DEPARTMENT
JUNE 2019
TEXAS BOURBON
FIRST OF ITS KIND
WILLIAM FORD
SHARING PEACE WITH RECOVERY
MEN’S ISSUE GIFT GUIDE FOR
HILL COUNTRY MEN
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June 2019 - Volume 4 - Issue 6 Carlina Villalpando
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The Texas Wine Experience™
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Parastoo Nikravesh Magazine Editor
Dean Heep
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The Kerrville Daily Times 429 Jefferson St., Kerrville, Texas 78028 www.dailytimes.com | Phone: 830-896-7000 | Fax: 830-896-1150
Copyright: Hill Country Culture is published by The Kerrville Daily Times under Southern Newspapers Inc. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without written permission of the publisher. Editorial content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine. Editorial and advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative.
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EDITOR’S LETTER
T
Telling Men’s stories
here’s no place in the world that shaped my childhood and personality more than my hometown’s library. My dad, who always loved a good book, felt the need to pass down his passion for literature with twice or thrice weekly visits to the often too cold and too quiet Jacksonville Public Library. Never the type of dad to push me to do something I didn’t want to do, he gently encouraged me to hang out in the children’s section and play with the toys and try a few picture books. This led to short chapter books, famous children series and eventually I came to love a good book, too. My dad taught me several lessons, but the most important one was to love reading. It was the “teach-a-man-to-fish” concept because whatever he couldn’t teach me I could learn from stories. Fortunately, there were stories that had other strong and noble men I could admire and plenty of men I understood to avoid. Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird” showed me ways to be a good father, Ron Weasley from “Harry Potter” showed me what made a good friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy from “Pride and Prejudice” showed me what made a
truly awful love interest and then how to later make up for it with solid character development. The stories of the Hill Country are not different in what they can show and teach our vibrant community. Get to know Hagi of Mamacita’s and how he became the successful owner of the Mexican food chain (on page 8). Read about William Ford, a successfully recovering addict, who is giving back to the Hill Country with recovery homes and programs on (page 24). On page 21, read about Garrison Brothers Distillery and how Dan Garrison paved the road for the first bourbon distillery in Texas. Don’t forget to view page 14 for our men’s gift guide to find ideas to celebrate the men in your life. Thank you to all the people who helped me with this great issue, and to the people who opened their lives’ to tell their stories. If you’re interested in keeping up with the magazine online, check out our Instagram page @ txhillcountry_culture and Facebook at Texas Hill Country Culture. Happy reading!
— Parastoo Nikravesh
On the Cover Photos by Mia Church Cover Model: William Ford Read more about William’s story on page 24
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Contents 30
Your Home
Features 21
A CIGAR IN THE HILL COUNTRY People of all walks of life enjoy a smoke at this local establishment
24
A STORY OF RECOVERY San Antonio native travels the world but finds peace in the Hill Country
26
HAPPY GUT FOODS Family sets its focus on improving health with fermented foods
28
FREDERICKSBURG NOVELIST Local man writes novel based on Gillespie County
30
TEXAS BOURBON Dan Garrison breaks tradition with 14 opening first bourbon distillery in the state A FAMILY BUSINESS Mother and son start handmade soap business
33
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26
36
36
THE HOUSE ON THE HILL Kerrville resident builds dream home
44
INDOOR HERBS Create an herb garden inside
Departments 8 GET TO KNOW Hossein “Hagi” Hagigholam 10 WELLNESS High intensity interval training GIFT GUIDE Find your guy the best gift
46
SWEET & SAVORY Pies and ribs
48 UNCORKED Signor Vineyards 53
OUT & ABOUT Hill Country Charity Ball
55 EVENTS June Calendar
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To learn more about our expanding cardiology program, visit PetersonHealth.com/heart or call 830.258.6244. 5
CONTRIBUTORS
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2 3
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CONTRIBUTORS
Contributors Nancy Foster - 1
Rhonda Wiley-Jones - 2
Nancy Foster has contributed to Texas Hill Country Culture since its beginning. She love to interview and share the stories of the region’s talented people, fascinating places to visit and unique businesses. She believes success is measured when readers tell her they’ve found another place to visit and enjoy. Nancy and her husband, Raymond, have lived in Kerrville for nine years. She heads Foster Tourism Marketing, a company that services clients in four states. She also is a writer for a national inflight magazine.
