets, but still tasty Chinese food. Tastes fresh, but still served very quickly.

#7 - Dickeys
Newcomer tied to local chain. Easy buffet service. Free ice cream. Wide variety on the menu. Good prices.

#6 - (tie) Cicis, Sonic and ChickFilA (particularly those at FM2499 @ FM3040)
All chains, all fast food. But they make this list because of their continued willingness to participate in local organizations, allowing them to raise money for important local causes. The food's good too.

#5 - Alfornos (Morriss Rd north of FM3040)
Very plain inside and rarely overcrowded. But this restaurant seems to have a very loyal following. The food is very good. Service is good too.

#4 - Thai Tango
Thai cuisine is not my favorite, though I do like a dash of curry here and there. But the menu here is very inviting. Our waitress cheerfully and knowledgably explained all the options.

#3a - (tie) Babes, Grotto, Mudds and Village Grill
None of these restaurants are in Flower Mound, but they're close by, and they're each worthy of inclusion in this list. Babes, in downtown Roanoke, simply makes the best fried chicken and chicken fried steak around. Mudds is just up 407 in Bartonville, on the western edge of Lantana -- great variety of home cooking. The other two restaurants are in Highland Village, just across FM407 from Flower Mound town limits. Grotto has great food in a beautiful setting. Nice for quiet dinners-for-two, but I like their Sunday brunches best. Village Grill is great family cooking, but the menu has some terrific (and beyond ordinary) choices.

#3 - Christina's (FM 1171 @ Shiloh)
Great Mexican food in Flower Mound. Always a line in the evenings, but we've never had to wait that long. Good service, broad menu. Chips and salsa very tasty. Always worth the trip.

#2 - Pazzo (FM2499 @ FM407 - Target shopping center)
Beautiful upscale design, nicely furnished. Menu features wood-fired oven pizzas, and they're terrific. Salads are also good.

#1 - Capriccio (Parker Square)
Blend of traditional Italian dishes with inventive touches. Good service. An outstanding restaurant.


Honorable mentions:

Anamias - good food, though not big portions. Service is OK, very noisy inside.

Red Hot and Blue - good chain offering. If Flower Mound had a locally-owned barbecue/smokehouse joint as good as Pazzo (pizza) or Christina's (mexican), there would never be a reason to dine in Lewisville or Grapevine. See Dickey's above.

China Palace (or is it China Garden?) - this restaurant on FM1171 between FM2499 and Morriss has a great Chinese food buffet with many choices. Best buffet in town.

Salernos - a venerable Flower Mound institution (almost 20 years in town). Always packed on weekend nights. Food's fine, but somehow we've always drifted to Alfornos or one of the other Italian joints in town.

Sofios - upscale Italian cuisine in south Flower Mound. We don't go here often, but we've never been disappointed with the food or the service.


Update 3/2/06 -- Mudds is closed. My family will miss it.