Spring Branch + February 2026

Dr. Marlen Trujillo

The Woman Shaping Spring Branch

LEADING

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713.790.3333

Marlen Trujillo PhD, MBA

From the Community, For the Community

Dr. Marlen Trujillo and 20 Years dedicated to improving health access for all

Dr. Marlen Trujillo’s story is deeply rooted in the community she serves. Long before becoming CEO of the Spring Branch Community Health Center, she was a young volunteer learning the impact of service in Houston neighborhoods.

Her passion for working with vulnerable populations began in high school, volunteering through her church, nursing homes, food pantries, and advocacy groups. As a college student, she worked at a nonprofit leading a youth program and later focused her volunteer efforts on expanding healthcare access. Early on, Dr. Trujillo understood that access to information, opportunity, and healthcare could change a family’s future.

That belief turned into action in 2002 when she became a founding board member of a faith-based charity clinic in Spring Branch. Alongside

a physician and other local leaders, she helped plan a small medical clinic for uninsured pregnant women. When the clinic opened in May 2004 with just four exam rooms, it provided women’s health services and vital prenatal care at a time when options were limited, and lives were at risk.

Dr. Trujillo’s leadership was instilled at an early age. A first-generation American born to Mexican and Colombian parents, she was born in Houston, grew up in Spring Branch and attended public schools in Spring Branch ISD, graduating from Northbrook High School. Her mother’s rule of speaking only Spanish at home kept her closely connected to her cultural roots. That linguistic and cultural fluency allows her to connect authentically with family members and community residents.

Her understanding of healthcare inequities began in childhood. She experienced health disparities as she often received her school vaccines from the Fiesta Mart on Wirt Rd. She experienced medical tourism firsthand, traveling with her family to Mexico, for affordable dental care.

Those experiences shaped her lifelong mission ensuring families can access quality healthcare close to home without fear, borders, or financial barriers.

Today, Dr. Trujillo leads the very organization she helped create. In 2007, at age 27, she became the youngest Community Health Center and Federally Qualified Health Center CEO in Texas. As CEO of the Spring Branch Community Health Center, she oversees strategic planning, patient care quality, organizational culture, regulatory compliance, and financial sustainability. Under her leadership, the community health center now has 7 locations, employs 275 full-time staff, manages a $32 million budget, and serves more than 30,000 patients each year. She is supported by a Board of Directors committed to serving others and a Leadership Team dedicated to improving patient health.

Her academic path mirrors her disciplined leadership style. Dr. Trujillo earned a BBA from the University of Houston with a double major in Finance and Marketing and a minor in Italian Studies. She completed her MBA in International Business at Our Lady of the Lake University and later earned a PhD in Public Health from UTHealth School of Public Health. Her career also includes work in urban planning, and city government.

At home, Dr. Trujillo is most proud of her role as a wife and mother. She is married to a Marine veteran, and together they are raising three children. Their oldest daughter is a biology major student at the University of Texas, their son is a 1st grader at Valley Oaks Elementary and their youngest daughter is a student at The Bear Blvd School. Family, service, and community continue to guide her life and leadership.

Inviting Our Community into the Future of Health

For more than 21 years, Dr. Trujillo and Spring Branch Community Health Center have stood alongside the Spring Branch community, providing compassionate, high-quality care to neighbors who too often face barriers to access. Dr. Trujillo believes that healthcare is more than a service, it is the foundation of a strong, thriving community. When people have access to care, families are stronger, children succeed, and neighborhoods flourish.

While the three clinics in Spring Branch have served the neighborhood

with dedication and heart, they were never designed for the scale, coordination, and integrated care that today’s families require. The future of community health demands more than isolated services, it requires collaboration, and whole-person care.

That is why Dr. Trujillo invites the community to learn more about the vision for the future TotalHealth Campus in Spring Branch, a welcoming, integrated health campus that brings all patients together in one place. This transformative campus will allow individuals and families to access medical care, behavioral health, eye care, health education, and vital supportive services under one roof, removing barriers and improving outcomes for generations to come.

The TotalHealth Campus has kicked off a Capital Campaign. This campaign represents an investment not just in a building, but in health equity, prevention, and the long-term strength of our community. Your support helps ensure that healthcare remains accessible. Together, we can build a healthier Spring Branch.

To learn more or to support this effort, please scan the QR code.

Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center announces tickets for the Tony Award®-winning electrifying musical phenomenon SIX by Tony Award®-winners Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss will go on sale to the general public on Friday, December 19 at 10AM. SIX will play a limited one-week Houston engagement at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, April 7-12, 2026 as part of the Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center 2025-2026 Season.The current cast includes Emma Elizabeth Smith as Catherine of Aragon, Nella Cole as Anne Boleyn, Kelly Denice Taylor as Jane Seymour, Hailey Alexis Lewis as Anna of Cleves, Alizé Cruz as Katherine Howard and Tasia Jungbauer as Catherine Parr with alternates Reese Cameron, Anna Hertel, Carlina Parker and Abigail Sparrow. Casting is subject to change.

