MY TEXAS HAPPY PLACE

While any day is good when pies are involved on National Pie Day you have an excuse to eat all the pies and the Houston Life team did just that! From pecan to pizza to an Aussie Staple, the meat pie, Melanie Camp arranged a few samples for Lauren Kelly and Derrick Shore to dig into.

Author Liz Williams is a bone marrow transplant survivor and is using her book "The Junk-Bike Crew & Mattie's Match" to help kids understand what getting a bone marrow transplant is all about. Courtney and Derrick sat down to chat with Williams about her book and how she wants to donate books to children battling cancer.

A jockey’s day starts early. At Sam Houston Race Park, training starts before sunrise. For champion jockey Stewart Elliott, meeting the sun on a race track somewhere across the country has been part of his morning routine for over 40 years. Houston Life Correspondent, Melanie Camp spends a morning on the track with the 2004 Kentucky Derby Winner.

A jockey’s day starts early. At Sam Houston Race Park, training starts before sunrise. For champion jockey Stewart Elliott, meeting the sun on a race track somewhere across the country has been part of his morning routine for over 40 years. Houston Life Correspondent, Melanie Camp spends a morning on the track with the 2004 Kentucky Derby Winner.

Many families in Houston celebrate The Epiphany or Three Kings Day on January 6 with a Rosca De Reyes. This beautifully decorated sweet bread is the centerpiece of a long held tradition that celebrates the end of the Christmas season. Houston Life sent Melanie Camp along to Arandas Bakery in Sharpstown to learn more about, including the significance of baking in a little baby Jesus figurine into the bread.

Move over downward dog and make way for the goats! Goat Yoga is a fun way to boost your endorphins and get in a bit of exercise. Houston Life's Melanie Camp checked out a class through Goat Yoga Houston.

It seems everywhere you go right now, the world is decked out for the holidays. But, what about your home? Is it missing a little something special? Guided through the process by local floral pro, Ace Berry, Courtney and Derrick show you how to wow your friends with an amazing holiday centerpiece that you can make yourself!

All children deserve a safe and comfortable place to lay their heads but so many in Houston do not even have their own bed. Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a group of local volunteers who are doing their bit to make sure no child sleeps on the floor in Houston.

The Round Top Collection Has a New Store in Rice Village

Houston Life's Melanie Camp spotted a Yeti at the Houston Zoo and you can too! Zoo Lights is on now through January 8 and the Yeti will be there hanging out for selfies. It is just one of the many Zoo Lights attractions.

Goodwill maybe a great place to shop but did you know they also offer a number of free courses that help break down the barriers to employment. Houston Life's Melanie Camp has more on Goodwill Houston's EmployAbility program.

The Houston Grand Opera celebrates the return of El Milagro del Recuerdo. This mariachi opera is back on stage by popular demand. Houston Life's Melanie Camp went onstage to talk with the performers about the opera that means so much to many Houstonians.

Bowling and Bocce and Brunch, Oh my! Pinstripes combines the casual elegance of a local bistro serving Italian and American cuisine with the entertainment and excitement of bowling, bocce, and more.

Comcast Texas is investing in Houston communities giving neighbors a chance to reach greater heights by accessing the many opportunities available in our digital world. Their Digital Navigators pilot program is providing a back to basic technology curriculum that aims to close the digital divide

Houston is a diverse city, nearly nearly one in four Houstonians are not born here and this is reflected in our eclectic and delicious food scene.

Splashway Water Park & Campground is a fun place to take the kids for a daytrip or weekend away. Houston Life's Melanie Camp spent the day checking out all the fun things to do. Splashway has exclusive deals for Houston Life viewers. Head to splashway.com/houstonlife.

Houston band the Powell Brothers visited the Houston Life set to chat with Melanie Camp and perform their new song, "Drive" ahead of playing Fan Fest at Minute Maid before the Astro's first game in the 2022 World Series

League City has a lot of beautiful murals and many are painted by Artist Adam Socie. Houston Life's Melanie Camp caught up with Adam for a chat and a bit of live painting.

What is it like to sing the anthem to a stadium of people? Houston Life's Melanie Camp caught up with international vocalist and co-founder of Jazz Houston, Belinda Munro, moments after soundcheck to find out what is it like to sing the anthem at Minute Maid before an Astros Game.

There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes ahead of a game at Minute Maid Park. Houston Life's Melanie Camp spent game day morning with the Groundskeeping crew, speaking with Head Groundskeeper, Izzy Hinojosa, about the science and magic of getting the field just right for a great game of baseball.

‘Tis the season for extra oooooo’s at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center. ArBOOretum is back. Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Houston’s best fall festival with a number of fun activities that are fun for the whole family. Plus, there will be plenty of candy for all!

Supporting the Astros is a family affair for Gregory & Tonya Dolphin and Kay & Eric White. Melanie Camp learns a cheer or two with the help from Minute Maid security.

The car made famous by the movie ‘Back to the Future’ is headed to the future with its first new model in 40 years. That is right, a new DeLorean has been announced and in anticipation of its arrival, Houston Life headed to Classic DeLorean in Humble to take a look at a bit of the company’s history.

Houston Life correspondent Melanie Camp went back to school to see what it is like to take a class with an award-winning teacher.

The sweetest house in the world is in Houston at Sweets by Belen. This place is a go to for the Houston Life team whether we are celebrating birthdays or satisfying a sweet tooth craving. But the story behind Belen Bailey's journey from Peru to teaching to baking is just as sweet as the alfajors she bakes in honor of her mother and grandmother.

