By Guest Blogger Cole Millen
Travel Writer & Foodie

Vacations are times to relax. It is a time to leave the worries of every day life back at home while you bask in the sun or ski down some slopes. However, you don’t want to leave behind all your rules and regulations or you may risk putting on those pound that you worked so hard to take off. Here are a few tips on how to stay on track while enjoying yourself on vacation.

In the Air

When you flying, there is a good chance that food will be involved. However, you do not need to succumb to all the high calorie snacks. Begin by eating a healthy meal before you even get to the airport. This can help prevent you from grabbing a snack or meal at one of the many fast food joints that seem to be popping up in airports. When you are stuck at the airport and need to eat, such as on layovers, hunt down healthy food, such as baked chicken and salads. Finally, consider packing some healthy snacks for the flight. You do not have to eat the cookies or whatever other food the flight offers. Opt for dried fruit or other healthy snacks you are allowed to carry onto the plane.

You can also use your time at the airport to burn some extra calories. Instead of sitting down waiting for your flight for hours, spend some time walking around. You can get acquainted with the area, find out some interesting facts about the city, and walk off a meal you may be regretting.

At the Hotel

Finding the right hotel for your healthy lifestyle is a pivotal part of your vacation. Ensuring that the hotel has the proper amenities and that you are utilizing them appropriately can make or break a healthy week. For this reason I have found that a little research goes a long way. In my experience, reviews from other travelers have proved to be the most accurate form of information, probably because they are unbiased. On a recent trip of mine to Sin City, I found a great site that listed reviews for Las Vegas hotels regarding not only their amenities and services, but also reviews regarding the restaurants around them. This allowed me to pick the right hotel for me as well as to pick and plan out which restaurants I can go to for a healthy and delicious meal.

When you are settled into your hotel, there are also steps you can take to ensure that you do not fall off the wagon. For starters, you can refuse the key to the mini bar in your room. Not only are those the most expensive snacks and drinks you can buy, they are usually very unhealthy too. Instead, stock up on healthy snacks to keep in your room. Have some fruit, granola, pretzels, and other snacks that won’t make you feel guilty. You can even get soup and oatmeal that can be easily prepared with the hot water from the coffee maker.

You also need to make sure that you don’t overdo it when it comes to the food the hotel has to offer. For example, many hotels offer a free continental breakfast with muffins, bagels, and more. When you hit this breakfast bar, eat as much of the fruit as you want, but avoid the starchy and fatty foods they are offering. You want to fill up on fiber and nutrients instead. You can also reach for the yogurt and eggs, if they have them, as they are a good source of protein. Keep your healthy goals in mind when ordering room service as well. Many hotels are willing to accommodate any requests you make.

If you follow this advice, you will not undo all of your hard work. You will stay right on track and have no regrets whatsoever when your return home.

You can read more of Cole’s work on his blog.

We’ve had several visitors in our offices the past week from northern regions of the country – Michigan, Wisconsin, and New York – and all of them, without fail, have asked if this weather is normal. They  no doubt came here hoping to escape the cold, which most did as their home states were all suffering from inch upon inch of snow.

So now that we prepare to turn the calendar to a new month, we wanted to share some of the things to be looking for in April. We’ll be updating this blog entry as we learn more, and to add links as we find them, so we invite you to come back and check this particular blog entry throughout the month.

Something New & Different:
High Noon on the Courthouse Lawn – Fridays in April and May
Grab a lunch and head to the downtown square to sit on the lawn or at bistro tables around the McKinney Performing Arts Center (a.k.a. the historic courthouse). Most of the downtown restaurants will offer lunches to go, too! Entertainment will include various musicians, fitness fun (hula hoop contest, table tennis,  and cycling) and even mechanical bull riding. Fridays in April and May, noon-1 p.m.

Chicken Coop & Victory Garden Tour – April 20
We can’t wait for this first-time event because it features backyard chicken coops and gardens within the historic district – talk about fun and different! The tour is free, starting at D&L AgMart at 201 W. University. (You even get free breakfast when you stop in between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.) Other goodies along the way, too. Check it out at the McKinney Historical Neighborhood Association website.

Shopping & Eating
Ladies Night Out at the Heard-Craig Center- April 18
Enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres, desserts, memorable music and appreciate the good fortune of being able to shop at some of the most unique and elegant retailers in the area…all in one location! Call 972-569-6909 to make reservations.

Cupcake Bliss Class – April 2
Learn about baking special cupcakes during a class at Market Street with food blogger and radio personality Lorie Fangio.

Heard Spring Native Plant Sale – April 5-7
Select from a wide assortment of landscape plants that are native to Texas- beautiful and drought-resistant to add color and depth to your garden.

Third Monday Trade Days – April 12-14
Old Red Lumberyard & the Flour Mill District Shopping Days – April 12-13

The Arts!
49th Annual Collin County Adult Art Show and Student Art Show - April 5-7
Hosted by the Art Club of McKinney at Heard-Craig Center for the Arts.