From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st century girl power! This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over! SIX won 23 awards in the 2021/2022 Broadway season, including the Tony Award® for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical.  The New York Times says SIX “TOTALLY RULES!” (Critic's Pick) and The Washington Post hails SIX as “Exactly the kind of energizing, inspirational illumination this town aches for!" The SIX: LIVE ON OPENING NIGHT Broadway album debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard cast album charts and has surpassed 100 million streams.SIX, which closed in March 2020 due to the pandemic on what was supposed to be opening night, is now playing at the Lena Horne Theatre on Broadway in New York City. The show had a successful North American Premiere at Chicago Shakespeare in the summer of 2019. Prior to Broadway, the show played limited engagements at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA, the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, AB Canada, and the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Saint Paul, MN.

SIX is produced in the United States by Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes, George Stiles, and Kevin McCollum.

Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss devised the original concept and started writing SIX when they were students at Cambridge University in early 2017. It was first presented as the Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society’s submission to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe later that year, playing a one-month run and featuring student actors. SIX went on to get picked up by UK Producers and a new production was mounted, with professional actors and a predominantly new creative team, at the Norwich Playhouse and then again at Edinburgh Festival in 2018. A limited engagement at the Arts Theatre in London garnered the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Off-West End Production and the show toured the UK in the autumn of 2018 before returning to the Arts Theatre and subsequently the Lyric Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. SIX is currently playing an open-ended run at the Vaudeville Theatre on the Strand. SIX earned five 2019 Laurence Olivier Award nominations, including Best New Musical.

The Boleyn Tour of SIX launched in Las Vegas at The Smith Center on September 20, 2022, and is playing cities throughout North America. Tour dates have been announced through Summer 2026.SIX is also currently playing on Broadway at the Lena Horne Theatre in New York City, at the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End, on tour in the UK and Ireland and Europe.

$9.1 Million Renovation of 9821 Katy Freeway

MODERNIZED WORKSPACES AND WELLNESS-FOCUSED AMENITIES COMING TO MEMORIAL CITY’S PREMIER OFFICE DESTINATION

MetroNational, a Houston-based privately held real estate investment, development, and management company, announced today a $9.1 million renovation of 9821 Katy Freeway, a 161,200-square-foot premier Class A office building located in the heart of Memorial. This transformation exemplifies MetroNational’s longstanding commitment to support the evolving needs of office tenants and enhancing the overall Memorial City experience.

The 9821 Katy Freeway renovation will deliver a modern, collaborative environment anchored by a reimagined lobby activated with abundant natural light and exquisite finishes. Upgraded event amenities include a large 40-person training room and a 14-person Teams-enabled boardroom, complemented by an elegant hospitality bar. Further, wellness and mothers’ rooms, flexible work areas, and Wi-Fi-enabled common spaces provide users with a variety of areas to reset and reengage while on-site. Convenient restaurant offerings are available via an air-conditioned skywalk connecting tenants to nearby MetroNational destinations in Memorial. The project will pursue WELL Building Certification, underscoring MetroNational’s focus on health, sustainability, and tenant well-being. Renovations are expected to be completed in 2026.

The 9821 Katy Freeway renovation represents MetroNational’s investment in office building amenities our tenants truly value. We are relentless in delivering elevated, service-driven environments fostering connection, flexibility, and wellness –key elements supporting the long-term success of our tenants.

- Anne Marie Ratliff, VP Asset Management of MetroNational

Construction will occur in phases to minimize disruption. Phase I will include the skybridge and surrounding landscape and hardscape, followed by Phase II, addressing the exterior curtain wall, primary entrances, and additional outdoor improvements. The building will remain open and accessible throughout, with a temporary overhead walkway and construction fencing in place to ensure a safe, seamless experience for tenants and visitors.

As a family-owned company with 72 years of generational leadership, MetroNational continues to reinvest in the places where people live, work, and gather. The transformation of 9821 Katy Freeway underscores the company’s enduring commitment to thoughtful design, long-term placemaking, and building better lives for the Houston community.

JOY SLIME PLAY

IT’S TIME TO SUPER BOWL, YA’LL!

The biggest sports day of the year is here! That’s right, we’re talking Super Bowl Sunday, February 8, 2026. The San Francisco Bay Area is hosting Super Bowl LX (60), and the game will be played in Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers.

Kickoff is at 5:30 PM, Texas Time, and you can watch on NBC, and catch the Spanish language version on Telemundo. Peacock, NFL+, and Fubo will be streaming.

As usual, some of the biggest names in the business will be handling the entertainment, with three-time Grammy Winner Bad Bunny headlining the halftime show. This year, he’ll be making history as the first Latin male artist to headline the show in a language other than English.