In District 13 6A and UIL Region 2, the Woodlands HS Volleyball teams are the ones to beat. The Woodlands have the depth of a strong Junior Varsity and Varsity team...and two sets of sisters.

In Conroe, there is a group of young people you probably don’t want to mess with. They are the Conroe Scallywags. A Junior Roller Derby team that meets once a week at the Rainbow Roller Rink

Corsicana has gotten a lot of attention in recent months due to the hit Netflix docuseries Cheer, which follows the top-tier Navarro College cheerleading squad. Cheer portrays the town as quaint and sleepy, but for those who know Corsicana outside of the small screen, the biggest draw is the town’s burgeoning art scene.

Whether it’s a road trip to a neighboring city or a resort a few miles away, sometimes you just need to get out of your house.

Many folks think of McKinney as just another DFW suburb, but no matter how close McKinney is to Big D, it’s worthy of a day trip all its own. McKinney has history, a lively square, and plenty of personality to keep a traveler entertained and well-fed all day long. Collin County History MuseumPioneer Collin McKinney was such a pivotal figure that the county took his first name and the town took his last name—an accolade not even Sam Houston or Davy Crockett can claim. This museum sits inside the old 1911 post office and mixes new technology with treasured artifacts to create an interactive history lesson. Heritage Village at Chestnut SquareOn two city blocks sit more than half a dozen historic homes and buildings, including the 1854 Faires House, the oldest house in McKinney.

I’ve booked a night at Hudspeth River Ranch via Explore Ranches, an online platform that offers guests overnight stays at top-tier private ranches in Texas, California, Colorado, and New Mexico. Explore Ranches’ properties tend to run more expensive due to the size of the accommodations and the various optional amenities. As kids, Sarah and Abbey Strunk sipped the waters that bubbled from the limestone creekbed on their family’s Hudspeth River Ranch. Kleberg, Explore Ranches’ co-owner, has a personal connection to this mission. If you want to protect Texas land, you need to collaborate with landowners.

It marked the first rendezvous of the American space shuttle with Russia’s space station Mir. Also on board, Eileen Collins, an American, became the first woman to pilot a space shuttle, and C. Michael Foale became the first British-born American astronaut to walk in space. “I saw that as an avenue for me to go to space,” Harris said. In August 1990, Harris began a year of training and evaluation with 22 classmates at Johnson Space Center. We have liftoffSpace Center Houston, the official visitor center of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, reopened in July after a temporary closure due to COVID-19.

This fall marks the 27th anniversary of the release of Richard Linklater’s iconic, coming-of-age movie, Dazed and Confused. Tapping into the most famous line of dialogue in the movie, Alright, Alright, Alright: An Oral History of Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused by Melissa Maerz unpacks everything a dedicated viewer would want to know about this timeless classic. I had just started my first year of high school, and I remember identifying with Mitch. Early on, I’d used Alright, Alright, Alright as a placeholder title in my book proposal. But everyone convinced me to keep Alright, Alright, Alright because it’s so iconic.

“I remind people that javelinas are not dangerous,” says Raymond Skiles, a retired Big Bend National Park wildlife biologist. Over the decades, their range has receded to the South Texas brush county, the western Edwards Plateau and the Trans-Pecos. According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, which has conducted aerial surveys of javelina populations, Texas harbors about 200,000 javelinas. Despite these threats, “javelinas are doing very well in South Texas,” says Chico Barrera, a Kingsville-based TPWD natural resources specialist. The javelina is also a cultural icon in South Texas, starring as the official mascot for Texas A&M University-Kingsville’s athletic programs.

Down a rural farm road on the outskirts of Bergheim, 40 minutes north of San Antonio, lies the green pasture nurturing Texas' first legal hemp farm. The Ruples primarily focus on cannabidiol, or CBD, a naturally occurring extractable compound found in hemp plants. Through their company, Pur IsoLabs, they have been formulating custom CBD products with hemp from Kentucky and Oregon. Now, this farm gives them a chance to grow and manufacture purely Texas products. It will likely be the first fully vertical hemp and CBD operation in the state that grows, harvests, dries, extracts, formulates, and manufactures CBD and hemp products in one place.

It’s a late October morning in the Davis Mountains of West Texas, and Molly Cummings is atop a scaffold, foraging alligator juniper berries from a wild tree. The spirits company produces two gins, WildBark and WildJune, which are both distilled from rye and malted barley and infused with juniper berries native to the Davis Mountains. A fellow scientist told her where to find alligator juniper, also known as checkerbark, which grows above approximately 6,000 feet in the Davis Mountains. While she was collecting alligator juniper berries, she found another type of juniper that wouldserve as the backbone for WildJune. The plant, red berry juniper, is a rare species mainly found in parts of West Texas and the Panhandle, with the richest concentration in the Davis Mountains.

It takes tenacity to live on the Texas coast, and perhaps nobody knows that more than the people of Palacios (pronounced Puh-lash-iss). This bay front town, halfway between Houston and Corpus Christi, has weathered many storms in its day. When you’re finished, grab a cone of Blue Bell ice cream for the road and visit the neighboring shops on Main Street. My favorite spot to fish is the public pier of South Bay Park in front of the Luther Hotel. To view the Taylor episode visit thedaytripper.com.