Heard-Craig Garden Concert Series – April 11 & April 25
The annual garden concert series features the E-Flat Porch Band on April 11 and the McKinney Community Band on April 25. Concerts are free and start at 7 p.m. in Katie’s Garden at the Heard-Craig House.

Fibers, Brushes and More – April 12
Participants will create four projects at four downtown studios/businesses – Diggin’ It, Happiness Is…Quilting, Wild Brush Studios and Walls of Clay.

Arts in Bloom – April 13
This all-day event is a perfect opportunity to experience the magic of McKinney’s historic shopping district during the spring season with art, music, food and much more. Also going on as part of the event: Art in the Making, Second Saturday on the Square, and Chalk Walk, among other happenings around the square that day.

Fun with Wellness & The Great Outdoors
Spring Family Fun Day (Part of the Mayor’s Health Partnership) – April 6
Family fun at Cooper Fitness in Craig Ranch featuring fit kid demonstrations, sand pit relays, healthy snack creation and more. Open to the public; $5 non-members, free for members. 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Heard Museum’s Celebrate Nature event – April 6
Explore the various habitats on the 289-acre Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary as well as enjoying family activities, live music and animal presentations in the outdoor amphitheater. Refreshments will be available for purchase.

Color Me Cooper 5K/10K – April 20
Start the off-road foot race dressed in white and cross the finish line covered in colors!

We’re in the process of getting these events loaded on our website and on our app, too, so you’ll soon be able to find them there, too.

Photo Credit: Mark Woods

Three decades ago, Cliff Cubbage (of Allen) proposed to his bride-to-be Linda in his car. But Saturday night in McKinney, Cliff was more public, this time asking his wife to renew their vows while on stage in front of a comedy show audience of more than 400.

“When I first asked Linda to marry me, I chickened out and instead of asking her over dinner at Red Lobster, I asked her in the car. [A couple years ago], Linda said it would have been nice if I had asked her in the restaurant,” Cliff said. “I was going to take her to Red Lobster again [this year] with everyone in the family and ask her to redo our vows for our 30^th anniversary.”

Enter McKinney’s all-female comedy troupe, the Four Funny Females, who came into the picture after the Cubbages attended one of their January shows.

“Sitting there at the show, I was thinking [they] might be able to help me go above and beyond my own expectations,” Cliff said.

Cliff met with Bartlett to share ideas about a special surprise for his wife, and she asked him if he’d mind the re-proposal being built into the show.

“He said he was game for anything,” Bartlett said.

During this meeting, Cliff related to Bartlett the circumstances behind his request, which dated back to 1995 when a bad fall dislocated his left shoulder, lower back, and left ankle, and crushed his right knee, leaving him in pain and disabled.

“[At one time], I was taking 39 medications. [A few years ago], I was rushed to the hospital three different times. That last time, when my wife walked in the room, [the way] she looked at me, I knew I had to make some changes,” Cliff said. “I stopped taking 22 of the medications, I started reading the Bible and what I was reading told me I needed to fix my marriage.”

The idea of renewing their vows seemed the perfect way for Cliff to rededicate himself to Linda.

“After I heard his story, I knew we needed to make this more special than just inviting him onstage,” Bartlett said.

A few phone calls to local businesses explaining the romantic request resulted in donations of special touches for the evening: a tuxedo rental from Men’s Warehouse (in Allen), a bouquet of roses from The Lily Pad Flower Shop, a romantic dinner at Café Malaga, and sweets from Nothing Bundt Cakes. The comedy troupe also gave the couple a special-label bottle of wine from Landon Winery, and Bartlett contacted Red Lobster (in Plano), who donated a gift card.

The night of the Feb. 9 show arrived, and Cliff and Linda took their seats at the McKinney Performing Arts Center, ready for an evening of laughter followed by dinner with the family and friends attending the show with them. Cliff had taken Linda to have her hair and nails done and had bought her a red gown for the evening out, so she had an idea he was planning something.

Photo by MCVB

As headliner Linda Stogner took the stage, Cliff excused himself to the restroom, when in reality he was sneaking into the MPAC Green Room where the comics helped him do a quick-change into the tux. Comics Jodi Hadsell and Sherry Belle, who had finished their sets, worked with the back-stage volunteers gathering the goodies and listening for their cue. As the show ended, Belle went into the audience to escort Linda from the front row onto the stage.

“Come on. Huuuhhh-neh,” Belle said in her thick Louisiana drawl, grabbing Linda’s hand. “You’re come’n with me!”

“You think you’re just here for a night out with family,” Bartlett told Linda, as they stood center stage. “But you’re really here because your husband wanted to make this a special evening for you.”

The tux-clad Cliff appeared from behind the curtain, walked to center stage, handed the roses to Linda, and took a knee in front of his stunned wife. The audience cheered.

“To the world, you are just a person, but to me, you are my world,” he said, holding her hand. “Buttercup, will you be my Valentine?”

Following a kiss and more enthusiastic applause from the sold-out audience, Cliff continued.

