Country Roads Magazine "Visual Arts Issue" November 2021

Marble Falls

A TRAVEL GUIDE TO THE LITTLE CITY ON THE LAKE

By Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

“All of my life was kind of leading up to this,” Marta Stafford shared from the well-worn leather couch in the Marta Stafford Fine Art Gallery in Marble Falls, after hours. We’d met Stafford only about forty-five minutes before, when we’d strolled into her warmly-lit space on Main Street just as she was closing up shop. Bespectacled and tastefully scarved, she was sharing the story of her journey to becoming a gallery owner, which began at the foothills of her golden years a decade ago. “I think there were just breadcrumbs that led me here, to this gallery and to Marble Falls. I love the temperament of this place, how people step up. I love this,” she said, gesturing at my friend Victoria and me, sharing our hearts on her couch.

This sort of thing happens here, Stafford said: “Art is so personal.” Her gallery space often doubles as a community living room, and she believes there’s something about being surrounded by so much art that invites vulnerability. “Sometimes I’m sitting on this couch, and I’m listening to things I had no idea I would hear, things they should be telling their spouse, or their mother.”

Later, Victoria and I agreed that while the historic space of her gallery and the wide diversity of art within it certainly fostered a unique sense of welcome, it was Stafford herself who invited such a striking sense of human connection. It had something to do with the visible contentment that she carried, we surmised—something we’d observed in most everyone we’d met in Marble Falls, Texas thus far; a sense that they had found their destiny there in the Hill Country.

Save the World Brewing Co.

Twenty -four hours before, Victoria and I had just spent the last six hours contemplating our own destinies in the sort of dialectic studies that only road trips allow for, the terrain undulating beneath us, rising from lush greens to feathery browns. By the time we arrived in Marble Falls, we were ready for a beer.

Before we even checked into our hotel, we drove straight to Save the World Brewing Co., arriving on a Friday night just before closing time (at a shockingly early 7 pm). The place was bustling. People sat at picnic tables under the shaded porch or peddled at the various yard games—tether ball, cornhole—across the turfed greenspace. Up a small hill to the side of the building was a playground and rope swing under a sprawling old tree. Everything had an orange tint draped over it by the early evening sunset. There was a sense that most people knew each other, confirmed when the owner took came and introduced herself as soon as we sat down with our flights. Our billowy travel pants and Louisiana accents made it clear we weren’t local.

As we sipped our tripels, Quynh Rathkamp called her husband Dave over, and the two shared the story of how they ended up opening America’s first 100% philanthropic production microbrewery. The two met in New Orleans, while completing their medical residencies at Tulane. After practicing in the Dallas area for fifteen years, they began to dream up a marriage of their two passions: beer and service.

Today, both having retired from their practices, the Rathkamps have embraced Marble Falls—a location they selected because Dave grew up visiting Lake Travis, and the couple always thought it would be great to retire there—as their community in the age-old way of providing a beloved gathering place. On the left side of the taproom is the “True Beerliever Wall,” which holds hundreds of labeled glasses for regulars who participate in Save the World’s loyalty club. Hanging one patron’s glass back up as he headed out, the woman behind the counter asked about his family, and wished him a good weekend.

Quynh told us that—while the project has been a lot of work—it has been an absolute dream. “We are exactly where we are meant to be,” she said. In the seven years it’s been open, Save the World Brewery has raised over $250,000 for nonprofit organizations that include Food for the Hungry, Meals on Wheels, and Highland Lakes Habitat for Humanity.

And as for the beer: In 2021, Save the World Brewing won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival, and was named the Best Brewery in a Small Market at the Texas Travel Awards. The menu features dozens of options—all naturally carbonated, unpasteurized, and unfiltered, ranging from fruit saisons and pumpkin ales to barleywines and Belgian-style Goldens—and all with Latin names that translate to lines from your Catholic School’s religion book: “Sol Hominus” (The Sun of Man), “Princeps Pacis” (Prince of Peace), and “Sanguis” (Blood) among them. I purchased a six pack of classic “Lux Mundi” (Light of the World) to bring home, and Victoria didn’t stop talking about the Coconut Milk Lux for the rest of the trip.