Pre-game entertainment includes Charlie Puth performing the National Anthem, Brandi Carlile singing America the Beautiful, and Coco Jones performing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Public Watch Parties

From Pre-game through post-game, fans will be hooping and hollering at a host of venues in our area, including Sam Houston Race Park, The Decoy on Memorial, and The Yard House in City Centre, and more. Check web for details.

If You’re Really Not A Fan

It’s a great day to hit the gym and avoid the crowds, catch a movie, or see a play. And don’t miss the cute puppies on Puppy Bowl XXll! Pre-game starts at Noon, out time, and the Bowl begins at 1 pm on Animal Plane, Discovery, TBS, trutv, with streaming on HBO Max and discovery+.

Kyle Pierson | Facebook: TheBranchHTX Instagram: thebranchhtx

Loves Dumpling House

(8408 Katy Fwy)

It's February! That means Valentine's Day is coming up soon. For those of you that are happily loved up - i don't actually have any advice. Good job?

But if you are like me and are unworthy of love and deserve nothing but a life of loneliness and solitude (thank you for letting me know, ladies) then this article is for you.

Feelings are for eating, y'all. You know who loves me? Restaurants do! You know what else loves me? Food! And I loves food. More to the point - I loves dumplings! Even MORE to the point - I loves Loves Dumpling House (8408 Katy Fwy). They have only been open since December and I have already eaten there almost a dozen times. Not even kidding. If you've noticed my online restaurant write-ups have slowed - this is why. I can't very well write about this place every third day, now can I? But that's almost how often I come.

If this is eating my feelings, I got news for you folks - my feelings are amazingly delishes! The dumplings here are all made from scratch and you can taste the love put into each steamy bite as the flavor explodes into your mouth.

What should you get? Because I have tried almost every item on their menu I can let you know that if they put a “thumbs up” next to the menu item, it is indeed worth ordering. My personal favorites are the Pork & Crab Soup Dumplings, the Braised Pork Pan-Fried Dumplings and the Wontons in Red Chili Oil (pro tip - use a little of this sauce to dunk all yer dumplings in). Also don't sleep on the House Pan-Fried Vermicelli and the Green Beans with Garlic. Seriously - those Green Beans are frickin’ amazing!

Rarely have I raved so ridiculously about a place, but Loves deserves it. And everyone that I've talked to that's been there has agreed. There was one unnamed young woman that let me know that her and her boyfriend got the Gen Tso's Chicken and found it to be a bit dry. But - two things - you went as a couple so I can't really speak to how that might have soured your taste buds, and two - it’s not called “Loves Gen Tso's House”! You didn't even get the dumplings! Your relationship has obviously clouded your judgement.

So y'all know where to find me on February 14th. I'll be at Loves Dumpling House, Table for One.

Campelot is co-ed and open to non-Regis students!

To register or view the summer camp catalog, please scan the QR code above!

SBISD announces Guaranteed Admission Partnership with Houston Christian University

Through this partnership, seniors who earn an unweighted 3.0 GPA or higher and complete at least three high school math courses will automatically qualify for admission to HCU. The program removes traditional barriers to college entry, including application essays and test score requirements, giving students a clearer, more confident path to higher education.

In addition to guaranteed admission, HCU is offering robust scholarship opportunities, including:

• Merit scholarships ranging from $18,000 to $24,000 per year, and

• Full-ride scholarship opportunities for students earning a 3.25 GPA or higher who plan to pursue high-demand degree programs such as Computer Science, Cyber Engineering, Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering, Information Systems, and Mathematics.

“This partnership is about access, clarity, and opportunity,” said Tyra Walker, Executive Director of Postsecondary Outcomes, Counseling and Responsive Services. “We want our students and families to know

that college is possible and attainable. Guaranteed admission removes uncertainty from the process and allows students to focus on finishing strong, exploring their interests, and planning for what’s next.”

The guaranteed admission program aligns with SBISD’s commitment to T-2-4

What Families Need to Know

• No test scores required

• No traditional application required upfront

• Admission based on official high school transcript

• Guaranteed admission and scholarship consideration

Eligible students will complete a brief onboarding form (5–10 minutes, no essays or recommendation letters) and submit a FAFSA for full financial aid consideration. Students must maintain their GPA during senior year and remain engaged in their school community.

Second Saturday Every Month Spring Branch Village Farmer’s Market, 9 am – 1pm, 8141 Long Point

Every Saturday Walk30 walking group, Meets 10 am at the Edgewood Elementary parking lot.