“I love you with all my heart. Linda Marie Friend Cubbage, will you marry me all over again for the second time?” he asked, pulling the ring box from his pocket.

Photo: MCVB

Barlett held a microphone for Cliff so the audience could hear the proposal, adding her own narration, “She said ‘yes!’,”eliciting more applause and a standing ovation. “And she said ‘yes’ again!”

Backstage after the show, the Cubbages posed for photos with the comics.

“I knew he was doing something, but I just thought he’d do something while we were having dinner with the family,” a beaming Linda said. “My husband’s never done anything like this. And I’ve never even seen him in a tux! I’m still in shock!”

The Cubbages will renew their vows on September 4, 2013, their 30^th wedding anniversary.

For more about the Four Funny Females, visit www.FourFunnyFemales.com.

To see more photos of this event (including backstage shots), visit the MCVB Facebook page, Destination McKinney Texas.

The MCVB’s new website – a nice fresh look!

As we wrap up 2012, the McKinney Convention & Visitors Bureau is looking forward to an exciting 2013.

Our excitement actually started on Dec. 14 with an early Christmas gift – the launch of our new website! It can still be found at  www.VisitMcKinney.com, but the content and style are fresh, new and fabulous! And it’s mobile friendly. This was followed closely by a move to new offices just west of the historic downtown square over Christmas week. We’re all settled in now and hope you’ll come visit us.

Website

You’ll notice as you check out the new website, there are many positive changes such as photo galleries, enhanced calendar listings with photos, dining listings, a spot to host our blog (we’re deciding now whether to host it there or continue to host it here while accessing it from there). The calendar is so easy to use, too (remember our policy: the events must be open to the public and be held in McKinney) and you can now add photos to them easily. As before, the items then go to a holding screen where they await our approval, so please don’t expect them to appear immediately once you submit them. We check the approval page every day, so it won’t take long to show up on our website. Please do remember to include an email address or phone number so we can contact you should we have a question.

Submitting an event is easier than ever!

Entering events that are recurring or occur over a period of time (week, month, etc.) are easier to enter than in the past, too. If you have any questions, please let us know! (The website was created by CivicPlus, a company the City of McKinney partnered with for their own website, then we followed suit, as did the airport and the McKinney Economic Development Corporation. CP specializes in municipal and tourism related site development.) We love it and know you will too.

New Location

The front entrance to our new offices – at the corner of Virginia and Wood.

Our new offices and Visitor Center are located at 200 W. Virginia, two doors east of The Pub and across the street from Ruggeri’s. We’re situated in such a great place – parking is plentiful and Mitchell Park, the site/starting point of so many city events, is a stone’s throw from our front door. We’re in the process of reordering the latest and greatest statewide literature for our visitors, but our McKinney brochures and maps are plentiful so please stop on by and see us. We have comfortable places to sit, a library of not only brochures but also wonderful books and photo albums featuring McKinney history, and maybe even some fresh-baked cookies or other treats!

Our hours are as they have always been, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., but we will be announcing extended hours on certain weekends and even an occasional evening. (Watch for this information soon!)

Please have a SAFE and Happy New Year… and please come visit us. We’d love to see you!

Take a gander at what is coming up in the month of December, mark your calendars and by all means, please take part in one, three or many of them. You’ll be glad you did, and your cheeks will feel rosier!

The Arts: Music, Drama & Visual

There’s still time to see Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol,” the classic holiday tradition from the McKinney Repertory Theatre at the McKinney Performing Arts Center (Dec. 1-2.  Tickets are available online or by calling 214-544-4630.

Join McKinney’s own Jon Christopher Davis (pictured at right) for Wales Manor’s first Music Under the Stars Holiday Concert (Dec. 1, 7-10:15 p.m). Admission is $10/person. Bring a lawn chair and blankets, but no outside beverages. Wine, margaritas, sodas and water for sale, and oven-fired pizza!

The Krakatuk Ballet presents two performances of A Nutcracker Prequel Ballet (Dec. 12 for schools; Dec. for the public). The story includes an evil mouse queen, a king, queen, princess, sausages, nursemaids, cats, a very hard nut to crack and a boy who is able to crack it. Tickets are at MPAC.

The all-volunteer McKinney Community Band is holding its first public Christmas Concert, “Sounds of the Seasons” (Dec. 14, 7;30 p.m.) at Christ Fellowship Church in McKinney, 2801 Orchid, just off Eldorado. Admission is free, and the church will have its coffee shop open for purchases of hot chocolate, coffee, cookies and other yummy goodies.

Enjoy the Romance of Christmas Concert with Erica Lane and Dustin Keele (MPAC, Dec. 14, 8 p.m.). Tickets are $20 and $22.

The Turtle Creek Chorale brings laughter, joy and the most beautiful music of the season to MPAC (Dec. 15, 2 p.m. & 7 p.m.) in their “Comfort & Joy” concert. Tickets are $20 and $30.

