The Bubble Lounge (Highland Park & University Park Texas)

A missing dog, a package on the wrong porch, a burst pipe while you're out of town. These are the moments when knowing your neighbors makes a difference. But do you know how to reach them? Our Block founders Sarah Brown and Trey Bowles join Martha to share how their app helps you connect with the people who live closest to you. We talk about verified neighbors, privacy controls and practical...

Your weekly catch up on all things Bubble!  Starbucks is leaving Snider Plaza. Australia’s Yo-Chi is moving into the neighborhood. University Park has an important election coming up. The Scots got the Homecoming reset they needed. And we’re celebrating a pretty big milestone of our own: eight years of The Bubble Lounge and the start of Season 10! This week I’m also taking you inside the SMU Impac...

It’s Homecoming week in the Park Cities, and there’s plenty buzzing around the Bubble. This week, I’m catching you up on the latest in the Highland Park Methodist lawsuit, what’s coming to the former Sprinkles space in Preston Center, and everything you need to know before Highland Park kicks off district play on Homecoming night. I’m also recapping a fabulous afternoon at the KidneyTexas Runway R...

One missing letter, one very public caption mistake and suddenly half of HPHS had something to talk about. This week, Martha owns her football flub, celebrates the Scots’ first win, talks with Clayton Kershaw and Anna Harper about Partners in Opportunity, and shares what’s coming up around the Park Cities. Plus, North Texas Giving Day, Caniac Supper and her mission to meet Bevo during her final Th...

What the flock is going on in the Park Cities? In this episode, Martha takes a closer look at the Flock cameras quietly tracking vehicles around Highland Park and University Park. What do they collect, who can access the information, and are they keeping us safer or watching us a little too closely? Then it’s time for Friday Night Lights. Martha recaps Highland Park’s thrilling 49 to 46 battle aga...

SAT or ACT? When should your student start test prep? And does “test optional” really mean you shouldn’t submit a score? If you have a high school student thinking about college admissions, this episode is for you. I sat down with Nima, founder of Scholastic Success, to talk about what parents need to know about SAT prep and ACT prep today, including: • How to decide between the SAT and ACT • When...

🏈 Highland Park football is BACK, and there’s nothing quite like the start of a new season. We sat down with this year’s Scots football captains for an inside look at the 2026 team, from the players to watch and what’s happening behind the scenes to the traditions, expectations and energy they’re bringing to the field this fall. Every season has its own story, and these guys are ready to write th...

Back-to-school season means new schedules, fall sports…and inevitably, a few illnesses and injuries along the way. But when your child is sick or gets hurt, how do you know when to wait it out, call the pediatrician, head to urgent care, or go straight to the ER? In this episode of The Bubble Lounge, we sit down with Dr. Thomas Allen and Dr. Larry Pettit of Advance ER to answer the questions paren...

In honor of National Tequila Day, I'm bringing back one of my favorite conversations with Pablo Antinori, co-founder of Socorro Tequila, one of Dallas' most exciting success stories. What started as an idea among friends during the pandemic has grown into an award-winning tequila brand that's now served on American Airlines flights and enjoyed across the country. But behind the bott...

This episode is supported by: Kathy L Wall State Farm Agenc y and Herb's House Coffee Please show your support for the show by visiting our amazing sponsors.

The proposed move of The Compass School of Texas to Northway Christian Church has become one of the biggest community conversations in the Park Cities. In this episode, Boone Elementary and Northway Christian Day School parent Katelyn Clinton shares why many neighbors have concerns about the proposed zoning change, traffic, pedestrian safety, and where the process stands today. My goal is to help...

After my last episode on the DART vote, some of you wanted to keep the conversation going so today I’m joined by Peter Young, who is leading the “Yes for DART” campaign and is involved with the Dallas Area Transit Alliance. He shares his perspective as we continue to break down what this vote means for both University Park and Highland Park. As always, my goal is to make this easier to understand...

Today we’re talking about the upcoming DART vote in the Park Cities — and this is one of those topics that a lot of us feel like we kind of understand, but maybe don’t fully. At first glance, it sounds simple: stay in DART or leave. But as I started digging into it, it became clear that this is about so much more than a bus route. This vote impacts both University Park and Highland Park , and it r...