Victoria Billeaud

Rae’s Bar & Grill

A flight and a pint in, we left Save the World starving. We ventured to the downtown area, and were drawn in by the noise and activity coming from Rae’s Bar and Grill, or RBar—as the locals say. The oldest still-operating restaurant in downtown Marble Falls is housed in a building built in 1946—which is rumored to host a ghost or two. You’d never know it, though. Everything about the place exuded blessed casual comfort, from the knobbly oak floors to the humidity-sticky tables (a note ensured us that they were clean) to the Tex-Mex Southwest menu of guilty pleasures.

“We’ll have the Chile Cheese Fries and a margarita,” I told the server, readying myself eagerly for green chile & jalapeño queso. More sensible than I, Victoria suggested we order a salad to balance it all out. I acquiesced, on the condition that it could be The Cowboy: with house-smoked fajita beef, charro beans, and salsa ranchero, to boot. We split that, and then ordered the El Jefe Fajitas, too.

Crickets at Bedtime

Normally, I’d strongly recommend booking your stay at a local bed and breakfast as a way to make the most of a visit to virtually any place. And in fact, I do: Marble Falls has several highly-recommended and charming locally-owned options, including the McKenzie Guest House (from which we enviously spotted guests sitting on the back porch watching the sunset), the Americana Vacation Home, Lake Marble Falls Vacation Rentals, and more.

But, should you find yourself needing to go the corporate route as we did, I would absolutely recommend booking a stay at the Hampton Inn on the Lake. Why? Two words: The View. Be sure to request a lakeside room, and be treated to a perfect people-watching vantage over Lake Marble Falls. Wake up early enough, and you’ll get the bonus of a glorious sunrise cresting over the city.

Arriving after dark on that first night, though, Victoria and I practically fell into our beds—staying awake only long enough to giggle at the signs placed on walls throughout the hotel, featuring an illustration of Jiminy Cricket, stating jollily: “Please pardon our tiny visitors. It is cricket season in the Hill Country and these guys are sneaking their way in…” Throughout our stay, I will note that I only saw a single sadly-smushed cricket in the hotel, far from our room in a hallway by the lobby.

Numinous Coffee Roasters

We learned a new word on this trip. “Numinous: the feeling of being in the presence of something greater than yourself.” For some, it might be a bold word to associate with brewed beans, but this particular caffeine-addicted audience got it. The sense of the celestial was enhanced by the fact that Numinous Coffee Roasters’ specials included espresso drinks infused with herbs like lavender and rosemary picked from the bush outside. The coffee beans—ethically sourced from sustainable farms across the world—are roasted in-house in a roaster positioned at the center of the dining area. Oh, the aroma!

Selecting our breakfast spread from the tantalizing display of freshly-baked goods was agonizing: we ended up with a sourdough sausage kolache (the shop’s starter is named Lucy), a blackberry lavender scone, and a Turkey Sriracha Sandwich with an aioli we practically licked off of the plate.

Owner Alex Payson, it turns out, started his life in Marble Falls in 2013, working at Save the World Brewery as the Rathkamps started their business. When the last locally-owned coffee shop in town closed that year, Payson decided to follow his dream of having his own. He opened Numinous in 2015 inside its current home, a 1960s white brick house that lived many lives before: that of a family home, a women’s shelter, an attorney’s office, an accountant’s office, and a doctor’s office. As Numinous, the house’s first life reverberates most loudly—with cozy furnishings and family photos on the walls; the baristas work in a space that was clearly once a family’s kitchen.

Thoroughly nourished for a long day of hiking, we ordered a to-go lunch of chicken salad sandwiches—anticipating this wouldn’t be the day’s last instance of numinous.

The coffee roaster at Numinous Coffee.