Second Saturday (Dec. 8, 7-10 p.m.) as always showcases the art of wonderful local and regional artists at our downtown art galleries. For a list of participating galleries and businesses, click HERE.

The annual Heard-Craig Center for the Arts hosts its annual Holiday Tea & Conversation (Dec. 12) program this year, showcasing the amazing voices of the McKinney High School Harmony group and the Boyd High School Jazz Choir.

Holiday Sights and Lights

The McKinney Rotary Club presents the 13th Annual Christmas Parade of Lights (Dec. 1, 6:30 p.m.) around the historic downtown square. This year’s parade features the theme, “Christmas at the Movies.” Gather your family and friends to see all of the beautifully decorated and lighted floats as we kick off the festive Christmas season, McKinney-style. Then hang around the square for dinner and live music!

The first weekend of December (Dec. 1-2) has been The Heritage Guild of Collin County Holiday Tour of Homes since 1973! Every year, five or six homes and historic structures are decorated for Christmas for the tour. Proceeds from ticket sales and raffle are a major component to the ongoing operation of Chestnut Square. Tickets are $20 at the door/$15 in advance and are available online or at locales downtown; 12 and under free.

The Heard Museum hosts its Holiday Trail of Lights (Dec. 14-15, 6:30-9 p.m.) where guests will see thousands of holiday lights–many synchronized to holiday music–along a half mile Heard nature trail. Have a photo taken with Father Christmas and Mother Nature in a festive setting. Enjoy hot beverages and treats. Listen to live holiday music in the Heard outdoor amphitheater performed by local groups.

And Even More To Do:

Dec. 1: The DFW Toys for Tots 44-mile Motorcycle  Run kicks off in McKinney to collect toys. Line up at 8:30 a.m., leave at 10:30 a.m. Don’t ride a motorcycle? Bring $15 and a new toy to the McKinney VFW Post 2150 for lunch, and photos with Santa and Marines. Benefitting DFW Toys for Tots. 1710 N. Church. For info, call 214-563-4185.

Dec. 1:  Morning Maniacs Shine & Show Classic Car Show: 7:30-10:30 a.m. around the McKinney Performing Arts Center on the square.

Dec. 5-6: Scholastic Book Fair: Pick up books and great stocking stuffers at this annual  McKinney Community Center event; all inventory 50% off.

Dec. 14-16: Third Monday Trade Days is the oldest and largest monthly trade days/flea market in North Texas. Over 400 vendors offer almost anything you can imagine—unique gifts, delightful home décor, trendy clothing and accessories, sporting goods, antiques and collectibles, landscaping materials, tools, and small animals along with many specialty “state fair” type food concessions. Shoppers will find plenty of all-weather parking, clean restrooms, two ATMs, an air conditioned and heated Mall building, mobility cart rental, wagon and stroller rental, and a family-friendly atmosphere including a fun playground and train ride. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. all three days.

Dec. 15:  For Adriatica’s Christmas Cookie Competition & Craft Fair, bring a plate of your decorated cookies, take pictures with Santa, sip on some hot cocoa, and check out all of the wonderful crafts! Winners of the Christmas Cookie Decorating Competition will receive awesome holiday prizes! Craft Fair: 10am-5pm; Cookie Competition: 2pm-4pm; Pictures with Santa: 2pm-4pm. At the Love Life Wrapping Center, 6851 Virginia Parkway, 972.540.5955.

Saturdays at 11 a.m.: Franconia Brewery Tour with Bavarian brewmeister Dennis Wehrmann shares his knowledge and laughs. Tour fee of $5 gets you the tour and tastings. 495 McKinney Pkwy., 972-542-0705.

Ring in the New Year at MPAC!

The McKinney Performing Arts Center is hosting a New Year’s Eve on Dec. 31 bash featuring casino games, dancing and a champagne toast. Guests will groove to the beats of DJ Mark Brown and enjoy refreshments in the courthouse’s old vault retrofitted as a lounge area. Details and tickets are available on the MPAC website.

This will be the scene in downtown McKinney in the next week or so, as the city prepares for the holiday season.

Doesn’t it feel like it was just September? Then we blinked and it was November. We did enjoy many wonderful activities in McKinney in October; it just seemed to go by in a whirl.

Now that we’re into November already (it’s Election Day, as we post this – we hope you all voted!), there is again so much to keep everyone busy as we close in on the holidays – music, art, drama, races, and of course, Dickens of a Christmas.

McKinney Art Studio Tour (MAST)

Three galleries and 22 artists’ studios will welcome guests for tours  (self-guided after buying a ticket booklet – get tickets HERE) during the McKinney Art Studio Tour (MAST). This is the fourth year of the tour which offers T-shirts for purchase, and those who complete at least 15 stops on the tour (validated by signatures from the artists) can enter a prize drawing. The self-paced, leisurely tour allows visitors to watch the artists where they work and live, and talk to them about their creative processes.