“That’s the tiny town in the middle of the desert with a Prada store, right?” Well, yes and no. Prada Marfa is not in Marfa proper, but instead a 40-minute drive west, outside Valentine. Built 15 years ago, Prada Marfa borrows elements from pop art, minimalism, and land art. “Pre-social media, it was left to its own devices for a long time,” Elmgreen told Ballroom Marfa in an interview celebrating the piece’s 15th anniversary. Instead of collapsing back into dust, Prada Marfa became a destination in its own right.

During that time period, Texas women formed suffrage clubs in cities like Denison, Taylor, Granger, Dallas, and Fort Worth. Hobby called a special legislative session to discuss granting women the right to vote, and on March 26, 1918, he signed the bill into law. White women knew white men would not support any measure that allowed Black women to vote—or that encouraged interaction between white women and Black men at polling places—so they excluded Black women from their suffrage organizations. Game-ChangersThese prominent activists changed the way Texans thought about women’s right to vote. As a journalist for Laredo newspapers, she supported women’s suffrage and urged women to participate in the public sphere.

If pondering whether to head to the renowned Round Top Antiques Show, which is currently underway, and wondering what you might find there, the answer is pretty simple: Little has changed in the age of COVID-19, other than the obvious. There’s a similar gathering in the spring, but this year’s event was canceled with the pandemic’s onset. Scattered across roughly 65 venues around Round Top, a burg measuring some 610 acres and famously boasting a permanent population of fewer than 100 people, the antiques fair also casts its net over other towns and communities such as Fayetteville, Carmine, Burton, and Warrenton. All venues agreed upon adjustments with an eye toward “putting together a show that feels safe and healthy to everyone—and there’s a lot of fresh air at all the venues,” says Katie Stavinoha, publisher of The Round Top Antiques Show Guide and Round Top Register. The antiques fair doesn’t have a way to police the landscape, leaving everyone to mind the honor system of being a good neighbor, Plant explains.

With COVID-19 pushing many people to seek respite in the outdoors, state parks across Texas are more popular than ever. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has worked to control crowds by limiting capacity and requiring advance bookings. If you’re looking to steer clear of the most popular parks and find an outdoors escape, consider these seven state parks, which according to TPWD are some of the least-visited in the system. Annual visitors: 5,929Located near Devil’s Sinkhole is Kickapoo Cavern State Park, characterized by scrub-covered limestone hills and plenty of wildlife. At the edge of the Big Thicket just 10 miles north of Beaumont, the state park features fishing, biking, birding, and camping opportunities along the free-flowing creek.

Ask three vintners what it means to make “natural wine” and you’ll get three different answers, probably accompanied by a shrug. And yet, natural wine production is on the rise across the country. Think of natural wine as less is more. By forgoing those tools, natural wine producers leave themselves more exposed to nature’s whims, making their own jobs harder. 512-829-1650;southoldfarmandcellar.comRobert Clay VineyardsTry the pétillant naturel, a crowd-pleasing entry into natural wine for lovers of rosé and bubbles.113 Austin St., Mason.

The Texas Kolache Trail has made these Czech treats destination-worthy, but outside of towns such as West and Ellinger, you can still find some excellent eats, say along the Austin-to-San Antonio Interstate 35 corridor. Dos Gatos Kolache Bakery in San Marcos divides its menu into “Texas Kolaches” (the ones with meat or savory veggies) and “Czech Kolaches,” those with fruit, cream, or cheeses. While some bakeries serve klobasnek that look like pigs in a blanket, they are more like puffy pastry rolls. There will be no powdered sugar spilled, no grease from a fast-food burger, no unseemly shirt stains, unless you somehow topple a blueberry kolache onto yourself. Appreciate the travel-worthiness of road kolaches.

The fall foliage season is upon us, providing colorful scenery in every region of Texas. The latter park’s website notes fall color is coming slightly earlier this year because of cold weather in September. East Texas provides plenty of opportunities for fall foliage lovers, with its heavily wooded areas. David Creech, director of SFA Gardens, notes the best time to see the Japanese maples in fall color is the end of November and early December. Finally, fall foliage in the Lower Rio Grande Valley usually doesn’t arrive until December and goes into January.

A trip to Taylor provides the essentials of any Lone Star diet: slow-smoked bar­becue and cold local beer. Louie Mueller BarbecueKnown as the “Cathedral of Smoke,” this spot is one of Texas' most beloved barbecue joints. Since Louie Mueller first started serving barbecue in 1949, it’s been a no-frills kind of place. The separate bars and jukeboxes tell the story of segregation in Taylor, but also how the community found common ground in great local barbecue. Davis Grocery and BarbecueCheck out this under-the-radar grocery store and barbecue stop if you’re still in the mood for a snack.

They’re from India and Pakistan, so the sight of them grazing along the coastal prairies of South Texas may seem incongruous. The vast majority of these nilgai are descended from animals introduced on the legendary King Ranch in nearby Kleberg County. In 1924, Caesar Kleberg, the head of King Ranch, was deep into a long-term wildlife restoration project on his range. King Ranch is a vast collection of land—at 825,000 acres, it’s larger than Rhode Island. “We do roughly 400 commercial hunts a year.”After decades in South Texas, the animals have left their mark on the ranchlands.

