VIDEO: ArtCrawl Houston 2019

Artcrawl Houston is something I always look forward to, but don't always get to attend. This year was its 27th anniversary, and included over 150 artists throughout many of Houston's original warehouses. I visited a few old haunts that have since been renovated and are now occupied by even moooore talented artists I've never met before.

The neon, black light exhibit by Ronald Llewellyn Jones was something I'd heard about prior to attending, so I had fun checking that out. What I gathered from Jones' exhibit is, in his words (see video above), "the best installation he's done thus far."

ArtCrawl Houston was awesome overall. I have to say, I saw more tattoo parlors on the radar and little to no glass sculpture or metal works. More paint and photography and small business ideas like elegant place setting options for events, that were beautiful.

Here's a look some of what I saw. Enjoy and thanks for watching. 

 ~ HEIGHTSTONIAN

50% Of Americans To Ditch Diets Over The Holidays

Are you eating salads this week so you can stack your plate with Thanksgiving dinner with aaaaAAAAAAll the trimmings next week? You're not alone. With holidays fast approaching, those with a bad ticker are especially vulnerable during this time of the year.

Who can help themselves, right? I don't blame you for falling off the wagon.

Just don't give up. What I do is incorporate more salad into my diet over the weeks leading up to the big days.

The second annual "Writing Off the End of the Year" survey, reportedly found that nearly half of Americans will ditch diets, claiming it's too difficult to maintain one during the season. Is it?

What's tempting us? Cookies? I don't buy a lot of cookies throughout the year to begin with. Pies? OOoooh I make a mean key lime flan, but only on occasion. Even then, I share it with those I love. How about cakes? Aaah, I LOVE cake.

Did you see the Astros cake I made
?

5 layers with yogurt butter cream icing (above).

I suppose I can't blame the admitted 53 percent of folks who fall off the diet wagon. I'm on board with those 44 percent who said they'd certainly dump diets for home-cooked holiday meals. If you're wondering how it compared to last year, new results indicate that the average person expects to gain six pounds during the holidays.

What about you? Are you in the give up crowd? Are you eating as healthy as possible around the holidays? What's your greatest diet breaking temptation? Let me know in the comments below. Share your favorite holiday recipe. I still need some ideas to surprise my family this Thanksgiving. 

POLL: You May Pay More For Your Christmas Tree This Year

Everything costs more these days with no breaks in sight... except for Black Friday, and Cyber Monday.

In recent years, we've had a turkey shortage and this year is no different.

Now, you may have to digger deeper to purchase a Christmas tree. That's because some experts are predict a "tight supply" of Christmas trees because of the heat, heavy rains in some parts and not others. Researchers have been blaming shortages for at least a couple of years now, on the 2008 recession. The 2008 recession caused farmers not to plant as many trees that would be coming to harvest this year.

That's because dry summers in 2017 and 2018 hurt tree supplies in big suppliers in Oregon and North Carolina. Some rain is good, but torrential rains ruined trees in Missouri.

You'd better purchase it soon, because this tight supply could cause the prices of Christmas trees to go up in some parts of the country. If you're wondering whether prices for Christmas trees in Texas are expected to climb, compared to last year. This year the average tree costs between $30-$220, with the average cost hovering around $90. You decide if that's more or less than what you pay on average. That's the real determining factor.

POLL: Will you have a real or fake #Christmastree this #Christmas?

— HEIGHTSTONIAN ® (@HEIGHTSTONIAN) November 21, 2019

Even though the cost is rising, over 32 million trees sold last year. There will still be plenty to go around for anyone wishing to have one, unlike health insurance. When do you normally put up your Christmas tree?

My question to you is, do you think this research is true or are they in time to put you in a rush to get a tree, so they can meet their bottom line? I'll leave that up to you.

Biden Needs Proof About Legalizing Cannabis Nationwide

Former Vice-President under the Barack Obama Administration, and current Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, isn't on board with most of America when it comes to legalizing marijuana. Many others who would also like to become POTUS, are.

So why not this White House hopeful?

Over the weekend in a Las Vegas town hall, Biden said he needs more proof about marijuana, and "whether or not it is a gateway drug." He wants to know "a lot more about the science behind it" before deciding to legalize cannabis nationwide.

In the past, Biden has said he wants to leave legalization to individual states to decide. He has also spoken out against criminal penalties for marijuana possession.

Do you think marijuana will eventually be legalized nationwide?  Pros? Cons?