32nd Annual Dickens of a Christmas

McKinney Main Street kicks off the holiday on Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 23-25) by hosting Dickens of a Christmas – Home for the Holidays. Historic Downtown McKinney will offer holiday shopping, entertainment, activities and food. This free event offer visitors to Historic Downtown McKinney a chance to enjoy strolling carolers, live entertainment, carriage rides, children’s activities, holiday shopping and dining at the more than 100 shops and restaurants downtown. The ever-popular show hill is coming back this year, and of course, Dickens wouldn’t be complete without Santa!

Believe Run (1 Mile/5K/10K)

This fun and healthy family event starts and ends at McKinney’s Mitchell Park early the Saturday morning after Thanksgiving (Nov. 24). The McKinney Rotary Club hosts this race that benefits Holy Family School and other charitable organizations. Before the race, kids get chase Santa (alias McKinney Mayor Brian Loughmiller) in the Great Santa Chase. Teams and families often dress in costume; strollers and dogs are welcome! Then hang around town after the race to enjoy Dickens.

ShopAnthropy Shopping Tournament

How fun is this? Teams of four each ($200 per team to enter) will spend the day (Nov. 10) on the downtown square, saving money (participating stores offer discounts to these teams), stopping for great food, and having 100% of the proceeds help kids in our area who have aged out of the foster care system and were never adopted. You can check out the charities here: www.embracetexas.org andwww.simplestofgifts.com.

On Stage

Everything from young performers to seasoned ones are performing this month.

Legally Blonde, the Musical (Nov. 10-11, 15-17): Fine arts students at McKinney Boyd High School bring this adaptation of the popular Broadway musical to their auditorium at 600 N. Lake Forest.  An opening night gala on Saturday (10th) features reserved seating, dinner, dessert at intermission, a silent auction and a meet-and-greet with the cast following the show, all for $25. Regular show tickets are $15 for adults. Get tickets HERE.

Young Actors Guild One-Act Plays (Nov. 16-18): McKinney Repertory Theatre’s Young Actors Guild presents two one-act plays, the mystery comedy “Who Murdered Who?” and an old-fashioned melodrama, “She Was Only a Farmer’s Daughter.” For showtimes at the McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC)  and to get tickets, click HERE.

Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (Nov. 23-25, 30-Dec. 2): The McKinney Repertory Theater once again presents this holiday class to MPAC in what has become a long-standing tradition for kicking off the

Steel Magnolia (Nov. 29): This country duo won Can You Duet? on CMT in 2009 and now they’re hitting the Courtroom Theater stage at the McKinney Performing Arts Center. Winners of the McKinney Mash-Up (finalists were crowned earlier in the month) will open for the duo. Get tickets HERE.

Nightlife

Many talented musicians and singers call McKinney and our area home. You can see them almost any day of the week at many eateries and the wineries downtown and elsewhere throughout the city. Below are establishments that regularly offer live entertainment.

• Cadillac Pizza Pub
• Delaney’s Irish Pub
• Hank’s Texas Grill
• Grand/Rick’s
• Grotto
• Jack’s Pub
• Landon Winery
• Lone Star Wine Cellars
• Spoons Cafe

Second Saturday Art Exhibits & Activities (Nov. 10)

McKinney’s galleries and other businesses feature new art exhibits, starting each Second Saturday on the Square, or hold special events. During this special evening, the galleries and many stores stay open later than usual, and provide snacks as well as the opportunity to meet the artists and talk to them about their work. The artists being featured at various locales downtown this month include:

• Design Ten1 Studio: Ashley Bossung Bruegel; 110 S. Tennessee. 972-542-5514.
• Garret Gallery:  Garret artists Clara Stovall, Ginny Bitting, Babs Light, Gail Delger, and Marian Hirsch; 111 E. Virginia; 972-548-9361.
• Imaging on the Square: Jewelry artist Joy Jones. 109 S. Tennessee, 972-548-7575.
• Laura Moore Fine Art: Peggy Epner (GODSPEED); 107 S Tennessee. 214-914-3630.
• Orisons Art & Framing: Santa artist Brenda Brannon;. 110 E. Louisiana, 972-529-1441.
• McKinney Wine Merchant: Nick Saia (sample pictured at right) and wine tastings from Mt. Eden Vineyards; 120 W. Virginia, 972-542-4636.
• Main Street Magic & Fun Company presents two cabaret style magic shows in their Magic Attic Theater on Saturday – 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. $10 each. Seating is limited so call 214-274-7802.

While we try to be as complete as possible in our monthly event blog, new things do come up, and then there are the monthly standards like flea market and vintage shopping at Third Monday Trade Days, Old Red Lumberyard, and the Flour Mill District; classes, garden shows and workshops, nature days and Dinosaurs Live! (at right) at the Heard Museum and more!

As always, check VisitMcKinney.com and the Destination McKinney Texas Facebook page for more event information.

And if you don’t have our Smartphone app yet (for iPhone, iPad or Android) by all means, go HERE now and get it! You’ll be glad you did.