Today, we’re featuring the iconic Texas-born ice cream company who some say makes the “best ice cream in the country” — Blue Bell Creameries. Ice cream flavors include 25 classic year-round options like homemade vanilla, cookies ’n cream and moo-llenium crunch. It wasn’t until the 1980s when Blue Bell ice cream was available in stores outside of Texas. However, the company says it was quick to claim a spot as one of the country’s go-to ice cream brands. What’s your favorite Blue Bell ice cream flavor?

It wasn’t until I was driving out of the parking lot that I remembered the fried Oreo. Lucky for me, organizers replaced the fair as best as they could with the Big Tex Fair Food Drive-Thru. It felt good to see the 55-foot-tall iconic Big Tex, even if he wore a face mask and the usual crowds didn’t surround him. It felt good to taste food that, even if you can get it elsewhere, somehow tastes better at the fair. When baseball season ends, football begins, and the State Fair of Texas hosts the Red River Showdown between Texas and Oklahoma.

The metal arms of a hydraulic shaker clamp around the trunk of a mature pecan tree, performing a high-speed vibrato lasting nearly a minute. Pecans, one of the only major tree nuts native to North America, are now grown in 15 states. By the early 20th century, pecan cultivation was so widespread and successful in Texas, the state Legislature designated the pecan tree as the official state tree. The wild pecan trees here are of the Carya illinoinensis species, which is indigenous to the Pecan Belt. Texas Pecan Board executive director Whitney notes that, increasingly, chefs who prioritize regional sourcing are interested in purchasing specific varieties.

Fairchild, an Austin school teacher, is hooked on carp fishing. But some wrongly believed carp threatened native species, and the commission was abolished four years later, according to Aaron Reed’s book, Fly Fishing Austin & Central Texas. Today non-native common carp are ubiquitous in lakes and rivers across the state, and carp fishing has grown in popularity. Both Fairchild and Fenner, who works as a fishing guide, practice what’s called Euro-style carp fishing. If you’re looking for a guide, check with Austin Carp Angler, whose members can show you the basics.

Pasadena resident Debbie Trainor wasn’t able to visit Italy this summer like she had planned. Even though COVID-19 made international travel unlikely this year, she still wanted to take a fun, safe trip with European flair. “I’ve got to do something.”That’s when she got the idea to take a trip around Texas visiting cities with European names. Among the cities she planned to visit were Moscow, Paris, Dublin, Berlin, and Vienna. “The people that we met along the way were amused that we were doing [the trip],” Trainor says.

Since 1971, the nondenominational Rothko Chapel has served as a quiet oasis for contemplation amid Houston’s bustling Montrose neighborhood. Visitors can witness the new transformations when the chapel reopens to the public on Sept. 24. When the chapel opened in 1971, it had a skylight, but the light was too intense and washed out the paintings. What do you hope visitors take away from their experience at the chapel? The chapel is a statement about the power of contemplation and action, about interior transformation and social transformation.

If you grew up in Texas, you’ve probably eaten at Luby’s. And if you’ve eaten at Luby’s, your feelings about the restaurant may run surprisingly deep. When I asked friends and family what springs to mind when they think of Luby’s, sweet tea, yeast rolls, and Papaw’s liver and onions came up a lot. Another Tyler friend, now in Houston, shared a treasured memory of her grandmother: “She would pick me up from kindergarten and we headed straight to Luby’s. Apparently, the Tyler Luby’s closed a few years ago.

This crime caper finds Jones portraying a Texas Ranger who goes undercover at the University of Texas. Texas Monthly’s Skip Hollandsworth decreed it one of the worst films ever to have been shot in Texas. And, so we head deeper into far West Texas. Along with Fort Davis, Alpine appears in The Good Old Boys, but Jones' real-life shenanigans overshadow the town’s appearance in that film. While much of the movie was shot on the director’s far West Texas ranch, one publicly accessible exception is Lindsey’s Cafe, formerly known as the Sands Restaurant.

“Remember to stay in your lane,” Linklater tells the boys. Growing up in Houston during those years felt like living in a real-life science fiction movie, Linklater tells me. “This is the last thing that the whole world thought was good,” Linklater tells me. Scene after scene, Linklater is behind the camera or talking with actors or producers. “It’s fun to dial in on those details to try to get them right,” Linklater tells me.

Now three companies have given the trend a Texas twist with canned ranch water. Canned ranch water, unlike mass market spiked seltzer, avoids the cloying, too-sweet taste while still packing a refreshing punch. Owner Katie Beal Brown, a West Texas native, remembers folks in her ranching family drinking ranch water all her life. This fall, new flavors like Spicy Ranch Water, made with jalapeño, and Rio Red Grapefruit Ranch Water, will join the line. Whether ranch water will become a national phenomenon like spiked seltzer remains to be seen.

Whatever the reason you’re here, whether you’re in the midst of planning you’re next getaway, you’re searching for images to tack to your unique Airbnb vision board, or you just need something to gawk at to pass the time cooped up indoors, enjoy a virtual tour of this one-of-a-kind vacation rental located in the Texas Hill Country.

I’ve backpacked the John Muir Trail—a 200-mile route through California’s Sierra Nevada—along with routes in Montana, and of course, my home state of Texas. But Texas also offers scenic backpacking opportunities in centrally located parks like Lost Maples State Natural and Pedernales Falls State Park. Your list of essentials should include cookware, a campstove (I use one a Snow Peak Gigapower the size of a Snickers bar) and fuel; a filtration system to purify water; water bottles or bladders; a headlamp; matches; first-aid; hand sanitizer; small knife; toilet paper; and sunscreen. Freeze-dried meals are light and packed with the calories and sodium you need if you’re hiking all day. Colorado Bend State Park has walk-in sites .6 miles from a parking lot, and Pedernales Falls State Park has spots a 2-mile hike in.