Round Top is back, and if you’ve ever heard friends talk about their annual girls’ trip there but wondered what it’s really like, this episode is for you. The Round Top Antiques Show runs March 14–28 and has grown from a small Texas antique fair into one of the largest shopping events in the country. Thousands of vendors set up across miles of barns, tents, and fields, drawing shoppers, interior d...

There’s something special that happens when great food, incredible wine, and a meaningful cause all come together in one room — and that’s exactly what makes Côtes du Coeur such a signature event in Dallas. In this episode, I sit down with 2026 Event Chair Chris Clark and Executive Lead Chef Richard Chamberlain to go behind the scenes of one of the most anticipated culinary and philanthropic weeke...

Personal safety looks very different today than it did even a few years ago — and it’s not just about where we go, but how we live, what we click, and how aware we are in a world that moves fast. In this timely episode, Martha sits down with Tracy Walder , a former CIA and FBI special agent and current national security contributor for NewsNation , to talk about modern personal security, cyber sca...

In this timely and powerful episode, Martha sits down with Mr. Donavan to talk about something every parent needs to hear: parent the child you have, not the child you want. Mr. Donavan shares his own journey—from a bullied, non-athletic kid to a trusted coach and counselor who’s spent 35 years guiding families. His message is simple but profound: when we truly listen to our kids and honor who the...

Some conversations stay with you long after the microphones are turned off. This episode brings together three of those stories — stories of adversity, resilience, and the quiet strength it takes to keep going when life doesn’t go as planned. In Grit & Grace: Three Conversations I’ll Never Forget , you’ll hear from three individuals whose journeys are deeply personal and incredibly inspiring....

❤️ LIKE THE SHOW? Click here to send us a message. The 2026 Highland Park baseball season is officially here, and we’re kicking it off the best way we know how — by putting faces, personalities, and stories behind the jerseys with Catpains, Trip Mattison, Adam Richey and Martin True. Be sure to join us for BASEBALL MEET THE SCOTS Saturday, January 30 | 5:30–7:30 PM (NEW DATE!) Scotland Yard Goff’s...

Thinking bigger sometimes means learning differently—and that’s exactly what this episode captures. I sat down with MAPS students from Highland Park High School, Natalie Denton, Ryan Moore and Rohan Portteus, to talk about what really happens inside the program. Collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and learning skills that actually translate beyond the classroom. Hearing students describe M...

A new year is a chance to reset, refocus, and move forward with intention. Life coach Jen Maroulis joins us to share practical tools for setting meaningful goals, staying focused, and creating momentum—especially for moms navigating the teen years. This conversation is encouraging, actionable, and the perfect way to start the year. To learn more about Jen and JCM Life Coaching click here This epis...

New Year’s Eve at The Bubble Lounge was anything but quiet—a full house, plenty of laughs, and our most honest recap yet. From a surprise “Citizen of the Year” phone call to a Yankees hat that crashed a Rangers Zoom, we looked back on a year packed with small, unforgettable moments that made life in the Bubble so special. We relive it all—rain-drenched parades, the volleyball team’s electric state...

Christmas week can feel like a beautiful blur — full of tradition, emotion, and let’s be honest… exhaustion. In this week’s episode of The Bubble Lounge, I’m joined by The Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Girata Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, for a conversation that feels like a deep breath in the middle of it all. We start with Chris’s journey — how he was called into ministry and what led...

The holidays have a way of bringing everything into focus. We’re home. We’re together. And sometimes, we notice things we didn’t see before — a parent who’s more forgetful, a loved one struggling with daily routines, or a quiet feeling that something has changed. This is the kind of moment no one prepares you for. In this episode, I’m joined by Brian Levy, Chief Relationship Officer at Cambridge C...

This week, Dr. Kelly Jameson joins me for a timely holiday reality check: RSVPs, manners, and the surprising double standard so many of us fall into.  We expect our kids to honor every commitment—practice, games, rehearsals—yet as parents, we’ll cancel on a dime, ghost a hostess, or bail the morning of a party simply because life feels hectic. Dr. Jameson breaks down why this is happening, what it...