Photo by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

Shaffer Bend Recreation Area

We met Trevor Francke, the parks program coordinator for the Lower Colorado River Authority’s (LCRA) Western Parks District, at our selected trailhead: a spot in the middle of a pasture with a treeline to one side and Lake Travis to the other. An enchanting number of butterflies dotted the landscape, which practically sparkled under the vast Texas sky—and its blazing sun, too.

After giving us a brief safety tutorial (watch your step, don’t eat unfamiliar plants, drink lots of water, and keep an ear out for rattlesnakes), Francke led us along the water down a trail weaving through woods and grasslands, bluffs and bottomlands. This part of the country is settled just between Louisiana’s lush, wet verdure and the arid deserts of the Southwest, resulting in an eclectic ecosystem of cacti and wildflowers, sand and rocks, juniper and pecans.

Scenery at Schaffer Bend

Photos by Victoria Billeaud

Along the way, in between pointing out various features of the landscape, Francke explained the mission of the LCRA, a nonprofit public utility created by the Texas Legislature in 1934. Along with water stewardship, energy, and economic development, a major facet of LCRA’s work is the management of its park system. LCRA’s over forty parks span 11,000 acres along the Colorado River all the way to the Gulf Coast, offering experiences ranging from fishing and water activities to mountain biking and ziplining. Shaffer Bend Recreation Area is best known for its high quality campsites, its equestrian trails, and its proximity to Lake Travis. At the top of a lookout, Francke gestured to the horizon, “Welcome to the Hill Country.”

Along our hike, we passed a group barbecuing at one of Shaffer’s campsites—adults sipping a cold one, pups panting, kids weaving through everything. At another campsite, we stood atop a cliffside overlooking the lake and its varied rock formations— imagining returning to the spot someday just to see what it looks like first thing in the morning.

Francke frequently leads tours like this one, guiding people through one of the eleven parks he works in. His background is in recreation and outdoor education, which goes back to a childhood spent fishing with his father and birdwatching with his grandmother, so his approach to educating visitors about ecology comes from a place of earnest curiosity that serves him well. He’s learned the names of many of Shaffer’s butterflies and the calls of the owls at night. On our hike, whenever he didn’t know something, he pulled out the trusty iNaturalist app on his phone to identify a plant or a spider, storing away the information for his next tour.

The writer, Jordan, kayaking on Lake Travis

Victoria Billeaud

When it came time to put the kayaks in the water, Francke helped us out, then set up his paddle board-kayak hybrid for fishing. At his recommendation we leisurely wandered down a side stream, where he promised a set of rock formations tall enough to dive from. Turning brown under that Texas sun, we hung our bare feet out of the boats to drag in the cool water, observing a heron that seemed to be leading the way— taking off from its regal post each time we got a little too close. We reached a muddy, algae-filled dead end and turned around, only to be chastised by Francke when we passed him a few minutes later—“It’s just past all of that. And it’s worth it!” Following his lead this time, we found ourselves on an unplanned sojourn in which we had to leave the kayaks behind to hike, then swim, then hike some more. We landed in a deeper pool, floating on our backs, settled in between towering rock walls on each side, without a soul in sight.

The butterflies are plentiful at the Schaffer Bend Recreational Area.

Photo by Victoria Billeaud

Downtown Marble Falls

Hitting the town right at golden hour, we challenged ourselves to see “a bit of everything” before nightfall—all the while eyeing the line at the world-famous Bluebonnet Café. The historic café is considered a Cannot-Miss on any visit to Marble Falls, so we agreed we would try to stop in after dinner that night for a slice of their famous pie.

We started at Birdie’s Market, named for former mayor of Marble Falls Ophelia “Birdie” Harwood, who served as the United States’ first-ever female mayor before women were even allowed to vote. The family-owned shop offers vintage and luxury home decor and gifts—all tastefully textured by leather, velvet, old wood, and greenery. And in the back—a garden shed!

