Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2016 i Texas Highways Magazine

WHEN SUGAR LAND RESIDENT Sandy Levin donated a series of bronze sculptures to the city earlier this year, including a whimsical depiction of two teenagers taking a selfie, he inadvertently ignited a conversation about public art and millennial self-absorption that went viral. Is it art? Does it validate youthful narcissism? Or does it, as the donor intended, simply portray a common activity at Sugar Land Town Square, one of the city’s most popular tourist hubs? As anyone who travels knows, when the vacation’s over and the realities of daily life encroach, a photo—selfie or not—can help you re-live those invigorating experiences over and over again. Our September issue, in fact, is all about experiences. We’ve even refreshed the design and added some new stories to our lineup to keep the…

ENSCONCED AT HIS RANCH IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, legendary leather wizard Al Stohlman was focused on his leather craft. Really focused. “There was only one day a week when he would take phone calls,” says Charlie Davenport, curator of the Tandy Leather Museum in Fort Worth. “And if we needed to see him in person, somebody had to go up to Canada. He had everything he needed there, and he was engrossed in his work.” The museum showcases the works of 18 artists and chronicles the development of modern leatherworking over the past century. Stohlman’s craftsmanship is a centerpiece of the Tandy Leather Museum, located at the headquarters of Tandy Leather, a company that sells leather and leather-crafting tools and supplies. The 2,200-squarefoot museum showcases the works of 18 artists…

LIKE MOST TEXANS, MY MAIN EXPERIENCES with Lockhart have always revolved around barbecue, whether that meant a birthday brisket throwdown at Kreuz Market or a pit stop for Smitty’s Market sausage on the way back from the beach. So naturally, when planning a day exploring the quickly developing town 30 miles south of Austin, I took my husband’s barbecue order before hitting the road. However, smoked meat was to take a backseat for the majority of this visit. After a 30-minute zip down US 183 and the SH 130, I’d arrived in Lockhart’s idyllic main square. Thanks in part to the many restored 1880s buildings, a number of movies and television shows have filmed scenes here, including Honeysuckle Rose, Red Headed Stranger, Waiting for Guffman, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, and…

THE FIRST WORDS OUT OF MY SON BYRDIE’S MOUTH when I pick him up from school are usually, “Did you know that… ?”, followed in turn by the latest astonishing facts he’s discovered in kindergarten that day. Lately, he’s been interested in history—especially dinosaurs and ancient civilizations—and so my wife Laura and I decided it would be a good time to take him and his sister Ana to the Museum of South Texas History, which chronicles the heritage of the Rio Grande Valley from the Cretaceous Period to the present day. Situated on a corner of Edinburg’s downtown square, the museum opened in 1967 in the century-old Hidalgo County Jail and has since expanded to include three main exhibit areas. With its white stucco walls, clay-tile roof, and picturesque 75-foot…

It’s impolite to ask people where they are from. “If a man’s from Texas, he’ll tell you. If he’s not, why embarrass him by asking?” the late journalist and author John Gunther once quipped. And he’s right. Besides, there are easier ways to tell if you’re dealing with a true Texan. Spott ing true Texans, whether native or adopted, is like studying creatures in the wild. You have to listen to their speech patt erns, see what they eat, note how they interact with others, and observe various other habits and traits before you know you’ve encountered a real one. For example, when Texans tell you they are “fixing” to do something, it means they are about to embark on a task or journey. They aren’t planning to repair anything…

PRAIRIES AND LAKES >Grapevine Grapevine GrapeFest TAKING PLACE A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE GRAPE HARVEST, Grapevine’s annual GrapeFest celebrates all things wine with four days of tastings and festivities. The 30th annual edition of GrapeFest (September 15-18) features Texas wines, as well as wines from the California Central Coast and Australia’s Barossa Valley. In between sips, try your hand (or foot, rather) at the popular GrapeStomp, check out the bands on three stages, and fuel up with food vendors. For children, GrapeFest offers a carnival and interactive play stations with Grapevine’s LegoLand Discovery Center and Sea Life Aquarium. www.grapevinetexasusa.com/grapefest. Want more? Go to the Events Calendar at www.texashighways.com. BIG BEND COUNTRY EL PASO: Chopin Music Festival September 17. elpaso chopinmusicfestival.com 915/533-0348 FORT STOCKTON: Fort Stockton Fall Festival September 30-October 2.…

Rockport-Fulton welcomes birds and their admirers for the HummerBird Celebration, held annually during the fall migration of the ruby-throated hummingbirds. About 25 local homes hang extra birdfeeders and cultivate their gardens to attract the hummers as the birds fuel up for their southbound flights across the Gulf of Mexico. Hundreds of hummingbirds swarm each lush yard, a spectacle featured on group and self-guided tours. Regional birding expeditions, expert speakers, a hummingbird-banding project, thematic vendors, and children’s programs round out the weekend. www.rockporthummingbird.com.…

THE EXTRAORDINARY SUSAN AND ED AULER TEXAS WINE AMBASSADORS “I wonder if anyone has tried growing grapes in the Hill Country?” Ed Auler remembers asking his wife, Susan, while driving through France in 1973, noting similarities in the terrain. And thus began a life-long passion. On that trip, they learned everything they could about wine, and when they returned to Texas, the couple began researching how to plant grapes on their ranch in Tow, which eventually became home to Fall Creek Vineyards. A little more than 40 years later, with award-winning wines that have been served to presidents and princes, the Aulers are at the forefront of the Texas winemaking movement. The Aulers, who in 2015 opened a second Fall Creek Vineyards location in Driftwood, are committed to refining winemaking…

FROM MY SEAT ON THE SHADED PATIO AT Woodshed Smokehouse, the view takes in a wall of leafy green trees and rippling water that glimmers in the sun. This restaurant overlooks the Clear Fork of the Trinity River and Fort Worth’s Trinity Trails, 40 miles of paved and crushed-limestone routes suitable for hikers, bikers, runners, and equestrians. The trails connect many of the city’s parks and attractions, setting the stage for my weekend of outdoor recreation, dining, and relaxation— all without a car. I’ve started my Trinity Trails adventure with a hearty lunch. Chef Tim Love draws on a variety of woods like mesquite and pecan stored in onsite sheds for his expertly grilled, roasted, and slow-cooked meats, fish, and vegetables. I order the butcher’s sandwich, piled high with brisket,…

Back to Blanco THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY is full of small towns that motorists can either zoom through in five minutes or choose to explore all day. Those who slow down to see the sights will be amazed at all there is to discover. I recently tripped through Blanco (pronounced “Blank-O”) and discovered that this town is anything but blank. 10:00 A.M. I rolled into downtown to discover a bucolic collection of historic buildings surrounding the Old Blanco County Courthouse. This confused me, as the official county seat is up the road in Johnson City. I learned that this 1886 building was the original courthouse until 1890, when the government moved for political reasons. Since then, this building has served as everything from a high school to a hospital, and…