The newest addition to A-rated Tomball ISD — Grand Lakes Junior High School — is moving along as scheduled with the school set to be open to new minds this August.
With an ever-expanding student population, Tomball ISD realizes the importance of ensuring each young mind is met with academic accommodations to help ensure them for the success the district is known for. Grand Lakes Junior High School will accommodate 1,500 students at capacity with its 232,000 square feet of space.
As of January, work on the interior of the building — such as finishes, painting, ceiling and flooring installation — is underway while work on the athletic areas of the school has begun and is even near completion in some areas.
Keep track of the progress with a time-lapse camera that documents every step of construction of Grand Lakes Junior High School and the entire academic complex it is part of. You do not have to wait until it’s done to watch, either. You can take in moments from groundbreaking to current day!
Whether your students will be part of the school’s maiden voyage into academia this year or they will be joining later, you can rest easy knowing they’re learning in a district known for its academic excellence.
For more information on Tomball ISD and all schools available to the residents of Amira, check out our education page.
What do Amira residents do when they want to enjoy a romantic dinner at home? Many turn to their fabulous new kitchens, but who wants to cook on Valentine’s Day? Not to worry. There is a lot of fine dining in the Tomball area. And the best part? You can get it delivered.
425 W Main Street
Tomball, TX
832-702-9031
Known for its top-shelf whiskies, bourbons and mixed drinks, Bonfire Grill can also serve up the romantic dinner of your dreams. Their menu includes spiced Gulf crab cakes, brown butter sage fettuccine, ribeye and more. Get the bourbon crème brûlée
to share and don’t forget to order up cocktails, as well.
28301 TX-249
Tomball, TX 77375
281-290-6676
Is there anything more romantic than an Italian dinner? We don’t think so. Gianna Italian Kitchen has a delectable to-go menu serving up pasta, chicken, beef, sausage and more. Start with the calamari then segway into fettuccine alfredo or cannelloni di mare.
28900 SH 249
Tomball, TX 77375
281-290-9200
Aged beef, scrumptious seafood and pecan cheesecake? Yes, please! Splurge on the porterhouse steak or dive into the ahi tuna for a perfectly romantic meal.
200 N. Elm Street
Tomball, TX 77375
832-761-0670
What would Valentine’s Day be without chocolate? And if you’d like a side of barbecue with that, this is the perfect place. Load up on brisket, chicken or pork followed by their heavenly chocolate bread pudding.
The Refuge Steak House & Bourbon Bar
8540 Creekside Forest Drive
Spring, TX 77375
832-559-8541
Wishing you could dine at The Refuge? Why not have The Refuge come to you instead? In addition to ordering from a generous to-go menu including fried green tomatoes, pan-seared snapper and white chocolate cake, get one of their curated mixology boxes and create a specialty cocktail.
24002 Northwest Freeway
Cypress, TX 77429
832-220-7200
Trust Marvino’s to create a delicious three-course Valentine’s Day menu to go. Available for $79 per person, the feast includes appetizers, entrees and desserts. We have our eye on the lobster rose linguini and the Grand Marnier-filled strawberries.
And while The Canned Food Information Council gave the designation to shed light on the history of canning and dispel any thoughts that canned food isn’t as nutritious as fresh food, we’re taking our observations a bit further this year by holding a food drive.
We’ll be collecting canned goods and other non-perishables the entire month, with eight community drop-off points. Collection boxes will be at The Resort at Amira, 20508 Mueschke Road, and at Amira’s seven model homes. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Donations will go to the Houston Food Bank, which serves 18 southeast Texas counties. The food bank has been strained during the pandemic, with requests for food nearly doubled. The organization is distributing an estimated 800,000 pounds of food each day. Pre-pandemic, daily distribution totals were around 450,000 pounds.
Fun Facts About Canned Food
We have Napoleon Bonaparte to thank for canned food. Prior to canning, food was preserved by salting, drying, sugaring and smoking. Napoleon wanted a better way and created a contest that challenged scientists to devise a new way to preserve food. French inventor Nicholas Appert developed the process of hermetically sealing and heat-sterilizing food storage containers.