If you went to high school in Texas, you’ve seen them: extravagant faux chrysanthemums done up in glitter, lights, and stuffed mascots, with ribbons and braids trickling down. Mums—and garters, their male counterparts—are homecoming staples all over the state and a rite of passage for high schoolers. Homecoming mums are said to have appeared in Texas during the 1930s, but the first known homecoming mums were worn in Missouri, which also hosted the first-ever homecoming football game in 1911. Mums, IncorporatedKisha Clark has made mums since high school, and her passion for the art has only increased with time. When do you start prepping for homecoming season?

Its establishment 300 years ago changed San Antonios culture forever.From the day I was born until I moved away in the 80s, Mission San Jos was a constant in my life. Many stories connect neighbors and descendants over the three centuries since the establishment of Mission San Jos in 1720. Mission San Jos y San Miguel de Aguayo was established by Fray Antonio Margil de Jesus, two years after the Alamo was established. The Mission San Jos mural project is sponsored by the San Antonio non-profit Mission Heritage Partners and Luminaria. In a unique partnership with the National Park Service, the San Antonio Food Bank harvests the 45 acres.

HOUSTON Welcome to Made in Texas, where we write about products made in the Lone Star State. Today, were featuring one of the go-to brands of the white bread loaf for Texas families Mrs Bairds. The productThis Texas-born bread brand features its classic white bread loaf in large and small sizes, as well as different varieties. Who was Mrs Bairds? Today, the company has four bakery locations across the Lone Star State.

My trip to Garner State Park and Lost Maples State Natural Area in the fall of 2019 proved I was wrong on all counts. In the afternoon, we made the short drive to use our day pass at Lost Maples. Yet all of this was eclipsed by an even more breathtaking place: the Lost Maples gift shop. Texas Parks and Wildlife has a number of excellent gift shops, many run by volunteer groups, but nothing could have prepared us for the fashion finds at Lost Maples. This gift shop had a collection of T-shirts with a delightfully 90s logo reading LOST MAPLES with colorful embroidered leaves.

To experience the best stargazing on a campout, Katie Raney, a regional interpretive specialist with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, recommends getting away from any kind of light—such as lanterns, restrooms, or street lights—and finding an open area. Good options include South Llano River and Guadalupe River state parks, which are relatively near San Antonio and Austin; Lake Ray Roberts and Lake Mineral Wells state parks in the DFW area; and Brazos Bend and Lake Somerville state parks near Houston. Eakins says her favorites Enchanted Rock, Pedernales Falls, Garner, and Davis Mountains state parks. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Dark Skies: A website about the agency’s efforts to control light pollution and preserve night skies. EarthSky Tonight: A daily guide to what you can see in the night sky.

Cross an item off your bucket list when you book this luxe, blob-shaped abode listed on Airbnb. Harker meticulously shaved every wall, handrail, nook, and cranny to his liking, and after 11 years of construction, The Bloomhouse was born. Why blab on and on about this Airbnb when we can let these photos talk the talk for us? Scroll below to take a peek inside this wacky, weird, weird and incredibly beautiful space. The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)The Bloomhouse (Airbnb)-----What do you think about this Airbnb?

Blasting Ariana Grandes Sweetener, we always wanted to make the short drive worthwhile, but what we were truly interested in was the destinationour local H-E-B. As wed sing along, the glowing lights of UTs campus would dim, and the tower would fade from sight. Thats how we knew we were in Austins Hancock neighborhood, seemingly worlds away from the student-filled streets of West Campus. On a normal trip, Selam and I could stay up to three hours in the store just hanging out. Recently, Selam and I havent been able to take part in our joint trips to H-E-B because of the pandemic.

HAMILTON, Texas This article first appeared on Texas Highways. So it is with Hamiltonset in the northern Hill Country, equidistant between Fort Worth and Austinhome to Wenzel LoneStar Meat Co. Fans make 200-mile round trips from their big-city homes for owner Kent Wenzels smoked pulled pork, featured on Pork Butt Fridays. The seat of Hamilton County, Hamilton is rooted in ranching, farming, and hunting. A 2012 restoration of the celebrated limestone courthouse sparked a downtown revitalization, including the expansion of the Hamilton County Historical Museum.

Though many wine connoisseurs have never heard of Munson, wine historians consider his 19th-century research to be among the biggest influences on the beverage as we know it. In the mid-19th century, French wine was an international phenomenon and big business, accounting for more than 15% of Frances federal tax revenue. The tactics stemmed the tide of phylloxera and saved a range of delicate French grape varieties, including cabernet, merlot, pinot noir, and chardonnay. Even now, 135 years later, France grows wine grapes rooted on the descendants of Texas native plants. Munson Center and co-author of the biography Grape Man of Texas: Thomas Volney Munson and the Origins of American Viticulture.

It took a few decades for me to realize that the most meaningful road trip of my life was a mere 15 miles long, and right outside my door. More than any other place, Montrose loomed large on that list. I discovered Houstons then-bohemian Montrose neighborhood that year, which also coincided with the first time I fell in love. I bought incense and stained glass at the Westheimer Art Festival each year, and paints and charcoals at Texas Art Supply. Its not always a yearlong RV trip or the summer you drove 2,000 miles hitting up every national park in your van.

