Southern Living Magazine Featuring The Woodlands

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Town Center a coming attraction for Southern Living magazine

By: CHEVALIER MAYES, Villager staff 11/11/2004

The Woodlands has given Southern Living magazine something to write the nation about. The magazine is in the process of compiling photographs and information about attractions in The Woodlands Town Center for its travel section.

The Woodlands has given Southern Living magazine something to write the nation about. The magazine is in the process of compiling photographs and information about attractions in The Woodlands Town Center for its travel section.

Les Thomas, travel editor for Southern Living magazine and author of the upcoming article, said although he is familiar with all The Woodlands has to offer, the story idea developed when he heard about The Woodlands Waterway.

"Writing about The Woodlands has served as an idea for a while now," Thomas said. "When I heard about The Water Taxi I thought it was such a neat idea, so that's when it first came about to actually do the article."

Thomas said writing about The Waterway was the icing on The Woodlands story because water has captivated travelers for decades and has increased popularity for some cities.

"Water is such a big attraction in Texas, especially for cooling off," he said. "The River Walk has been such a great attraction for San Antonio."

Director of Marketing for The Woodlands Operating Company Susan Vreeland-Wendt said the article that Southern Living magazine intends to write validated TWOC's goals of trying to create an attraction destination in The Woodlands. She gave credit to The Woodlands Mall for overall development of the area.

"I think the mall expansion was the catalyst for The Waterway coming to age," Vreeland-Wendt said. "We've brought all facets together like dining, shopping (and) business buildings, which are linked by the waterway. You can park or hop on The Waterway to take advantage of everything around."

Vreeland-Wendt said she is honored the magazine has chosen her hometown to feature as a travel destination.

Thomas said he believes The Woodlands is a perfect draw for travelers.

"The Woodlands just has things and activities people would want to do," he said. "It seems like an area people would consider as a getaway or would want to go to."

Not only will the article feature The Waterway, but Thomas said the article will focus on The Woodlands as a place "far removed from the rushes of the cities." "The intent of the article is to also express the idea that The Woodlands is such a break from the rush of the urban area," Thomas said. "The Woodlands has such an ambiance and people are always interested in shopping, lodging and visiting all the restaurants in that area."

Thomas said more research is still being done for the article and it will be a while before the article appears in their magazine.

"We work pretty far in advance so it will be at least a year before we run it," he said. "We will come back to The Woodlands and take a closer look at things that are developing and there are some things we still have to research, he said.

"We've already had our photographer there taking some pictures and some people from The Woodlands have sent us information on the new things there."

Photographer, Meg McKinney was in The Woodlands last week to shoot photos for the article. McKinney was accompanied by Account Executive for Kaplan Public Relations Alicia Moore. Moore said McKinney had two themes in mind while photographing The Woodlands.

"Her focus was things to do on The Waterway and what to take on a picnic to The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.

Moore said with these themes in mind, pictures were taken at three different locations.

"We started off taking shots of The Water Taxis," Moore said. "She took shots inside the taxi, of people riding in the taxi and a shot of the taxi over a pedestrian bridge."

The other shots were taken at Brio's Restaurant & Pizzeria and the new H-E-B Market in Market Street.

"The shot we took at Brio's was of the food there and a couple eating," Moore said. "The shot at H-E-B was actually of a display of colorful foods next to H-E-B at Caf