Tin was introduced as an alternative canning material in 1810 and a canned goods boom happened in 1873 led by companies Campbell, Heinz and Borden.
In 1903, Alexander Kerr invented the wide-mouth canning jar and later patented the famous two-piece lid. And people began enjoying a can of Pepsi in 1948 for 10 cents a can. (Coke wasn’t canned until 1960.)
Stop by Amira throughout February to drop off your donations. We — along with all of those in need — appreciate your generosity.
We think it’s safe to say that we learned a lot about our kitchens last year. We certainly spent enough time in them. That knowledge changed the way we think about the heart of the home and what we need to make them optimal. Builders have responded by changing things up. Here are the trends we are most likely to see.
Let the Sunshine In
In the past, kitchen windows have been on the small side but this year, more kitchens will feature large, picture windows that flood the area with natural light. The extra light will help kitchens feel brighter and should boost your mood while cooking.
More Quartz, Less Granite
Last year, we wanted more than clean kitchen counters, we wanted counters that were easy to disinfect. Expect to see more quartz countertops. Unlike marble, quartz isn’t porous, so it doesn’t stain as easily, cleans up well and is easy to disinfect.
Hidden Appliances
Kitchens are now multipurpose areas, so it’s not surprising that the latest trend is to hide all of your appliances. Instead of stainless-steel, builders will offer fronts that mimic your cabinets. Even your oven hood can be clad in the same tile as your backsplash or made to look like your cabinets. This streamlined look will most likely be offered as an upgrade by your builder
Smart Kitchens
Homes got smarter a few years ago but with the exception of the random smart coffee pot, kitchens stayed old school. Look for refrigerators that tell you when you are out of something, Amazon Show personal assistants, touchless faucets, smart lights, smart outlets and more.
Longer, Larger Islands
Kitchen islands now are more than prep stations. They serve as homework centers, mini offices and casual dining centers — sometimes all at once. Look for homes with large islands, double islands and islands equipped with attached dining tables.
Less Open Concept
Open concept floor plans are still in, but homeowners want a little more separation between sinks full of dirty dishes and the family room. Look for high wrap-around breakfast bars or archways that separate them from living areas. Barn doors that close the kitchen off from living areas will also be popular.
Cabinets, Cabinets, Cabinets
Cabinets are getting makeovers. The need for a cheery kitchen has become paramount, so look for pops of color. Upper cabinets will replace open shelves, glass doors will make a comeback and homeowners will ditch the hardware in favor of cabinets with grab-able notches.
Walls, Ceilings and Sinks Make a Statement
Statement walls are no longer for bedrooms and baths. While bedrooms often feature a single painted wall, kitchens will focus on tile, shiplap and marble. Sinks also will transform from porcelain and stainless steel to matte metal finishes or even dark materials that hide dirt and stains.
Amira offers numerous floor plans from award-winning builders Perry Homes and Beazer Homes. Visit their model homes to see new trends in home design.
If your New Year resolution is to exercise more and take better care of your health, you are not alone. Most of us want to work off those holiday cookies. If you are an Amira resident, getting and staying fit is as easy as walking out your front door.
Where will you be walking to? The Resort at Amira. The Resort is our gorgeous amenity complex housing our 7,000-square-foot clubhouse. Within the clubhouse is our fitness room equipped with state-of-the-art cardio machines and weights. It’s a great place for a morning run when it’s too cold or too hot for an outdoor jog.
Prefer group exercise classes or something a little less strenuous? There’s also a yoga studio for workout classes that will tone the bodies of yourself and your fitness-minded neighbors.
The clubhouse anchors our fabulous resort-style pool. Adults can swim laps in a pool set-aside just for them while children splash in the adjacent kids’ pool.
If exercising outdoors gets your heart rate up, Amira’s walking and jogging trails will help you reach your step goals. Walk your dog, encourage the kids to ride their bikes or just walk by our sparkling lakes at the end of the day. It’s exercise, but it feels more like fun.
In addition to all of that we have a playground for the kids, a dog park to help keep Fido healthy and parks to fly kites in.
Yep, when it comes to reaching fitness goals, our residents have it made. You can have it made, too. Visit us to find out how you can make the move to Amira.