Rhonda Wiley-Jones of Kerrville published her coming-ofage travel memoir, “At Home in the World: Travel Stories of Growing Up and Growing Away,” which can be found on amazon.com. Her writing has been published in five anthologies and various online publications. She writes about travel, travel writing, and the craft of writing on her blog, RhondaWiley-Jones.com. She conducts travel journal writing workshops locally and in Mexico. Mo-Ranch will host a weekend travel writing retreat Rhonda will lead, “Hemingway & Chardonnay,” October 25-27, 2019. To register, go to MoRanch website.
John and Carol Aceti - 4
Sandra Lane - 6
After encouragement from Dick Holmberg, owner of Singing Water Vineyards, John wrote “Wineries of the Texas Hill Country Plus One Fine Brewery” in December 2016. After visiting 30 wineries in the Hill Country, they are is convinced the area has plenty to offer wine connoisseurs and casual wine enthusiasts. He and wife, Carol, visit area wineries and share the insider tips they learn on their visits.
Sandra Lane is a fourth-generation Texan who has written for newspapers, trade journals and corporate communications. She has written extensively about real estate and mortgage banking as well as high-tech industries. She has a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of North Texas. A native of the Dallas Fort Worth area, she moved to Kerrville in 2013.
Mia Church - 5 Mia Church began her career in media at the Phoenix Newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts. Later, she was part of the team at Boston’s first country music station, WBCS, solidifying country into the northeast culture. She is an internationally published photographer, and writer and runs her business, Mia Church Photography. She has two daughters and has lived in the Texas Hill Country for 15 years. She loves the people, the culture, theater, music and community of the Hill Country.
Kathy Sears Hall - 3 Kathy Sears Hall is a Kerrville native and graduate of Tivy High School. She is a Cooper Institute Personal Trainer and is licensed to teach Pilates and Zumba®. She holds an accounting degree from the University of Texas and spent 27 years in the energy industry. She now enjoys being back home and working with her father, husband, and tremendous staff at The Center for Fitness, a business her mother started over 40 years ago.
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GETTING TO KNOW
Hossein ‘Hagi’ Hagigholam Living the American dream Photo and Story by Parastoo Nikravesh
1. Hagi moved to the United States from Tehran, Iran in 1976. He originally moved to Houston but in an effort to surround himself with more native English speakers, to learn the language quickly, he came to Schreiner University in Kerrville where there were fewer Iranian students. 2. His first job was as a dishwasher at a restaurant called Grandma’s House. He worked his way up from dishwasher to busser and eventually up to a server. He worked at several other restaurants and at one point worked breakfasts in Kerrville, lunchtime in Boerne and dinner in San Antonio.
3. At 24 he opened his own place called Burger Island, a small burger place in a shopping center. Although many said it was an achievement, he felt that he could do more. 4. Hagi’s work partner, Tom Myers, has been by his side for almost 30 years and said, “Someone said, ‘If partnership was good, God would have a partner.’ But in my case I think he made it different.”
5. Hagi knew the Mexican food business after working at several restaurants and saw that Texans loved it. He decided to open his own Mexican restaurant and that launched Mamacita’s in the Hill Country. He opened the first Mamacita’s in Kerrville in 1985. Then he opened a Mamacita’s in Fredericksburg in ’87, in San Marcos in ’94, in New Braunfels in ’99 and San Antonio in ’04.
6. People often ask Hagi how an Iranian can open a Mexican restaurant in a German community and to that he says, “Only in America.”
7. Hagi says that although an Iranian restaurant isn’t likely in his future, he does have a passion
for Italian food and has dreamed of opening an Italian restaurant one day. He says he could still do it.