On Saturday, Oct. 13, guests can explore local art galleries, listen to great local and regional talent and taste delicious offerings at some of the area’s best eateries.  Many places in downtown McKinney will keep their doors open from 7 – 10 p.m. for this monthly event.

ART Events featured this Saturday

Alternative Furnishings – will feature local artist Jeni Weems Tomlin, stop by and see her wonderful works that she will have on hand throughout the evening.

 Design Ten1 Interiors –will feature home-grown Texas artist Denise Kendrick.  Denise is a graduate of the Art School at the University of North Texas.  Her interpretive style in her most recent collection of acrylics and oil on canvas art reflects her Texas roots in a warm, rich pallet.  Denise is married to her high school sweetheart, Bruce, and mother of 8 children by birth and adoption.

Ken Toki’s Texas Koi Fish

Garret Art Gallery – will be featuring artist Ken Toki . Ken was featured in 2010 at the gallery and will be displaying his new work titled, “Texas Water Scenes With Koi Fish.

Ken Toki is excited to return to the Garret Art Gallery at McKinney, Texas with his new 2012 acrylic paintings of Texas waterside scenes with koi or carp fish. While a fantasy of composition, Toki has studied both the jewel-like fish and Texas rivers and creeks for many years. While a youth in southern Japan he often swam with koi and learned of their almost human-like characteristics. Compared to samurai for their courage, koi are said to not flinch when on the chopping block. Toki often tours and sketches Texas riverside scenes which he loves. Ken is a member of Dallas Koi Kichi.

Toki was an All-Japan Gold Medalist in 2005, and the same year exhibited 64 works in conjunction with Japan’s Kyushu National Museum at Dazaifu. His paintings have been shown in Japan’s major museums including Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museums of Art of Nagoya, Yokohama and Osaka, Japan. Also, the Musee de la Marine, Paris and the National Museum of Hamar, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

 Imaging on the Square – is featuring various local artists, showcasing their many different mixes and mediums throughout the evening.

The art of William Renzulli at Laura Moore Fine Art Studios

Laura Moore Fine Art Studios – will feature Williams Renzulli, who’s drawing upon places both real and imagined, sets a mood and strikes a feeling with each of his bold canvases. In Renzulli’s most recent series “Nature Imagined”, he often summons internal landscapes from the memory of experienced places. Alternating between a moody, monochromatic palette and an electric vibrant one, each painting evokes a different response, but each consistently tugs at the edges of memory and recognition. The medium to large-scaled paintings in the exhibition are more about the feelings derived from a place than the place itself. Renzulli feels drawn to “create beauty, both elegant and mundane” with his thought provoking works.

William Renzulli of Paducah, Kentucky, left a 9-year practice of internal medicine and now devotes all of his time to art making. “Nature Imagined” features 15 of his bold and lyrical acrylic on canvas paintings.  Meet Renzulli during opening night for the exhibition “William Renzulli: Nature Imagined” on Saturday, October 13th 7-10pm.  Through November 7th at Laura Moore Fine Art Studios, 107 S Tennessee in McKinney, Texas.

Art selections from CityArtCal at Orisons Art & Framing.

Orisons Fine Art & Framing Gallery – will be featuring ten exceptional artists from CityArtCal in a group show.  Bold compositions and innovative use of media characterize the works chosen.  Linda Bourgault, Kris Byars, and K.D. Hafley are represented by Orisons.  Susan Bishop, Pauline Caffrey, Rachel Davis, Cindy Gray, Trent Mann, Mary Morgan, and Patricia Rodriguez are first time exhibitors in the gallery.  These artists will be published in CityArtCal’s annual calendar, Fine Art in Dallas. Please join us for a reception and meet the artists, October 13, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Other Fun Events at Second Saturday

Main Street Magic & Fun Company – Join us for a little “Spooky Magic Show” at 7:00 p.m.  This show will be a family-friendly; however it does contain some bizarre and scary magic and stories, so parents please use discretion in regards to whether you child/children would enjoy this type show.  Tickets are $10 each.  Reservations can be made by calling 214-274-7802.

Local Yocal Farm to Market – is excited to present Matt’s art of Oktoberfest!  Did you get rained out for Oktoberfest, not to worry we are serving Brats and German sausage all day.  Everyone is invited to enjoy a good food, live music on the patio during Second Saturday, BYOB.

Patina Green Home & Market – will be featuring Market Dinners each second Saturday on our front patio.  The 5 course dinners are by reservation only, and the store will be CLOSED to accommodate the intimate dining.  For more information please call 972-548-9141.

LIVE MUSIC on Saturday

• Cadillac Pizza Pub – Buzz Andrews Band
• Café Malaga  - Six of the Matter  
• Grotto – Maylee Thomas
• La Misha Bistro – Tom and Kate
• Landon Winery– Tu-Tones
• Lone Star Wine Cellars – Steve Rose
• Rick’s Chophouse – Jon C. Davis
• Spoon’s Café – Duane Bates

Shops open during Second Saturday (extended hours)

Grab a pumpkin and have a fun October in McKinney

Once again, we feel the hint of crispness in the air as our thoughts turn to all things autumnal –pumpkins, brilliant colors of changing leaves, and things that go bump in the night!