Every Saturday Memorial Village Farmer’s Market, 9 am—1pm, First Congregational Church at I-10 and Voss

Ongoing Space Center Houston, Create and design your own Spacecraft, Enter the 21-foot long training module of NASA’s new lunar landing space station, Experience The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks, and more, 1601 NASA Parkway, Tickets@spacecnter.org, Ongoing Buy one, Get one Free, Rajin' Cajun, 1725 Wirt Road

Ongoing Crime and Punishment & The Emperor's Disapperaing Duds: at The George Theater, Info at 713.526.2721

Now-Feb. 19th Spring Branch ISD’s Rodeo Art Showcase at the Altharetta Yeargin Art Museum, 901 Yorkchester, Closing reception, Call ahead 713.251.1990

Feb. 15th-28th Eat Drink TX, Produced by the Cleverly Stone Foundation, with proceeds supporting the Houston Food Bank and Houston Kids' Meals to fight hunger in the greater Houston area.

Feb. 17th-27th Early Voting

THE DATE

March 11-14 Space Center Houston Moon 2 Mars Festival presented by Wellby Financial

March 21 8 am, Emnora Bike Train, details at sbcolorrun.com

March 27-28 Spring Branch Memorial Library annual plant and book sale fundraiser

March 27 Stand Up for Children Gala, 6:30 pm—11 pm at the Post Oak Hotel, Tickets @ https://childrenatrisk.org/event/stand-up-for-children/

April 1-26 Brother Andrew: at The George Theater, Info at 713.526.2721

April 11 Wags and Whiskers Luncheon and Pet Fashion Show 11AM-1:30PM

April 25 Kickstart Kids Boots & Black Belts Chuck Norris’ 85th Birthday Celebration @The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston

Feb 1

National Texas Day

Sizzlin’ Sundays, $1 Hotdogs, VFW 8790

Feb 3

Explore Creative Writing, 10AM Freed Community Center, 6818 Shadyvilla Ln.

Great Grow Out Workshop, 2PM, Freed Community Center, 6818 Shadyvilla Ln

Feb 4

World Cancer Day

Baby Bouncer, 10:15 & 11:15AM, SB Memorial Library (Tickets Req.) Girls and Women's Sports Day Out, 5PM, All

Ages, Freed Community Center

Feb 5

Tiny Tikes, 10:15 & 11:15AM, SB Memorial Library (Tickets Req.)

Chess Club, 4:30 PM, SB Memorial Library

Feb 6

The Mystery of Edwin Drood, memorialtheatre.com

Steak Night,VFW 8790,Starts at 6PM

National Wear Red Day

Mardi Gras Galveston Begins

Feb 7

Live Music at Aye Candy, 1849 Bingle Rd.

Feb 8

Super Bowl LX

Sizzlin’ Sundays, $1 Hotdogs, VFW 8790

Feb 9

Spring Vegetable Gardening, 1PM, Freed Community Center

Feb 10

SBISD, Parent U Earning College Credit in High School: Dual Credit/ Dual Enrollment (9th-10th grade families), 6 PM

Between the Panels: Tween Graphic Novel and Book Club, 4:30Pm (Registration Req.)

Interstellar Telescope Craft, 5-6 pm, Celebrate

Galileo Galilei's birthday with Freed staff, Freed Community Center

Feb 11-16

Daytona 500

Feb 11

Baby Bouncer, 10:15 & 11:15AM,

SB Memorial Library (Tickets Req.)

African Art, Old and New, 1 -2 pm, All ages, Freed Community Center

Rodeo Kick-Off Party by UVC Powersports & Republic Boot 1133 E. 11th St., Starts at 12PM

Feb 12

Tiny Tikes, 10:15 & 11:15AM, SB Memorial Library (Tickets Req.)

Pathway to Citizenship, 6PM, SB Memorial Library, Registration Req.

Feb 13-15

Grand Opening, ACE Hardware & Pickled Paper, 7840 Long Point Rd

Feb 13

Bridgerton Theme Party, Aye Candy Go Texan Potluck: A Western Feast! Noon – 2 pm Freed Community Center

Feb 14

Valentine's Day

Aye Candy, Closed at 9PM for private event

Valentines Day Comedy with Jesse Peyton and Kenny Webster, 6 pm Community Fieldhouse

Feb 15

Sizzlin’ Sundays, $1 Hotdogs, VFW 8790

Feb 16

SBISD, Student holiday, Staff exchange day

Feb 17

Mardi Gras Galveston Ends

Fat Tuesday Celebration, Rajin' Cajun

Feb 18

Baby Bouncer, 10:15 & 11:15AM, SB Memorial Library (Tickets Req.)

Feb 19

State of Texas Anniversary Remembrance Day (STAR Day)

IWO Jima Day

Tiny Tikes, 10:15 & 11:15AM,

SB Memorial Library (Tickets Req.)

Pathway to Citizenship, 6PM,

SB Memorial Library

Feb 20-21

Spring is in the Air, Dance recital by Uptown Dance Theater, at Match Houston, 7:30PM

Feb 20

Hot Dog and Hamburger Night, starts at 6 pm, VFW 8790

Polar Bear Palooza, 5PM, Freed Community Center

Feb 21

Live Music at Aye Candy

Spring Fusion, Dance recital by Uptown Dance Theater, at Match Houston, 11AM & 2 PM

Feb 22

Sizzlin’ Sundays, $1 Hotdogs, VFW 8790

Feb 23

Book Buddies, 4:30PM, SB Memorial Library (Registration Req.)