8. He has two kids: Roya and Nick. Roya is his first child and she works in Austin, and his son,
Nick, is the youngest, now finishing high school. Roya’s name is Iranian meaning “dream” and his son’s name, Nick, is an American and Iranian name which in Iran has the historical meaning of “good.” He and his wife, Ruth, will be married for 40 years next year. They have two pets, a cat named Spade and a dog named Molly. 9. Hagi travels often and tries to visit his hometown of Tehran at least twice a year. His favorite things to do in Iran are relax, enjoy the cuisine and be surrounded by family. Most of his family still lives there except a brother who lives in California. 10. Hagi loves movies, especially Westerns. Although he doesn’t have a favorite movie, his favorite action actor is Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Hanks is his favorite dramatic actor. 11. A restaurateur and food lover, he says his favorite food overall is seafood, but he has a fondness for Italian and Chinese food as well. His favorite Iranian dish is ghormeh sabzi, an Iranian herb stew served with saffron rice.
12. The longtime sports fan says, if he wasn’t running Mamacita’s, his dream career would be
professional sports gambling. He enjoys betting on games to make them more interesting (but not
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DEPARTMENT
+ One
Sweet Paring
On one occasion a patron selected Alletante Rosé to compliment her Snickers bar. Laura struggled with that thought. But later tried it. Soon any chocolate - dark, light, or spiced - became a regular pairing with Alletante Rosé. This rosé won a silver medal at the Lone Star Wine Competition in Grapevine, Texas. Is it a special favorite with the ladies? Laura does not think that it is chosen more often than her whites or reds and is popular with all her customers.
too much money, he said laughing) and although he says his favorite team is whoever he is betting on that night, his all timefavorite athlete is Michael Jordan.
living somewhere without traffic compared to Houston, Tehran or San Antonio.
13. His top three favorite sports are soccer, basketball and
a lot of cars is a headache and that he has had many cars that weren’t keepers, but feels that the eight he has now are good to stay. Some of his cars include the 2005 Ford GT, 1971 Convertible Mercedes, a Rolls Royce and a BMW I8. You can spot any of his cars by their license plate which are MYUSA1 or MYUSA2 and so on. He has all the numbers until 15 reserved with the intention of future use. MYUSA, he explained, is to show is his pride of living in this country.
football and soccer. If there is a game in the Middle East for the World Cup or Asian Cup, he will wake up at 2 a.m., due to the eight-hour time difference, to watch it on satellite TV.
14. He has lived in Kerrville since 1977. When asked what
he likes about Kerrville, he said people are lucky to live here because it is just five minutes to go anywhere, be it the grocery store, gym, library or park. Everything is close and he loves
15. Another hobby of Hagi’s is car collecting. He says having
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high intensity HIIT Interval Training
HEALTHY IN MINUTES by Kathy Sears Hall
What is HIIT? High Intensity Interval Training, HIIT for short, is exactly what it sounds like: alternating periods of vigorous and light exercise. Although it’s considered a recent trend in the fitness world, its roots can be traced to the 1920s when Finnish Track Athlete Pavoo Nurmi used randomized training to win nine Olympic Gold Medals.
What are the health benefits? High blood pressure, smoking and diabetes are commonly recognized health risk factors, but low health and lung health has an even stronger association with death. Compared to moderate steady state exercise, HIIT has been shown to
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improve cardiovascular health by increasing VO2max, which is the maximum rate at which a person’s body consumes, distributes and utilizes oxygen. High VO2max leads to improved fitness which, in turn, leads to optimal health. Workouts featuring HIIT also create a significant “after burn” as the body restores itself back to normal, which means the body can burn more calories throughout the rest of the day as an added bonus.
What are some examples? Any of these programs could be completed in a variety of modes: walking, running, cycling, rowing, swimming, dancing, etc. Always start with a 3-5 minute warm up by
WELLNESS moving slowly. Then, using a Rate of Perceived Exertion Scale that starts at No Exertion (Rest) and goes to Maximum Exertion (Exhaustion), with increments of Very Light, Light, Hard, Very Hard, etc. In between, try one of these options in the High Intensity Interval Training workout chart. I personally use the Tabata protocol twice a week on my Schwinn Air Dyne, which is a stationary bicycle with arm handles. I was surprised at how hard it was at first to complete the eight cycles, but it’s gotten noticeably easier over time. I like having a quick workout as an option, and I’m motivated to find time for it now that I know my heart and lungs are getting stronger.
HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING
Why is it popular now?
Workout Chart
Around the year 2000, many professional sports teams began incorporating HIIT workouts in their training regimens and research studies started to prove the cardiovascular advantages of HIIT compared to traditional workouts. Once our time-constrained society learned that you could gain the same or better health benefits in a shorter period of time, HIIT became a hit!