Next, we walked down to Marta Stafford Fine Art, where we stayed far past closing time discussing art and life with the owner. Among the art displayed are sculptures of wildlife made from silverware by Ken Law; landscapes by Mary McIntosh and Richard Prather; charmingly wacky statues of zoo animals by Susan Norris; and encaustic paintings by Lyn Belisle. Contemporary mixes with traditional, and each artist has a story. “I want people to imagine these artists in their homes,” Stafford said. Along with the art is a grand piano that hosts the local homeschool piano recitals, and a massive gallery pup, too. “I decided I wanted it to be a place of creative energy and peace, and that I only wanted to advocate for people I admire.”

Before we left, Stafford told us: “I wasn’t looking for it, for contentment. But if you are just happy with who you are and what you are doing, good things come.”

The House of Cheese

Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

After Marta’s, we popped into a highly-recommended boutique called Redid, a high-ceilinged space with a rustic-industrial bent to its offerings of architectural antiques, stoneware, furniture, and apparel. On the wall, we observed a sign with the mantra, “just one life”. On my way to the register to purchase a fabulously comfy linen dress, I picked up a fifty cent notecard reading a variation, by Sri Chinmoy, of the night’s theme: “If you want to remain always happy, always perfect and always fulfilled, then always keep inside your heart a pocketful of dreams.”

Next, we discovered ourselves starving. To The House of Cheese we went. Planning to only snack on some samples at the recently-opened shop, we decided we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to order a charcuterie board, featuring three of the shop’s specialty cheeses, a pepperoni rose, fruit, olives, and more, all crowded onto a beautifully-presented tray. Once we had polished it off, we briefly sat in total satisfaction before realizing what we’d done: we were stuffed. And there was still chocolate, and pizza, and–of course—pie to try.

Lyn Belisle.“Shelter,” Encaustic, 10x10x2. An example of the artwork displayed at Marta Stafford Gallery in Downtown Marble Falls.

Photo by Victoria Billeaud

We continued our exploration, braking a few blocks down at Harmony Park, a sort of sculpture garden of interactive musical instruments in the center of the downtown area, featuring a giant xylophone, a set of cymbals, and “Contrabass Chimes” taller than we were. At one moment I looked up from my improvisation on the xylophone to observe Victoria taking it away on the cymbals, three small children weaving and banging through the Contrabass, and a man, all alone, with obvious musical ability tapping out a tune on the set of bars and resonators.

In search of another gallery to walk off the cheese and crackers, we were drawn through the doors of Ms. Lollipop’s Halloween Shop (with some help from a life-sized statue of Betty Boop at the door). Inside, we discovered a nostalgic fever dream of ‘80s Christmas décor and vintage candy overlaid atop a ‘60s diner decked out for Halloween, with a wall of Elvis Presley ephemera for good measure. On one wall was plastered a set of framed newspaper articles, and as I was reading the story of the clown character who inspired this place, Ms. Lollipop herself approached me and introduced herself.

Cheryl Westerman wasn’t dressed the part that day, but she’s had her alter ego around since she was fourteen, doing the bit for children’s parties. In 1992, Westerman opened her costume and party store, named for the now-locally-beloved clown. After closing to pursue a career in personal training for almost twenty years, Westerman re-opened her shop in 2017, capitalizing on a renewed nationwide obsession with nostalgia. After telling us her story, Westerman introduced us to her husband, who was working behind the counter—wearing one of the Pacman-themed Lollipop uniform t-shirts. And that, friends, is how I met the mayor of Marble Falls, Richard Westerman.

The Veggie Pizza at Double Horn Brewing

Photo by Victoria Billeaud

Feeling about ready for chocolate, we headed over to Chocolatte’s Fine Chocolates & Toffee next, where we scored a bag of their world famous Pecan English Toffee for later before heading over to Oh So Yummy’s candy counter for a truffle. Sweets in hand, we settled on the back stairway of the Brass Hall nightclub for an unfettered view of the Marble Falls sunset.