Feb 24-25

Texas Bar Exam

Feb 24

Cyber Security and Your Tax Data 12PM, Freed Community Center

SBISD, Parent U College Admissions 101, 6PM

Feb 25

Bright From the Start 10:15AM, SB Memorial Library (Tickets Req.)

Texas Independence Day Fireworks Period Begins

Feb 26

Tiny Tikes, 10:15 & 11:15AM, SB Memorial Library (Tickets Req.)

Pathway to Citizenship, 6PM, SP Memorial Library (Registration Req.)

I help busy professionals lose 10–30 lbs.—without hours in the gym. One of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking they need to “do more” to lose weight— more workouts, more meal prep, more stress.

Real Weight Loss

But real weight loss starts with resetting your metabolism—not grinding harder. You don’t need another fitness plan. You need a system that works with your body.

Spring & Summer Bodies Are Made in the Winter

Here’s the truth no one tells you: Weight Loss Injections Don’t Fix Your Metabolism.

GLP-1 medications like Semaglutide and Tirzepatide can suppress your appetite, but they don’t teach your body how to burn stored fat, preserve lean muscle, or boost natural energy. That’s why so many people hit plateaus, feel fatigued, or regain the weight.

Our 6-Week Metabolic Reset Program is the missing link—for both GLP-1 users and non-users. It’s not another diet, detox, or extreme fitness challenge. This is a structured, science-based system that helps your body relearn how to burn fat efficiently, balance hormones, and build sustainable health habits from the inside out.

Clients eat real food, follow a guided meal program, and receive weekly coaching for accountability, adjustments, and education. Optional add-ons like Red Light Therapy and Body Sculpting are available to accelerate your transformation—no hours in the gym required.

With Spring Break, Mother’s Day, and Summer just around the corner, now is the perfect time to start. What you do this winter determines how confident, strong, and energized you’ll feel this spring and summer.

Scan the QR code Book your 30-minute Wellness & Weight Loss Consultation today. We’d love to be your first introduction to a smarter, sustainable way to lose weight. You can use your FSA/HSA dollars for a healthier you.

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BEFORE AFTER

BENE

TING

Eat Drink HTX Celebrates Five Years of Impact Benefiting the Houston Food Bank

The Cleverley Stone Foundation has announced that the sister event to Houston Restaurant Weeks will return for the fifth year. Eat Drink HTX will take place February 15th through February 28th, 2026, proceeds from the two-week dining event will benefit the Houston Food Bank, helping support its mission to lead the fight against hunger. As one of the world’s largest food banks, the Houston Food Bank provides access to nutritious food and critical resources through an extensive network of community partners, addressing immediate food needs while advancing long-term solutions to food insecurity across the region.

This foodie friendly event encourages restaurants from across the greater Houston area to participate, from areas north of the city including Lake Conroe, Magnolia, and The Woodlands to Sugar Land and south to Clear Lake and Galveston.

Eat Drink HTX was developed for the casual dining category, with a lower price point set for two-dish brunch, lunch, and dinner menus, allowing more casual and fast-casual eateries the opportunity to participate. The event is Founder, Cleverley Stone’s second pillar for fundraising in partnership with area restaurants. She had long recognized the need to boost sales in restaurants during historically slow periods for area restaurants; specifically, weeks in February, after Valentine’s Day and early spring.

“This marks the fifth year the Cleverley Stone Foundation will produce Eat Drink HTX,” said Katie Stone, president of the Cleverley Stone Foundation. “In the past we have designated two beneficiaries, but this year the Board made the decision that proceeds will benefit our long-time partner, the Houston Food Bank. Eat Drink HTX was created to boost the restaurant industry, which is typically not as profitable at this time of year. The additional benefit is that the Houston Food Bank receives funds that will allow them to serve the many in need here in our community. Truly carrying on the legacy my mother, Cleverley Stone, intended for it and Houston Restaurant Weeks.”

“Service

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Wine and

Every year, I try. I really do. Every February, I sit down and try to write an article about pairing wine and chocolate for Valentine’s Day. A couple of times, I even bought a few boxes of chocolate and several bottles of wine and tried to make it work. It never did, for a few reasons.

First, I am not a huge fan of Valentine’s Day; I do not begrudge those who do “celebrate” the day, mind you, but I just feel the whole day is a bit contrived. Luckily, my wife feels much the same way. Usually, if we remember, we exchange a “Happy Valentine’s Day” at some point on February 14th and that is about it.