4
min
How can you do it at the gym? Stationary Bicycles, Steppers, and Ellipticals are the easiest pieces of equipment to use because you control the speed. Swimmers have that same advantage in the pool. Treadmills are an option, but the amount of time the belt takes to speed up and slow down can sometimes eat up some of the time if you’re using short intervals.
Are there any risks? Always check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. If you haven’t been exercising at all or you have some movement challenges, start with a steady state workout at a Light Level and progress into HIIT with longer periods of rest.
How often can you do it? Research shows that two to three times per week may produce the best results while limiting injuries and allowing for better recovery between sessions. If you do it that often, it’s a great idea to use different modes of exercise. One of the factors that makes HIIT so successful is you’re doing something significantly different on those days. Surprise your body by mixing up different workouts on different types of equipment and you have a hit on your hands.
28 min
25 min
Tabata 4-minute workout:
20 seconds of very hard followed by 10 seconds of light, repeated 8 times.
Intermediate 28-minute workout:
4 minutes of hard followed by 3 minutes of light, repeated 4 times.
Advanced 25-minute workout:
30 seconds of near maximal followed by 4.5 minutes of light, repeated 5 times.
Cool down for 2 - 5 minutes by moving slowly. Finish up with some stretches, and you are done.
HIIT THE PARK
How can you do it at the park or at home? Walking or running outdoors can easily be incorporated into a HIIT program. Jumping rope, lunging, and squatting would work well too. 11
MUSE
Inspiration with
Johnny Nicholas
“ Folk music is the music of the people.” – JOHNNY NICHOLAS
Story and Photo by Parastoo Nikravesh
The Kerrville Folk Festival is a music festival held for 18 consecutive days at Quiet Valley Ranch. The event has run annually since 1972, and this year will run May 23 to June 9. In anticipation of the event we spoke to Johnny Nicholas, a regular performer at the Kerrville Folk Festival, who is an American blues musician and member of the Grammy Award winning group, Asleep at the Wheel. We talked about the music-writing process and about what makes folk music and the Hill Country stand out. Q: What inspires you to write music? A: Life. People. Situations. Just the human condition. Q: How long have you been writing music? A: I started writing when I was in my early 20s and so that’s been 40-something years. Q: Do you have to be inspired to write something? Can it be on the spot? A: It’s kind of hard for me to write something on the spot. Sometimes that works, but for me. It has to be some inspiration or some ideas or a thought to spark an idea for a song, or something I might see going on with a person or something someone might say. Someone might say a joke or a phrase and you’ll have an idea for a song. Q: Did you find different inspirations for music in the Hill Country than where you’re originally from? A: Up here in the Hill Country, there’s a real mix of different cultures. There’s a lot of German heritage. My wife was Texas German, her great-great grandfather and her great-great-great grandfather were original immigrants to Texas with the original settlers in Fredericksburg. They had land grants from the Republic of Texas, so there’s that deep German culture and heritage. And then of course there’s that Hispanic influence which is very important and musically, both of those two cultures came together and created a really unique Texas music called conjunto music, and I was always fascinated with that and with the swing music. It’s a real mixing pot of different music and cultures around here. A lot of inspiration. Q: What makes folk music unique? A: Folk is a pretty broad term. Nowadays folk music has gotten pretty pigeonholed and it shouldn’t, because in the purest sense,
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folk music includes traditional blues, bluegrass, conjunto, country music in its purest form. So people now, I’m not sure they really understand where folk music came from. But it is an umbrella for all really great American roots music. Q: Which musician or group started folk to you? A: I guess you’d have to say Bob Dylan. There really ain’t anyone better than that. And he took influences from blues, bluegrass, country and at that time they called it all different names, but it started being called folk in the ’60s and I remembered the Newport Folk Festival and they brought in all these different artists from different cultures. So I’d say Bob Dylan and of course he is the quintessential songwriter. Q: What’s the future look like for you? What’s your next project? A: Well, I stay on tour. I just got back from France — I played at a festival there, and I leave tomorrow morning for the Northeast: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York … All through until the end of the year I have a pretty rigorous touring schedule. I like to play regionally, too. I like to stay close to home and play. I like to be in Texas and Louisiana. I got a little place in Louisiana and a little place here. Q: How often do you perform here [Hilltop cafe in Fredericksburg]? A: Whenever I feel like it. But also we’ll throw together shows. If I have some friends that don’t have a gig I’ll have them come out and do an informal thing and it’s a lot of fun. We also play scheduled shows and we’ll advertise those. Q: Is there anything you’d want to tell aspiring songwriters? A: Don’t be afraid to speak your mind and be honest with yourself and that’s the biggest thing. Be honest, and not to be afraid to speak out and tell your story. If they do that, then it takes time to hone the craft, but that’s the first step to overcome that fear.
