ATE DAY8 of Mothers and Others

This is my 23rd Mother’s Day. While I love –– nay, demand –– to not have to cook and clean this one day of the year, I don’t want my kid spending money at a fancy, crowded restaurant or on overpriced flowers. The moms in your world probably don’t want that, either. Take a minute before the insanity of capitalism overwhelms you and think, “What is it they do want?” Here are a few outside-the-Hallmark-box options — some “Ate”-related, most not — to celebrate Mom or the other mothers in your life.

1.) Help Mom find some tranquili-tea. Both The Rose Garden Tea Room (7200 Camp Bowie Blvd, Fort Worth, 817-731-7673) and Maiden Fine Plants and Spirits (1215 6th Av, Fort Worth, 817-953-8327) run proper multi-course tea services, while Leaves Book & Tea Shop (1251 W Magnolia Av, Fort Worth, 682-233-4832) offers tea, books, and snacks. Also, ask Mom about her favorite nail salon, stylist, spa, or esthetician and buy her a gift card. And if Mom is a fan of the fiber arts, JuJu Knits (522 Lipscomb St, Fort Worth, 817-854-9276) is a sweet, beautiful oasis of fiber fellowship for every skill level.

2.) For the mom who doesn’t need anything material, how about “adopting” an animal at the Fort Worth Zoo? The zoo’s Mother’s Day donation package (FortWorthZoo.org/mothers-day) includes a plushy mandrill celebrating Scarlett the mandrill, who just became a mom. If your mother or other isn’t a primate person, the zoo has a regular adoption package in which you can choose any animal on the premises (FortWorthZoo.org/general-adoptions). Funds from the adoption programs go back into the animal habitats.

3.) For the dog or cat mom in your life, animal rescue entities and the people who love them are having an absolutely terrible time right now, and we’ve barely begun “puppy season.” Donate to the vetting, care, rehab, and socialization that the animals need to help them become adoptable. Local city shelters take the brunt of the stray and abandoned animals, so consider the Fort Worth Animal Shelter (FortWorthTexas.gov/departments/code-compliance/animals/donate), the Arlington Animal Services Shelter (ArlingtonWebstore.com/animalservices.aspx), or your favorite private rescue.

4.) If mom likes a little hike or a bike, the 100-plus miles of Trinity Trails (best mapped at TrinityTrailsFW.com) will take you around different parts of town where Mom can jog, walk, bike, or paddle. Sansom Park (2501 Roberts Cutoff Rd, Fort Worth) has a couple of trails for different abilities, and Airfield Falls Trailhead (200 Pumphrey Dr, Westworth Village) is an easy, if gravelly, walk.

5.) If Mom is sporty but not outdoors-sporty, the Dallas Wings open their basketball season the week after Mother’s Day (Wings.WNBA.com), and while the Rangers (MLB.com/rangers) are actually traveling most of the first two weeks of this month, you can buy tickets for a home game against the Cleveland Guardians just after Mother’s Day.

6.) Design a mother-/other-and-you tattoo at two women-owned spots, Lilac Tattoo Studio (4550 Basswood Blvd, Ste 170, Fort Worth, 817-393-3355) and Spider Lily Studio (SpiderLilyStudioFW.com).  And in Arlington, artists Hannah Capon and Monica Smith at Heart in Hand Tattoo (1730 W Bardin Rd, Arlington, 682-270-0355) also do beautiful work.

7.) Play with your food. Create a curated menu of their favorite things. Sure, Central Market (4651 W Fwy, Fort Worth, 817-989-4700) offers a plethora of fancy, tasty ingredients, but Aldi (multiple locations) has a great selection of cheese and fruit for charcuterie at competitive prices. And at Town Talk Foods (three local locations, TownTalkFoods.com), you literally never know what you’re going to find on your treasure hunt for name brands at deep discounts.

8.) If you feel you must take the matriarch in your life out for a meal, plan well. Enchiladas Ole (multiple locations) will leave Mom full and happy –– and the three-restaurant chain is owned by a mom. Blue Mesa Southwest Grill (612 Carroll St, Fort Worth, 817-332-6372) offers one of the best deals in brunch either Mother’s Day Sunday or Saturday, and the $40 per person buffet includes mimosas, soft drinks, and as much of their legendary sweet corn cakes as your mother/other wants. Consider the future gift of a multi-course dining experience from a local restaurateur instead of elbowing through traffic and parking. Magdalena’s Supper Club (MagdalenasTX.com/supperclub) and Lil Boy Blue BBQ’s Cool Kids Supper Club (@LilBoyBlueBrunchnBBQ) offer curated four- or five-course taste extravaganzas that sell out almost every month.