Second, I don’t really like chocolate. I know this is pretty close to blasphemous for a large section of the population, but I think I ate way too much bad chocolate as a kid and once I reached adulthood, it was easy to leave it behind. With all my travels to Europe, including plenty of time in Belgium, Switzerland, and, of course France, I have been exposed to plenty of “good” or even “great” chocolate and while I think I can differentiate between the good and bad versions, it really holds no appeal. I never find myself saying: “Boy, I could really use some chocolate right about now.”

Last, I really don’t think chocolate and wine go well together. At all. Sure, there are a few wines (like port) and a few styles of chocolate that aren’t terrible together, but why do we keep trying to force a round wine bottle into heart-shaped “boxes” (is it really a box if it’s not rectangular?)? There will no doubt be a slew of articles this month embracing the pairing, suggesting that it is a marriage on a par with peanut butter and jelly or French fries and ketchup. It’s not.

So why does it always come up this time of year? For the same reason you see similar columns about the “perfect” Thanksgiving wine, or worse, pairing wine with Halloween candy. Wine writers (like me, right now) are trying to come up with a timely and interesting topic that will get people to read their article. And there is usually else going on in February.

So my suggestion this Valentine’s Day (if you are keen on its celebration)? Buy her/him some roses, Sure, it might be a bit chilly outside, but despite popular belief, rosé wines are not just

Chocolate?

Here are a half-dozen widely available rosé wines that I love, unless, of course, you want to pair them with chocolate.

Les Sarrins Rosé, Côtes de Provence, France: Retail $30. This is perhaps my favorite rosé on the planet right now, made with Grenache, Cinsault, and Syrah, classic grapes from Provence. Juicy and tart, this is a fruitier version of the classic Provençale rosé.

Whispering Angel, Côtes de Provence, France: Retail $25. More responsible than any other wine, perhaps, for the explosion in popularity of rosé over the last ten years, this is a wonderful wine. Yes, even though they sell it in Walgreens.

Château Miraval Côtes de Provence Rosé, France: Retail $25. Another classic blend with the three stalwarts plus a little bit of Vermentino (which the French call Rolle). Another ubiquitous wine, with a short squatty bottle and beautiful, tasty contents, loaded with fruit and great balance. Having this on a Valentine’s Day list is a bit awkward (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are not the couple you want to reference with your date).

Rodney Strong Pinot Noir Rosé, Russian River Valley, CA: Retail $25. Usually selling for around $15, this has been the most consistently delicious wine over the last decade in my annual blind tasting of American Rosés. Every year, it has been one of the top wines and we buy it by the case.

2024 Michael-David Vineyards Rosé, Lodi, CA: Retail $18. A bit harder to find, perhaps, but Michael David is a leading producer in perhaps this country’s most underappreciated wine region. It is a big, somewhat ridiculous bottle, but it is a tasty quaff.

Stoller Pinot Noir Rosé, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $24. Stoller is still family owned and one of the few producers in Oregon with enough production for wide distribution in Texas. And while “wide distribution” and “high quality” aren’t always used in tandem, it is the case here. Just a delightful rosé.

By Jeffrey M. Kralik, Ph.D. (The Drunken Cyclist)

I’ve been a Star Trek fan since I was a kid sneaking episodes past bedtime — the ones where Kirk punches an alien and somehow diplomacy still works out. I even owned a plastic communicator from a convention in the late ’90s. Total Trekkie behavior. No regrets.

I loved the warp drives. The strange intergalactic politics. The weekly “someone betrayed the Federation again” plot twist.

The quiet hum of sickbay.

We’re Basically Living in Sickbay Now — And Nobody’s

But the thing that always stuck with me was the medicine.

That sleek handheld tricorder scanning someone in seconds.

Those glowing beds watching vitals so doctors could actually think instead of drowning in paperwork.

Back then, it all felt like science fiction. Fun fantasy. Cool props. No chance it would ever be real.

Fast-forward to now and it turns out Star Trek wasn’t fantasizing. It was previewing the future.

Because today, AI is doing things that would have sounded unbelievable ten years ago — reversing diabetes, helping paralyzed patients walk again, spotting cancer before it even knows it exists.

Which is extraordinary.

And, if we’re honest, a little unsettling.

What Star Trek Actually Got Right

The tricorder in Star Trek was never a magical healing device. It didn’t cure anyone.

It scanned. It measured. It analyzed. Vitals. Chemicals. Radiation.

Then it handed all that information to a doctor, who had to make the real call. That part matters.

Even in the 1960s, Star Trek wasn’t promising miracle medicine. It was showing a future where healthcare was fast, precise, and calm. No chaos. No clipboards flying. No nurses sprinting down hallways calling codes. The beds worked the same way. They stabilized patients, monitored them constantly, and gave doctors breathing room.

Star Trek wasn’t predicting magical healthcare.

It was predicting competent healthcare.