See Johnny at the 2019 Folk fest Weekdays May 27-30
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Men’ s Gift Guide 2
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21 22 24 1) Ariat boots - Kerrville Ranch and Pet 2) W.R. Case and Sons Cutlery Co. pocket knife - Kerrville Ranch and Pet 3) Leather woven bracelet with black spinel - Segner’s Jewelers Inc, Fredericksburg 4) Gents Belair gold watch - Baublit’s Jewelers, Kerrville 5) Citizen Eco Drive light neoprene watch - Segner’s, Fredericksburg 6) Black onyx and silver ring - Segner’s, Fredericksburg 7) Bullet pens - Gold Cup, Kerrville 8) Hat - Kerrville Ranch and Pet 9) 1911 handgun - Gold Cup, Kerrville 10) Yeti tumbler - Kerrville Ranch and Pet 11) Black onyx inlay and silver cross necklace 12) Pocket watch circa 1899 - Baublit’s, Kerrville 13) David Yurman watch - Gold Cup, Kerrville 14) Gents Belair silver watch - Baublit’s, Kerrville 15) GameGuard
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12 15 13
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20 19 26
27 25
button down shirt - Kerrville Ranch and Pet 16) Ariat button down shirt - Kerrville Ranch and Pet 17) Money clip - Baublit’s, Kerrville 18) Decorative office set - Gold Cup, Kerrville 19) Knife with ornate handle - Gold Cup, Kerrville 20) Hat - Kerrville Ranch and Pet 21) Bison air light - Hill Country Propane, Fredericksburg 22) Traeger Bottle Opener - Hill Country Propane, Fredericksburg 23) Traeger Instant Read Thermometer - Hill Country Propane, Fredericksburg 24) Traeger grilling rubs - Hill Country Propane, Fredericksburg 25) Traeger barbecue multitool set - Hill Country Propane, Fredericksburg 26) John Henry’s barbecue cookbook - Hill Country Propane, Fredericksburg 27) Primo Ceramic Grills - Hill Country Propane, Fredericksburg
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Behind the Gates
of San Miguel by Rhonda Wiley-Jones
TRAVEL
“ My best advice? Just walk, explore, look around, follow your nose. Just walk the city.” – ARCHIE DEAN Author -The Insider’s Guide to San Miguel
S
an Miguel de Allende is an ancient colonial Mexican city, built behind doors, gates, fences and facades. Behind these are open-air courtyards surrounded by commercial shops or residences. The village is known for its churches, cathedrals and green spaces. Locals do not consider the central landmark, the Parroquia, a cathedral but the local parish. Our first night, the hotel receptionist handed my three traveling companions and me keys to our rooms and vague directions to a restaurant. Worn-out, hungry and fatigued from dehydration, we walked and talked; we looked and searched. Our energy waned. We slowed our pace, wondering if breakfast would be our next meal. Down the way, a dim lightbulb hung above a heavy wooden door slung open. A peek inside revealed people hunched over tables, talking and laughing, as if they did this every night. We stepped out of the chill into the warmth and savory aromas of a restaurant, Milagro. A waiter stood waiting to serve us with a quick wit; margaritas and molten volcano bowls of chicken with cactus, pepper and onion, which arrived bubbling hot and steaming. We had found sustenance behind a single door in San Miguel. My neighbor in Texas reported she found the city disappointing, because everything was located behind gates and fences. It felt inaccessible. When I told my traveling partners, we set our challenge and intention to get behind the gates of San Miguel. The next morning at breakfast, we chatted up a gentleman, seated at a table on one side of a roaring fire, and we across from him. Archie Dean had written The Insider’s Guide to San Miguel for 19 years, updating it every year to sustain the trust of travelers until 2011. He sold the title to a company, which continued to publish it, but failed to update it.
