Happy March!

After weeks of sneezing, headaches, and waking up with itchy eyes, I was almost relieved to know that other people noticed a shift in Texas allergies this winter. If your allergy symptoms have been out of the norm, it may be because of the pollen from Mountain Cedar.

Cedar levels have been extremely high since December, leading the charts in the slew of Texas allergens that plague us every year. This could explain a slight fever you’ve had or just this general feeling of crappiness. And on the windy days, which DFW sees a lot of, it gets even worse. 

While there are no fantastic solutions for this suffering, I hope these three things give you solace. 

1. Texas scientists know we’re miserable and are researching why we have such big reactions to pollen

2. We’ve made it through peak season, and in the next couple of weeks, we’ll be in the clear.

3. At least it’s not the flu. 🙃

P.S. We’re planning what comes next, and your input matters. This is your last chance to take our short survey to help shape the future of this newsletter. The survey window closes at midnight. Thanks in advance!

Home remodeling projects in DFW and Houston contribute more than $17 billion to the Texas economy. (Adobe Stock)

By Freda Ross

A recent study showed the construction business in Texas could be affected if the Trump administration reaches its goal of net zero migration into the United States.

A report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University showed the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metroplex leads the nation in homebuilding with nearly 350,000 permits annually, and migrants make up the majority of the workforce for new home builds and remodeling.

Riordan Frost, senior research analyst at the center, said the most productive metro areas are building houses, condos and apartments, often relying heavily on immigrant labor.

The Brown Thumb has been serving Denton for the last four years. (Joi Louviere/COURIER DFW)

Recently, I headed to Downtown Denton to try a place I’d saved in Google Maps for the better part of a year. The Brown Thumb is half matcha bar, half plant shop, and has grown a pretty large online following. Dual concept businesses have become really popular in recent years, allowing entrepreneurs to tap into two things that they love that just so happen to complement each other, and nothing goes better than matcha and plants.

The Brown Thumb opened in 2022, but this past November, the shop went viral when food influencer Keith Lee, who’s based in DFW, visited. He made a video saying that one of the shop’s matcha lattes was one of the best he’d ever had. 

I visited in the middle of the day on a Monday, when it was pretty quiet, and was greeted by two friendly staff members who had extensive matcha knowledge and, I could tell, were passionate about the shop.

I had a friend with me who had never tried matcha, so they walked her through how it was made and let her sample a little before ordering. I ordered an ube matcha latte with oat milk and, from the first sip, noticed the high-quality matcha powder used.

Starbucks and other large retailers are not using small-batch, ceremonial-grade matcha, which is important for avoiding the bitter, dirt taste many shops subject us to.

I really enjoyed my order, and I think it’s smart that they offer other caffeine options for folks who aren’t into matcha. What I loved most about this space is that it’s become a community gathering spot, working to make connections through workshops and events, as well as its everyday offerings. I was even being nosy and noticed a closed patio space that’s part of the building, and I heard they may use it to host more events later this year. I’m going to keep an eye out for that!

Next time you’re in the Denton area, please make this detour, and tell them COURIER DFW sent you. 

Don’t Sleep On is a weekly series where I shout out DFW events and businesses I think you should try. Have a suggestion? Reply to this email.

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Joi Louviere with reporting by Freda Ross of Public News Service. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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