The Tricorder Is Here — It’s Just Not in Your Pocket

No one is pulling a tricorder out at brunch and scanning their friend between mimosas.

But we built something far more powerful.

It lives in hospital systems.

In imaging machines.

In massive data centers.

Inside AI models that never get tired.

Today, AI reads X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and pathology slides with remarkable accuracy. Sometimes it catches things doctors miss. Sometimes it finds cancer before symptoms appear. It flags strokes in emergency rooms faster than human teams can react.

There are models analyzing tissue at a cellular level and identifying tumors with near-perfect precision.

That means earlier treatment.

Better survival rates.

And sometimes, an actual cure.

AI can already detect hundreds — even thousands — of diseases before you feel a single symptom. Kidney failure. Alzheimer’s. Heart disease.

And diabetes? The entire playbook has changed.

AI now tracks glucose in real time, predicts dangerous drops before they happen, fine-tunes insulin dosing, and builds personalized treatment plans around a patient’s real life. Some type 2 patients are reaching remission.

By Praneet Franklin (Houston AI Voice) www.linkedin.com/in/praneetfranklin

in Star Trek’s Nobody’s Talking About It

That would have sounded unbelievable a decade ago.

This isn’t replacing doctors. It’s giving them better tools. Less time squinting at scans. More time with patients. More time making judgment calls. More time being human. Exactly like sickbay.

Why Tech Giants Suddenly Care About Your Health

This is why companies like NVIDIA are now deeply invested in healthcare. For years, most people associated them with video games and graphics cards. Today, their hardware runs drug discovery, genome analysis, medical imaging, and molecular simulations.

Pharmaceutical companies use AI to test billions of drug interactions on computers instead of in labs. That cuts years off development timelines and saves enormous amounts of money. It also catches dangerous side effects early and finds new uses for existing drugs.

We are already seeing AI-designed molecules improving pancreatic cancer treatments and pushing life-saving drugs into clinical trials at record speed. For paralysis, AI powers brain-computer interfaces and robotic exoskeletons that help patients walk again after spinal cord injuries or strokes. These machines read neural signals, interpret intent, and move limbs that were once permanently still.

Permanent disability is slowly becoming a rehabilitation problem. That is a profound shift.

Medicine is moving away from “wait until something breaks” and toward “let’s stop it before it happens.”

Exactly what Star Trek imagined.

That Claim About AI Replacing Doctors

Elon Musk recently dropped a bomb by saying AI could replace doctors entirely and make medical school pointless.

AI will dominate diagnostics. It will excel at pattern recognition. It will outperform humans in precision medicine. But medicine is not just data. It is responsibility. It is judgment.

It is walking into a room and telling a family news that will change their lives forever.

AI does not carry that burden. It does not live with the consequences of a wrong call. It does not wrestle with “should we” after answering “can we.” Star Trek never removed doctors from sickbay. It made them better.

That is the future we are building.

So… Are We Living the Star Trek Dream?

In many ways, yes.

The tricorder exists — it just lives in the cloud. The beds are smart — quietly watching over patients. The doctors are still the captains — now armed with tools that would have astonished Dr. McCoy.

This is not about machines taking over.

It is about machines finally doing what Star Trek promised they would: supporting humans when they are at their most vulnerable.

Star Trek imagined technology that served people. For the first time, medicine is making that vision real.

“Style for a Cure”

Shopping Event at River Oaks District

Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF, invites fashion lovers and philanthropic shoppers to turn style into impact at Style for a Cure, a chic, day-long shopping celebration at River Oaks District on February 10, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The fashionable affair will raise critical funds for Breakthrough T1D while setting the tone for the highly anticipated “Night in Black & White” 2026 Promise Ball

Hosted by acclaimed personal stylist Styled by Dale (Dale Volpe) alongside 2026 Promise Ball Chairs Alexandra and Richard Bruskoff, the event transforms River Oaks District into a runway of retail indulgence. Guests will enjoy a full day of exclusive in-store activations, light bites, bubbly sips, giveaways, raffles, and endless style inspiration—all while shopping for a cause. Twenty percent of all purchases throughout the day will benefit Greater Houston Breakthrough T1D

More than 20 coveted boutiques will participate, including A.L.C., alice + olivia, Altuzurra, Assouline, Baccarat, Biologique Recherche, Carolina Herrera, Christy Lynn, Frame, LoveShackFancy, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Moreau, Veronica Beard, Vince, Zadig & Voltaire, Zimmerman, and more—offering everything from statementmaking fashion to beauty must-haves and luxury gifts. With fashion, fun, and philanthropy seamlessly woven together, Style for a Cure promises to be a must-shop event where giving back never goes out of style. Breakthrough T1D will mark the 27th anniversary of one of Houston’s most successful philanthropic evenings—the Promise Ball—on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at the Hilton Americas–Houston. This year’s celebration will honor The Judy & Bob Morgan family and The Amy & Tim Haskell family, while also recognizing Linda Brown with the prestigious Meredith and Fielding Cocke Visionary Award. In addition, Elizabeth & James Elder will be highlighted as the evening’s Fund A Cure family. Drew Dougherty, former host of Houston Texans TV, will return as Emcee, guiding guests through an inspiring program that showcases groundbreaking advancements in type 1 diabetes research and treatment. Guests will enjoy a thoughtfully curated silent auction led by Auction Chair Lindsey Brochstein and an engaging live auction conducted by Auctioneer Shawn Hamilton of Stokes Auction House. Additional fundraising moments will include a dazzling jewelry sweepstakes and the meaningful opportunity to support T1D research during the Fund A Cure segment.