McKinney offers all these things and more. Check out the many activities in store for visitors and residents in McKinney in the month of October.

At the Heard Museum

October 2012 gets underway with the Oct. 2 opening of the annual Dinosaurs Live! exhibit at the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary. T-Rex and his pals will be around until February, giving you plenty of time to see and hear these animatronic creatures, made right here in Collin County, by the way. Don’t forget the camera as family pictures with the dinos make great additions to annual holiday cards. (We know this first hand, as we at the McKinney CVB took our holiday picture with the T-Rex a few years back!)

Dinos return to the Heard Oct. 2

A little later this month at the Heard:

• Halloween at the Heard(Oct. 20, 6-10 p.m.) allows kids to trick-or-treat by flashlight along the nature trails, or take a detour to the “Haunted Forest” (not recommended for younger guests). There’s a costume contest (12 and under), concessions for purchase, and this year’s outdoor movie, “The Lorax.”  Tickets go on sale to members today (Oct.1) and to the general public on Oct. 8. Note: this event sells out fast!
• The monthly 2^nd Saturday Bird Walk (Oct. 13) allows bird and nature enthusiasts to explore the abundant bird life in the sanctuary. For more about birds and nature, watch this VIDEO.

Historic District Events

McKinney Community Band Free concert

Enjoy several entertainment options taking place in and around downtown McKinney this month:

• McKinney Repertory Theatre brings Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” (Oct. 5-6, 12-14) to the Courtroom Theater at the McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC).
• A capella sensations Pentatonix(winners of the Nov. 2011 “Sing-Off” Season 3 on NBC) perform at MPAC this month (Oct. 18), but sorry, folks – this show’s already sold out!

• The McKinney Community Band honors Serenity High during their “After Ghoul Special” concert featuring bewitching music befitting the Halloween season. The concert is free, but tickets are needed as seating will fill up quick for this special night at MPAC. Get tickets HERE.
  

  Scare on the Square

• Kids will fill the square by the thousands for Scare on the Square (Oct. 31, 4-6 p.m.) featuring trick-or-treating, a costume contest, and the McKinney Fire Department McTown Klownz(performing at 6:30 p.m. in a free show at MPAC).
• Rocky Horror Picture Show (Oct. 19, 9-11 p.m) – The adults can enjoy some kid-free Halloween fun, too, as they rock along with this cult-classic. Bring your water guns, newspapers, toast, rice and more, or buy your Rocky Horror Kit when you buy your ticket to this late night event at MPAC.
• Vocalists are submitting videos now (through Oct. 11) for the McKinney Mash-Up with online voting starting soon (Oct.12-26). Contestants will be notified Oct. 29 with the event taking place next month at MPAC.

Over at Chestnut Square Historic Village, enjoy the following family-friendly events:

• Visit the last weekly Farmers Market (Oct. 13) Saturday, 8 a.m.-noon, before monthly markets start up.
• At Legends of McKinney Ghost Walk (Oct. 20 & 27), guests will learn about McKinney’s ghostly legends on a self-guided tour through McKinney’s purported haunted locales, including this year’s addition of a haunted trolley ride to Finch Park (additional fee applies).
• The city’s Parks department is hosting an outdoor showing of “The Hunger Games” at the McKinney Community Center (Oct. 25, 6:30 p.m.). You bring the lawn chair and/or blankets while the city provides the movie and free popcorn.

Jon Christopher Davis

McKinney At-Large

Fall fun isn’t just for the historic district. Check out these Fall events elsewhere in the city:

• Wales Manor Vineyard and Winery again welcomes Jon Christopher Davis and friends to the outdoor stage for Music Under the Stars (Oct. 6).
• Pumpkinville (Oct. 17-31) features a pumpkin patch, display of farm equipment from the Collin County Farm Museum, tractor-pulled hay rides (times vary by day), pumpkin decorating, games, picnicking, a toddler-sized hay maze, and more. Free admission with pumpkin sale proceeds benefiting McKinney Christian Academy.
• Visit Storybook’s Ghost Ranch and Pumpkin Patch (thru Oct. 31) for wagon rides, petting zoo, hay maze and more.

Charitable Causes

Go to Pumpkinville at Tucker Hill & see their incredible fountain

• The 4th annual Wish 100 (Oct. 6, 8 a.m.) in which the city partners with The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas, McKinney Velo and Matrix Cycling for a 60-mile ride through McKinney and surrounding communities to raise funds to help make wishes come true for children battling life-threatening medical conditions.
• A special Sunday Brunch at Gather (Oct. 14) benefits CASA. Reservations are recommended and a photo booth will be on-site for capturing the fun with your friends.
• Walkers and runners can help multiple charities at the Stonebridge Racers’ Halloween Hustle (Oct. 28) which features 1K, 5K and 15K races.