Hutchins BBQ, a DFW staple since the 1990s, has simple tips for the home pit master. The good news is brisket is still in demandits the heartbeat Hutchins BBQ and has been ever since Roy Hutchins started smoking on the side of the road in Princeton in 1978. Now with locations in McKinney and Frisco, and sons Wes, Trey, and Tim Hutchins on board, the focus has been on improving the quality of the product. The brothers biggest tip for cooking brisket is buying the highest quality meat. Thats just a good all-around brisket tip.At Hutchins BBQ, the pit cooks smoke the most of the meat with pecan woodbrisket is the exception.

With a world-class zoo, a candy factory, and lots of delicious eats, Tyler guarantees a vibrant and colorful day. Tyler Rose GardenA tripper must stop and smell these roses. After you mosey through the garden, step into the Tyler Rose Museum on the garden grounds to see an exhibit on the Tyler Rose Festival, featuring dresses worn by past festival queens. Tyler Candy CompanyTyler is well known for its pink blooms, but not many know of its other rose-colored delicacypink peanut patties, a treat made of pink candy and peanuts. With white tigers, flamingos, rhinos, lions, and lemurs, its a true East Texas safari.

In no particular order, here are some of the food brands, restaurant chains and food-related what-have-you that Texans love to love. A big Texas toast to Shiner BeerMade in Shiner, Texas by the Spoetzl Brewery, the oldest independent brewery in the Lone Star state, Shiner beer is practically the de facto beer of Texas. Here in the Lone Star State, we start our morning hustle on a high note with Shipley’s donuts. Texans, yours truly included, love Buc-ees and we love talkin’ ‘bout how much we love Buc-ees. There’s almost nothing more Texas than Texas’s love for Texas and when it comes to dining here in the good ol’ Lone Star State, we don’t just value Texas-sized servings, we like our food Texas-shaped too.

Dip a toe in the blue-green swirls of the Frio River and brace for the shiver thats sure to ripple up your leg. The chilly Frio (fro is Spanish for cold) snakes through the Hill Country for 200 miles, drawing tubers, paddlers, swimmers, and rope-swingers. It cuts through Garner State Park, where hikers climb the rocky trail up Old Baldy for a view usually reserved for hawks, and past the cabin-lined banks in Concan. As the river unwinds, it curls around the gnarled knees of towering bald cypress trees. Frio River at Garner State Park,234 RR 1050, Concan.830-232-6132; tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/garnerThis article first appeared on Texas Highways.

Growing up in a South Texas household of outdoor enthusiasts made fishing along the Gulf Coast a routine family affair. A disco and dependable heat source like a propane grill allow controllable beachside cooking without the hassle of charcoal or wood. Cooking fresh Gulf fish is a relatively straightforward task, but catching them can be a challenge. Heat additional olive oil in the center of the disco on low. Place fillets skin down in olive oil at the center of the disco.

HOUSTON – Welcome to Made in Texas, where we write about products made in the Lone Star State. Today we’re featuring Tito’s Handmade Vodka, also known as America’s original craft vodka, and the man behind the Austin-made spirit. The productTito’s Handmade Vodka is a gluten-free, corn-based vodka produced in the state’s first and oldest legal distillery. Beveridge, a geophysicist, geologist and sixth-generation San Antonian, obtained the state’s first legal distilling permit and created the popular vodka brand. Beveridge sold the first case of Tito’s Handmade Vodka in 1997.

Roadside peach stands in the Hill Country and North and Central Texas are reporting brisk traffic as peaches ripen in the family-owned orchards that are annual summertime destinations for generations of Texans. And while 2020 may not be a bumper crop, farmers say there should be plenty of sweet peaches available throughout the season. “Today, for instance, we were overrun like we are on many Saturdays, and it’s a Wednesday in early June!” Jamey Vogel of Vogel Orchards in Stonewall said earlier this month. “Not only are the peaches coming in abundance, but so are the customers,” said Kristen Duecker, second-generation manager of the Duecker family’s peach emporium. Fresh peach preserves and peach butter chipotle sauce from Nelda Vogel, Jamey’s mom, fill Vogel’s shelves as well.

So without further ado, and in no particular order, here are some of the distinctly Texas things outsiders just don’t get. It’s a distinctly Texas drink with roots in the state and it’s even got it’s own museum in Waco. God bless Texas and all the homecoming mumsAs you likely know, everything’s bigger in Texas, and the traditional homecoming mum is no exception. Buc-ee’s: the gold-standard for roadside convenience storesTexans, yours truly included (and more about that below), love Buc-ees and we love talkin’ ‘bout how much we love Buc-ees. A uniquely Texan sense of state prideWe’re proud to live in Texas.

Tainted runoff and infill are two of the primary dangers to caves, according to the Texas Cave Management Association. Does it have more impact on the environment?Over two days, we explore Punkin Cave and the neighboring Deep Cave. Punkin and Deep are hypogene caves, as are other well-known West Texas caves, including Kickapoo Cavern, Devils Sinkhole, and Caverns of Sonora. 1711 Private Road 4468, Sonora.cavernsofsonora.comInner Space Cavern offers walking tours daily and wild cave tours on Saturdays and Sundays. 20939 RR 674, Brackettville.tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/kickapoo-cavernLonghorn Cavern State Park offers daily walking tours and wild cave tours each Saturday.

