The Woodlands is your city.
Hosted by your Market Mayor, Rick Raanes. Here’s what’s moving this week.
Welcome to LIVIN · The Woodlands
Rick here. Mayor of The Woodlands, Governor of Texas, and the President of LIVIN — at least until July of next year when we actually hold an election. This is the city thread. If you're relocating, planning to relocate, or just kicking the tires on what The Woodlands actually feels like to live in (versus the brochure), ask. I've done eighteen years here, raised three kids in CISD, and run the Mayor Merlot dinners that turned this whole platform from an idea into a place. No question is too basic. Especially the ones about August.
Why First Cup Coffee Co. Has Become a Real Neighborhood Staple
First Cup Coffee Co. in The Woodlands is a great way to start the morning. Grab a locally roasted coffee, a delicious muffin and/or a breakfast sandwich, and a comfortable spot where you can settle in and stay a while. Heck, you can even reserve some private space for a meeting or two.
Schilleci's Brings French Quarter Cooking to Research Forest Drive
Schilleci's New Orleans Kitchen is now open at 2501 Research Forest Drive — a family-owned French Quarter-style restaurant serving seafood gumbo, po boys, fresh fish, steaks, and bread pudding.
10 Snow Pond Place: A Resort-Style Indian Springs Estate Built for Serious Family Living
4,413 sq ft of stucco-and-stone construction in Wdlnds Village Indian Springs. Four bedrooms, a chef's kitchen, resort pool, and a private study — listed at $1,625,000.
Seventeen Years In, Villa Sport Remains The Woodlands' Gold Standard for Fitness and Family
Villa Sport Athletic Club on Technology Forest Blvd. Turned 17 years in The Woodlands this May. Here's why members keep coming back — and why the club keeps earning it.
East Shore Is the Most Architecturally Intentional Village in The Woodlands
East Shore runs on different rules — gated entries, classical architecture, manicured commons that slow you down on purpose. It's the most considered address in The Woodlands.
This Is What We Built — and Why It Still Works
The Woodlands was designed as something specific: a community where the forest stayed, the water stayed visible, and the public realm was worth caring about. These five frames remind me why that original discipline still holds.
The Woodlands Isn't One Neighborhood — It's a Collection of Villages
Most people who haven't spent much time here think of The Woodlands as one big community north of Houston. But the more time I spend exploring it for Livin.in, the more I realize how different each village actually feels.
The Old Grocery Store in Grogan's Mill Just Became One of The Woodlands' Best Community Spaces
The Kevin Brady Library and Community Center opened in September 2025 in The Woodlands' original village in a former grocery store, completely transformed — and already packed.
Why I Keep Coming Back to Escalante's on Lake Woodlands
The combination beef and chicken fajitas at Escalante's Hughes Landing are as good as anything in the Houston area. The patio facing Lake Woodlands makes the whole afternoon worth clearing your schedule for.
Ardest Gallery Is the Premier Fine Arts Gallery in The Woodlands — and It's Doing a Lot More Than Selling Art
Ardest Gallery on Grogan's Park Drive is The Woodlands' Premier fine arts gallery, representing local Texas artists and opening its doors to charity events, cocktail parties, and community gatherings.
Market Vendor Partner Meeting — The Woodlands (Invitation Only)
📍 The Common Desk
The Restaurant That Opened Market Street Is Still Its Best Anchor
Tommy Bahama was the first restaurant to open at Market Street in The Woodlands — and 20 years later, the Bar is still a fan favorite, the ahi tacos are still on the menu, and the clothing store is one of the top spots in the brand.
The Restaurant I've Been Coming Back to Since the Mid-90s
Amerigo's Grille on Grogan's Park Drive is one of the oldest upscale restaurants in The Woodlands — family-owned, award-winning, and still the first name I give when someone asks where to take a client.
The Crêperie at Market Street That Earns a Return Trip
Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café landed at Market Street and it's already earning regulars. The savory crêpes are a serious lunch, and that corner patio is hard to leave.
Market Street Is Still The One
Nearly two decades in, Market Street at 9595 Six Pines Drive keeps earning its place — luxury retail, serious dining, a cinema worth dressing for, and a central park that functions like a real town square.