The night will introduce a VIP Mahjong for a Cure gaming opportunity before and after the event and will conclude with entertainment, dancing, and a lively Casino Games After Party— sponsored and hosted by Liskow—inviting guests to celebrate, connect, and further champion the mission of Breakthrough T1D.

Tickets for the annual event start at $750 per person for an individual ticket, and numerous table sponsorships are available from $7,500-$100,000.

For more information on the JDRF 2026 Promise Ball including benefits and opportunities, sponsorship, and general donations, scan the QR code

The Art Colony Association, Inc. (ACA), the producer of Bayou City Art Festival, will announce the top 30 finalists for its 13th Annual Middle School Art Competition at the reception on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 1-3 p.m. at the Paper Co. Coffee Bar and Art Gallery, 1100 Elder St, Houston 77007

The Middle School Art Competition is an education initiative offered by ACA for students in grades 5-8 from Houston area private schools, charter schools, and public independent school districts. The art contest offers middle school students the opportunity to participate in a 2-D juried competition, have their art displayed in public, interact with working artists, and win prizes for themselves and their school’s art program.

This year’s theme “Through My Eyes” invited students to share the world as they see it: their neighborhoods, their families, their challenges, their hopes, and the moments that shape their unique perspectives.

The public along with students, parents, teachers, and district representatives are invited to attend the reception and view artwork from more than 500 participating students. During the reception, light bites and refreshments will be served, and Houston artist Summer Lydick will be the featured guest speaker.

The top 30 finalists’ art will be on display at the Bayou City Art Festival Downtown on March 28-29, 2026. The finalists’ artwork will also be posted for web-based voting to determine the "Nadia Community Choice Award". Online voting will take place February 10 through February 28, 2026, at www.bayoucityartfestival.com. Additionally, the finalists will receive tickets to the Downtown Spring Festival and a finalist award ribbon.

ACA will announce 1st, 2nd and 3rd place along with the winner of the "Nadia Community Choice Award" at a special reception at Bayou City Art Festival on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at 1 p.m.

For the most recent updates, follow the official event hashtags #HouArtFest and #BCAF,

Saving the Day, One Paw at a Time:

Houston’s Furriest “Superheroes Unleashed” at Wags and Whiskers

Annual Luncheon and Pet Fashion Show

Save the Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026

Philanthropic animal lovers will don their capes and assemble their trusty sidekicks as Houston’s furriest heroes unite for an afternoon of fashion, flair, and feel-good fun. Prancing pets, wagging tails, and showstopping cuteness will take center stage at this epic pet fashion show – proving that saving the world starts with saving a wag, purr or a paw through IM Houston’s Animeals program.

The 13th Annual Wags and Whiskers Luncheon and Pet Fashion Show will take place Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Ballroom at Bayou Place. The event benefits IM Houston’s Animeals program, which provides pet food and other supplies to more than 1,000 pets belonging to homebound seniors in IM’s Meals on Wheels program – ensuring no hero or loyal companion goes without.

The “Superheroes Unleashed!” themed celebration will feature a star-studded celebrity pet fashion show produced by Todd Ramos, a silent auction worthy of any secret lair, delicious luncheon, and plenty of heroic surprises. The action-packed afternoon will be led by Luncheon Chairs Chaun and Derrick Vaughn.Guests and four-legged superheroes will also enjoy an inspiring program emceed by podcast host Amanda Sapp, honoring Elizabeth “Chrissy” Tate – a longtime Animeals supporter and volunteer who delivers pet food every month – a true champion for animals and the Houston community. Special thanks to the event’s Super Paw Sponsors, Linh and Fred G. Marshall.Guests can purchase tickets or a table of eight or ten that includes additional benefits to support Animeals and IM Houston.

Sponsorship levels are:

Super Paw Sponsor - $25,000

Wonder Wolf Sponsor - $15,000

Purr-fessor Sponsor - $10,000

Captain Ameripup Sponsor - $5,000

Cat-tain Marvel Sponsor - $2,500

Paws of Power VIP Individual Ticket - $1000

Tabby Torch Individual Ticket - $500

Iron Tail Individual Ticket - $250

Be the superhero the Animeals need today and scan to get your tickets or table

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