El Arroyo, a Tex-Mex restaurant in Austin known for its brutally honesty and hilarious street signs, has perfectly showcased Texans attitudes for years. Whether its about alcohol and queso or weather and traffic, Texans can relate to the message. Here are 10 of our favorite signs:1. Texans arent surprised by unexpected weather. A Texan could give you an essay in response to this question.

Today, were featuring the Houston-made device that makes opening a wine bottle an easy task, the Screwpull. The productDubbed as the worlds best corkscrew by Texas Monthly, the Srewpull is a wine opener made of polycarbonate plastic and metal that has helped wine lovers uncork a bottle effortlessly since 1979. Allen had nearly 400 U.S. and foreign patents that listed him as the sole or joint inventor, according to the National Academy of Engineering. As an oenophile himself, Allen had a breakthrough moment after a frustrating attempt in opening a wine bottle for his wife, according to Wine Bottle Openers. Following his death in 1990, his company, Hallen Company, was bought by French company Le Creuset, according to United Press International.

In other situations, the saying has influenced Texas to achieve some of the largest world records. Tallest Texas bluebonnetThe tallest bluebonnet flower measured 64.75 inches tall. Largest cowboy boot sculptureThe tallest cowboy boot sculpture was constructed by Bob Wade and is located in San Antonio. The sculpture measures 35 feet 3 inches tall, 33 feet 4 inches long, and 9 feet wide. Largest spurThe largest spur measures 33 feet 10.75 inches tall, 21 feet 1.5 inches long, and 8 feet 8.52 inches wide.

Drifting past the desolate sight, I marveled at the glory and isolation of exploring one of Texas wildest placesthe Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande. His detailed account, published in The Century Magazine, captures the highs and lows of a monthlong Rio Grande expedition from Presidio to Langtry. But out on the Rio Grande, the walls of the Lower Canyons echo with liberation. The most popular run on the Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande spans 83 miles over seven to 10 days. Helpful resources include The Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande, by Louis F. Aulbach and Joe Butler, and the Big Bend Natural History Associations River Guide to the Rio Grande: The Lower Canyons.

If the idea of hitting a crowded neighborhood swimming pool has you uneasy this summer, consider taking a dip in one of Texas many spring-fed swimming holes. Its a luxury afforded to those of us lucky enough to live in Texas, which has more spring-fed swimming spots than any other state in the U.S. There are pools with concrete embankments, like at Barton Springs in Austin, Landa Park in New Braunfels, and San Pedro Springs Park in San Antonio. There are also natural bodies of water, like Jacobs Well and Hamilton Pool in Wimberley and Dripping Springs, respectively. This includes Balmorhea State Park and its iconic West Texas spring-fed swimming pool, which was crafted in the 1930s.

Among all the foods the Lone Star state has introduced, Texas Toast is likely the simplest and most devoured creation. According to Eater, Texas Toast was invented in 1941 when a manager at the Pig Stand restaurant in Beaumont asked a local bakery for thicker sliced bread. And thats how Texas Toast came to be! Today, Texas Toast is served as a side or with sandwiches at tons of restaurants for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. True Texans should already know, but in case you dont, heres how to make Texas Toast at home.

Farther north, the Pease River runs in ribbons from the caprock through grass-tufted mesas and across pebbled limestone beds. In fact, when we started tracing Texas rivers a decade ago, we had never even heard of the James or the Pease. Our shared urge to trace Texas rivers started out as a hankering for space. Perhaps thats why there are so few structures or mature trees along the river or James River Road, which follows the low canyon for much of its length. But disappointments and dead ends, as well as delights and discoveries, are part of the fun of tracing Texas rivers.

These spots exist expressly because of the Nueces River and its adjoining creeks, springs, and tributaries. Following the end of the Texas Revolution, in 1836, Mexico regarded the Nueces River as the southern border of the breakaway territory. I call her the River Whisperer because she has spent most of her life learning about the Nueces River and all things riparian. Her publication Your Remarkable Riparian: A Field Guide to Riparian Plants Within the Nueces River Basin of Texas is a bible of information about Texas river sedges, grasses, ferns, woody plants, and trees. She took me to its edge, just downstream from the low-water crossing in the Camp Wood Hills subdivision west of Camp Wood.

Of 20 celebrities we are featuring who attended a university in Texas, more than half of them were chanting Hook Em.Along with the University of Texas at Austin, celebrities also attended the University of Houston, University of North Texas, Southern Methodist University, and more. Here are 20 famous people who went to college in Texas. Dr. PhilAmerican television personalityEarned a Ph.D. degree in clinical psychology in 1979 at the University of North Texas. FILE PHOTO: HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 15: Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta leaves the court after the game against the Phoenix Suns at Toyota Center on March 15, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) (2019 Tim Warner)Travis ScottRapperAttended the University of Texas at San Antonio(Branndann art)Walter CronkiteJournalistAttended the University of Texas at Austin.

Today were featuring the 19th-century Texas invention that played an essential role in a cowboys life the chuck wagon. What is a chuck wagon? To the young cowboys, the chuck wagon was much more than just a mobile kitchen, though. It was essentially their home and a place where they all gathered while out on trail rides, according to the American Chuck Wagon Association. You might also see a version of a chuck wagon at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo during the popular horse-led chuck wagon races every night before the evenings performer.