Ms. Lollipop's

Photo by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

We closed our night out at Double Horn Brewing Company, which ten years ago became the first brewpub in Burnet County. From the refreshingly tight menu of hoppy beers, I ordered the Amber-Headed Stepchild, and Victoria went for Save the World’s pumpkin ale, which was included as part of the lineup contributed by guest breweries. Victoria made me order another salad, but this one—the Cobb—ended up being the kind of salad you simply must recommend. The folks at Double Horn also know how to fry their chicken, is all I will say. We paired that with the handtossed veggie brick oven pizza—an oblong masterpiece of onions, mushrooms, and spinach all wrapped warmly in a melty blanket of mozzarella. Dismayed, and remembering all of the delicious bites we’d managed to fit in that day, we were only able to finish half of it, and packed it up for potential late night snacking.

Satisfactorily worn out and well-fed, our skin a bit pink from our earlier adventures—we ended our day at the Hampton Inn hot tub, overlooking Lake Marble Falls under a full moon. It wasn’t until around 11 pm that we realized we had forgotten to pick up a slice of the BlueBonnet Café pie.

Flat Creek Estate Winery

Running a little late the next morning, we walked up to our tour of Flat Creek Estate Winery just as owner Madelyn Naber was describing how she had begun her day. “I was swimming in the lake beside my house, watching the sun rise, remembering why we did all this.” “All this” being she and her husband’s decision to retire to the Hill Country and buy a house on Lake Travis. And then, of course, to open a winery. Wandering through the aisles of vines, Naber explained the ins and outs of growing wine in Texas—starting with the admission of what a bad year Flat Creek had in 2021. The excess rain had a devastating effect on the year’s harvest, ruining a percentage of the property’s vines. “Let’s just say we made a lot of rosé this year,” she said.

Our visit took place shortly after the year’s harvest—a large scale hand-picking event that occurs every August, when hundreds of the winery’s friends and fans volunteer their time to assist in the effort. Thus, there weren’t many grapes left on the vines. Still, Naber was able to provide quite the shorthand education on growing and maintaining grapevines, describing pruning methods and more as we strolled around the eighty-acre property—which doubles as an eighteen-hole championship disc golf course.

Grapes at Flat Creek Estate Winery

Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

Our tour ended, happily, with a charcuterie-style brunch and mimosas made from the winery’s Sparkling Raspberry wine (a blend of Chenin Blanc & Chardonnay grapes). After a lively tasting inside the winery’s restaurant, we left with a bottle of the Super Texan sangiovese blend—the wine that put Flat Creek Estate on the map as a consistent winner in the state’s wine sales and awards—and a bag (yes! a very tastefully-designed pouch, in fact) of their Impressive Rosé Wine.

Paddle Boarding on Lake Marble Falls

Our final adventure before our time in Marble Falls was up was a paddle boarding experience arranged by JustYakin Kayak Rentals. With a mimosa in us and a six hour drive home ahead, I’ll admit that we were tempted to skip it. But once we were out there, standing tall upon Lake Marble Falls—which was blessedly quiet on that Sunday afternoon—we didn’t really want to be anywhere else. Settled right at the heart of the city, Lake Marble Falls offers a perspective unlike any other. We slipped past the Hampton and other lakeside hotels, ogling at some of the vacation homes situated above us. We passed under the bridge that would take us home within a few hours and stopped for a second to sit on the rocks by the shoreline, watching the wakeboarders show off. Neither of us had been paddle boarding before, and were pleased to discover how un-intimidating, even relaxing, the sport turned out to be. We passed by Johnson Park—one of the oldest official parks in Texas. And then, we headed home.

Before we left Marble Falls, we wanted to be sure to make that stop at the BlueBonnet Café. We pulled in, still dripping with water from the lake, only to discover that the pie shop closes at 1:45 pm on Sundays. Yes, 1:45 pm. A little dismayed, we looked to each other and could only laugh. We’d definitely have to come back, hopefully before we retire.

Read Alexandra Kennon’s companion piece to our Marble Falls travel guide (which DOES include Bluebonnet pie) at our website, countryroadsmag.com.

visitmarblefalls.com

Disclaimer: This trip was hosted and partially funded by the Marble Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau, though the opinions of the writer are entirely her own and formed independently of this fact.