This event list may look extensive, but our website calendar is full of many others, including Second Saturday art gallery openings, Third Monday Trade Days and Old Red Lumberyard, classes, FFA shows, garden workshops, Scouting badge days and more!  As always, check VisitMcKinney.com and the Destination McKinney Texas Facebook page for more event information.

And if you don’t have our Smartphone app yet (for iPhone, iPad or Android) by all means, go HERE now and get it! You’ll be glad you did.

Fishing at Towne Lake Park

In the first part of our blog on “Natural McKinney,” we covered the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary (which happens to turn 45 years old this weekend!). Now in this second part of our series on what makes McKinney unique, we’ll highlight other McKinney locations, in addition to the Heard, where you can relax and experience nature.

Erwin Park

This beautiful 212-acre city park sits north of University/380 and east of N. Lake Forest (4300 County Road 1006) and features more than eight miles of  challenging mountain bike trails. The Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association (DORBA) maintains the trails which are twisty and full of dips and tree roots. Read reviews of the trails HERE.

Indian paintbrushes blanket the open spaces at Erwin Park.

Note: A McKinney CVB staff member tried walking the trails with a friend awhile back and let me say that we wished we were on bikes. We certainly did get our hearts going – great cardio workout – and our legs were quite achy (that’s a good thing!) from climbing in and out of the big dips. If you try this, we suggest you wear hiking boots instead of running shoes, and be prepared to yield to the cyclists as these really are their trails. 

Erwin Park offers a nice mix of wooded areas and open space where you can feel far away from the city when in actuality, “civilization” is a mere who miles south. Here you’ll find three picnic pavilions (you’ll need to reserve these by calling 972-547-2690), restrooms, playgrounds, and a fishing area. Probably the best part of Erwin Park – certainly for outdoor enthusiasts – is the fact that overnight camping is available here. Like the picnic pavilions, you’ll need to make reservations at the number provided. Keep cars on the paved areas please, and take a camera along as you’ll want to capture the action and the scenery.

A mama goose and her babies take a stroll near Boy Scouts camping at Myers Park.

Myers Park & Event Center

Right up the road from Erwin Park, you’ll find the rolling hills and large clusters of trees as well as a lake and gardens at the almost 160 acres of Myers Park & Event Center. Owned by the county (Collin County), it is a real gem with all sorts of activities going on year-round. The non-nature- related part of Myers Park features a show arena and stalls where FFA livestock shows, horse shows, rodeos and other  events go on, including dog agility shows that fill most weekends from fall into late spring/early summer.

Next to the arena is the park’s event venue with complete catering kitchen, restrooms, and large seating area, making it perfect for receptions, family reunions, and other parties, and just down the hill from this facility is a lakeside gazebo, a popular wedding spot. Cross the lake via the bridge and… hello, nature!

Research Gardens at Myers Park teach about drought-resistant plants.

Supervised youth group camping is allowed in Myers Woods (scouts, churches and such) where you’ll find fire pits and great spots for pitching tents. No cars or motorcycles are allowed in this rustic area so all supplies will need to be carried across the footbridge. Up the hill from the wooded area the perennial garden and a clearing area called the “Back 40.” This is a hilly, wide-open space perfect for large group events.

Note: A few years back, a re-enactment group held a weekend long event complete with cannons, horses and plenty of marching troops.

And back on the other side of the woods from the Back 40 are a pole barn and stage for use by groups for parties and meetings, as well as the Collin County Farm Museum, park office and the research gardens that were created and are cared for by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the Collin County Master Gardeners.

Keep in mind that all activity at Myers Park needs to be scheduled through the park office or the Collin County Farm Museum by calling 972-548-4792 or emailing mpec@collincountytx.gov. May we suggest a visit to the farm museum followed by a family picnic near the lake or in Myers Woods? Or plan a group camping trip. Just make sure to carry anything out that you brought in, please.

And last but not least…

The bronze sculpture “Memories” sits on the northwest side of Towne Lake Park.

Towne Lake Park

This centrally-located community park features at its center a 22-acre lake with paddle boat rentals, a fishing pier, and fountains. Two picnic pavilions and picnic tables and benches scattered throughout the park make it a perfect spot to enjoy nature while relaxing with family and friends over a meal. A concession stand, playground, lighted horseshoe courts, sand volleyball courts and the challenging disc golf course and softball/baseball complex on the east side of the park prove Towne Lake offers a little something for everyone.

Also here are the community center and nature trails with meditation garden located to the south of the park. The city holds the annual summer concert series, Jammin’ in July, here as well. And when you do come, make sure to bring bread to feed the many ducks and geese who call Towne Lake home.

To reserve the picnic pavilions at Towne Lake, call 972-547-2690. For information about the paddle boat rentals, call 972-542-4865.

Watch for more ways McKinney is “Unique by Nature” in future blog entries from the McKinney CVB. Or check out all the city parks and trails on the city’s website or find parks listings on the Visit McKinney Texas smartphone app.