I’m not going to get eaten by anything.”Apparently, our visit to Matagorda Bay Nature Park had made an impression on the girl. Matagorda Bay Nature Park sits on a peninsula separated from the mainland town of Matagorda by bays and wetlands. At Matagorda Bay Nature Park, we’d discovered both a rich sanctuary for wildlife and a new perspective on survival. —Matagorda Bay Nature Park offers campsites starting at $40 per night and two Airstreams for $225 per night. Matagorda Bay Nature Park - 6420 FM 2031, Matagorda.

A trip to Glen Rose feels like a trip back in timeand not just because its historic square is reminiscent of the pioneer days of Texas. The small town an hour southwest of Fort Worth takes visitors eons be-fore that, to the days when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Dinosaur Valley State ParkThis state park boasts some of the most pristine dinosaur footprints in the world. Well, this one captures all the wonder of seeing life-size dino-saurs without the risk of becoming their next meal. Fossil Rim Wildlife CenterIf youre in the mood to see living animals, then head to this drive-thru wildlife park thats packed with species from every continent (minus Antarctica).

Drive-thru safaris offer the opportunity to visit and engage with animals from the comfort of your car, limiting interactions with others. Here are nine drive-thru safaris to visit in Texas:18075 FM 974, Bryan, TexasAdmission costs $16.37 per kid ages 3-12 and seniors citizens ages 65 and older, and $21.19 each for adults. 1200 CR 4405, Jacksonville, TexasAdmission costs $11.95 per kid ages 3-12, $16.95 each for adults, and $14.95 each for seniors citizens ages 65 and older. 13440 US-287, Grapeland, TexasAdmission costs $12.95 plus tax per person. 1782 N Hwy 59, Jefferson, TexasAdmission costs $6 per child and $12 per adult.

And that includes American football, especially devotees of the Dallas Cowboys. The StarWhile they may be the Dallas Cowboys, the team practices at The Star in Frisco. Its a gamers dream with interactive exhibits that let you play your way through the history of the video-game industry. When youre finished learning, grab a fistful of tokens and step back in time in the fully functional vintage arcade. Chet Garner is the host of The Daytripper travel show on PBS.To view the Frisco episode visit thedaytripper.com.Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @chettripper.

Located near the Hill Country town of Boerne, Cave Without a Name has wowed visitors since its 1939 opening with stalactites, stalagmites, flowstones, soda straws, and other spectacular formations. The display can be a bit overwhelming when it comes to photography, says Kenny Braun, who took this picture in January. Its such a unique and unfamiliar environment that everything looks good at first, he says. This article first appeared on Texas Highways. Click here to view the article in its original format.

HOUSTON – Welcome to Made in Texas, where we write about products made in the Lone Star State. Today, we’re featuring the machine that makes it easier to trim the weeds from those hard to reach areas on our lawns, the Weed Eater. The productThe Weed Eater, also known as a string trimmer or weed whacker, is a lightweight handheld garden tool that uses a rapid spinning line to cut any plants growing in unwanted areas. The inventorThe inventor of the ingenious device was a Houston entrepreneur named George Ballas. Ballas was a dance studio owner and a World War II bombardier, according to Texas Monthly.

Over the years, the West Texas town of Midland has been called many names. Petroleum MuseumOilaka black gold and Texas Teaput Midland on the map when it was first discovered in the Permian Basin in the 1920s. If youre lucky, youll even meet Susie herself, who was inducted into the Texas Womens Hall of Fame in 2016. Youll forget youre in arid West Texas as you meander around the edge of the playa lake and encounter birds, turtles, and butterflies. Midland Beer GardenThis greenhouse-turned-beer-garden is your next stop if youre looking for a meal thats out of the ordinary.

Everyone who goes to South Padre Island passes through Port Isabel, but there are plenty of reasons to make this bay front town your final destination. Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic SiteIn this town, there is no spot more quintessential than the Port Isabel Lighthouse. Port Isabel Historical MuseumThis is the go-to spot for all ship nerds and history buffs. I was amazed to learn that the humble town played a critical role in both the Civil War and the founding of Brownsville, a city 40 minutes southwest of Port Isabel. To view the Port Isabel episode visit thedaytripper.com.Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @chettripper.

If you find yourself near San Antonio or Dallas and are looking for a fun dining experience, youre going to want to stop at this restaurant. Magic Time Machine promotes itself as not just a restaurant but an adventure. The restaurant offers a themed dining experience based on several fictitious worlds. Guests have the option of enjoying a meal inside a vintage bus with Nacho Libre, a whimsical dining room with Alice in Wonderland, a comic book-themed room with Spiderman, and more. The first restaurant opened its doors in August of 1973 in San Antonio.

HOUSTON – Welcome to Made in Texas, where we write about products made in the Lone Star State. Today, we’re featuring the cosmetics brand which has helped millions of women worldwide make a living while having a flexible schedule and becoming their own boss, Mary Kay Inc. The founder and the brand’s storyIt was 1963 when 45-year-old entrepreneur Mary Kay Ash used her life savings of $5,000 to open up a small storefront in Dallas. Ash had a dream to inspire women to transform their lives, and in doing so, help other women achieve success, according to the company’s website. Within the first two years, Mary Kay Inc. had over 800 independent beauty consultants and by its third year, it had surpassed $1 million in sales.