Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2015 i Texas Highways Magazine

Some of us find cities irresistible—whether it’s the pulsating energy, endless entertainment, or that “If I can make it there…” air (cue the Sinatra). And some of us deliberately bypass the bustle and buzz, avoiding freeways and frenzy at all costs. If you can identify with either of the above, or even if, like me, you fall somewhere in between, we hope you find inspiration in this issue’s salute to Texas’ metropolises and their “People, Places, and Wide-Open Spaces.” Starting on page 52, our writers distill an abundance of urban diversions with their insider travel tips, and on page 60, our photographers capture city parks and other places to play. We also announce the sta. ’s selection of 2015’s Extraordinary Texans, among them a 10-year-old lemonade magnate from Austin and…

Catering to birders, the refuge has a bird blind on its “bird pond” and clears brush in certain areas to create views of the basins and polders. SARA BEESLEY, DIRECTOR OF THE MITCHELL LAKE AUDUBON Center in San Antonio, thought she might have fallen prey to some strange trick when she first started working at the center two years ago and didn’t see any American white pelicans for a few weeks. “Aft er all,” she explains, “the pelican is our signature bird, and Mitchell Lake is one of the few places in North America where you can see them year-round.” Beesley’s first weeks were an anomaly, however, and her exploration of the refuge’s lake, mudflats, and shallow wetlands soon coincided with the presence of the white pelicans, characterized by large…

PANHANDLE PLAINS >Abilene Writers on the Range Designated the “Storybook Capital of Texas” by the Texas Legislature, Abilene is home to a robust literary culture and the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature. September 21-26, the West Texas Book Festival fetes local and regional writers with author luncheons and presentations, a publishing workshop, a fundraising gala, and book signings at the Abilene Public Library and Abilene Civic Center. On September 26, the Boots and Books Luncheon honors Bill O’Neal, a Western historian from Carthage, as this year’s recipient of the A.C. Greene Award for lifetime achievement. www.abilenetx.com/apl. PINEY WOODS >Lufkin Forest Festival September 16-20, celebrate the heritage of the Piney Woods forest industry at the Texas State Forest Festival. The event, which draws about 30,000 people each year, includes the…

In days gone by, I flipped through Texas Highways as a country gal’s overview, but today your wonderful magazine has climbed the ladder to become a serious “must read.” DORIS RICHESON, Possum Kingdom Lake OUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA OF THE MONTH... Kudos to @Texas Highways for not only putting a neon Sasquatch on the cover of its latest issue, but also [running] a short article about Bigfoot in Texas. @SoFriedBigfoot It’s a battle as I drive by Susie’s South 40 Confections daily. The Texas trash is my fave. Cheryl Miskell, Midland Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Food For Thought In response to a letter in the August issue, readers were eager to chime in on the topic of Texas Highways’ food coverage. We value the feedback. Here’s a…

“You know how when you were a kid, and on the Fourth of July you went to the park and threw the blanket out? That’s what it’s meant to be, an overall experience, with the courtyard and music.” BEFORE OPENING HIS RESTAURANT CHICKEN Scratch in Dallas, Chef Tim Byres and a couple of friends made a five-day, 2,500-mile road trip across parts of the South and Midwest on a quest for chicken-fried inspiration. Regional characteristics revealed themselves along the way, Byres said: the cayenne-infused spiciness of “hot chicken” in Nashville, the buttermilk-battered crispy crusts of Kentucky, and the Thanksgiving-like spreads associated with Sunday fried-chicken dinners in Oklahoma. Byres summoned such influences—both in a culinary and atmospheric sense—for Chicken Scratch, which opened in 2012 featuring chicken (fried and otherwise) in a…

WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR FUN? Crockett offers equal parts history, culture, and outdoor activities, making the most of its rich heritage and the natural beauty of the Piney Woods of East Texas. The DISTANCE to CROCKETT Houston 115 miles; 1.75 hours Dallas 150 miles; 2.5 hours San Antonio 250 miles; 4 hours Amarillo 515 miles; 7.5 hours Texarkana 190 miles; 3.25 hours FOR A CITY-DWELLER USED TO NOISE, there’s nothing quite like waking up under a colorful quilt in an antique bed and then looking out the window over a small-town street scene that’s absolutely quiet. That’s how my day began at the Warfield House Bed and Breakfast, just a couple blocks from the Crockett town square. Of course, you can find this pleasure in many small towns, but Crockett,…

32º 42’ 12.70” N 96º 42’ 18.86” W In southeast Dallas between I-45 and US 175 off Loop 12 (Great Trinity Forest Way), turn south into the entrance to the Trinity River Audubon Center. Stop at the center to pay admission and view exhibits, then set out to explore the center’s five miles of trails and nine ponds. The cattails tend to grow in the wetland ponds to the northeast of the building. Great egrets—one of the 220 bird species found at the center— often congregate around the Great Egret Pond. For more information, visit the Trinity River Audubon Center, http://trinityriver.audubon.org.…

Diffused lighting and mellow jazz greet us in a chic, contemporary space with low, cushioned ottomans as well as standard tables and chairs. WHEN BRYAN-based Messina Hof Winery decided to open a North Texas tasting room, there wasn’t much debate about which city it would call home. “The town is called Grapevine,” the winery’s general manager, Nathan DeWi, says with a grin. “You’d expect it to be a great spot.” So, in December, Messina Hof, which also has locations in Bryan and Fredericksburg, joined Grapevine’s urban wine scene. As Grapevine gears up for its 29th annual GrapeFest wine festival and competition on September 17-20, eight downtown tasting rooms and two wine bars already pour samples and glasses of various wines. (Delaney Vineyards, home of the only vineyard in Grapevine, also…

REAL TEXAS STORIES BORN AND BRED WHEN HISTORIANS EXpound on the most important action in the Civil War, they usually focus on batt les fought east of the Mississippi River. But historians of the Lone Star State point out that seminal events also transpired on the Texas-Mexico border, where the Confederacy conducted a subversive and lucrative cott on trade to finance its war effort. Earlier this year, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley professors Russell Skowronek and Chris Miller launched the Rio Grande Valley Civil War Trail to highlight this litt leknown but fascinating aspect of American history and promote heritage tourism throughout the region. Mapped out on a website and brochure, the trail spans five border counties— Webb, Zapata, Starr, Hidalgo, and Cameron—from the mouth of the Rio Grande…