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We asked for Archie’s recommendations. “My best advice? Just walk, explore, look around, follow your nose. Just walk the city.” So we hiked out onto cobblestones streets. Cars couldn’t pass, if we walked two abreast; so we took to more narrow sidewalks single-file. That proved dangerous with pipes, cracked concrete, steps to stores or houses and other hazards. Foot and vehicular traffic created a horizontal Cirque du Soleil ballet. We chose to take the trolley tour first for an orientation to the city. Tourist office staff told us to go to a specific intersection and find “the man with a white cap” who sold tickets for the excursion. We found him — in the center of the intersection. We viewed the city from many directions, but one stop captured my imagination. A specially designed square at one time in history had served as the village laundry with free spring water. Separate washbasins were built of concrete and stood empty now, crumbling and unused. Because the spring still ran freely, residents continued to received free water in their homes. Curious explorers, we stepped across worn thresholds of cathedrals, wandered behind gates, moseyed around courtyards, checked out menus for future reference, ambled through small galleries of art both exquisite and primitive and discovered the public library. The library is a tribute to the city. We heard people practicing their English or Spanish with a partner in the open courtyard. It ran its own thrift store, where we shopped for souvenirs. The following day we taxied to a market, like a county fair back home. Vegetable growers brought in the morning harvest, merchants sold homemade goods, food vendors cooked on site. One seller built a 90-degree wall of strawberries on two sides of his table eighteen inches high. Some stalls held new, top-labeled clothes, while others accommodated stacks of outgrown or unneeded clothes, as well as Mexican woven blankets, pottery, and leather goods. Unlike at home, police officers stood at attention in uniform with AK-47s slung across their chests, hands loosely sitting on the grip with ski masks on and eyes roaming. One of them looked away, so I quickly pointed my camera. Before I could click, he caught me. I mouthed, “May I?” He shook his head slowly, wagged a finger “no-no” from the hand siting on the rifle. I quietly put it back in my purse, feeling criminal for trying. We visited some American acquaintances, staying in a local residence, who introduced us to a bóveda ceiling, a construction term for any arched brickwork. From each corner of the one room in the house the brickwork domed and fit together as an arched ceiling, as if carved instead of bricked. It must have required special skill, because it was the only bóveda ceiling in the house. Though my friend in Texas experienced the city as inaccessible, we did not. The four of us discovered magic behind the gates of San Miguel. We tried on genuine “San Miguel” shoes, made for the cobblestoned streets of SMA. Viewed famous and not so famous art. Carried home memories of mosaics, museums, masterpieces and the mystery of what we left unseen. But we found our way behind the gates of San Miguel.
TRAVEL
Cinco FIVE Cosas
THINGS
TO SEE & DO IN SAN MIQUEL
1 2 3 4 5
Albert Coffee Archaeotours – Historian Albert Coffee offers tours of the Cañada de la Virgen, a partially restored pyramid that’s the most important pre-Hispanic site discovered in the region. Parque Juarez – The largest green space within San Miguel’s city center. Also called the French Park. Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel – Grand, neo-Gothic, 17th-century church known for its soaring, pink spires and lofty, ornate sanctuary. Charco Del Ingenio – Natural preserve with a big cactus collection and other indigenous flora, including endangered plants. Museo La Esquina del Juguete popular Mexicano – Quaint museum with displays of vintage, handcrafted toys from various Mexican regions and a gift shop. 19
The MuseuM
of
WesTern ArT JUNE EVENTS:
H through June 29th American Plains Artists
H June 1st - June 30th Western Artists Round Up Free to members, non-members donations appreciated.
CONTACT US FOR INFO ON: • Monthly Children’s Workshop • Children’s Summer Camp • Yearly Membership Plans
Wine Weekdays @ 1011 Bistro BRING YOUR BOTTLE - NO CORKING FEE TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY! *Limit 2 bottles per table.
RESERVATIONS 830-895-1169 1011 Guadalupe Street H Kerrville, Texas
www.1011bistro.com
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TEXAS HILL COUNTRY CULTURE
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Open: Tuesday-Saturday H 10AM-4PM
1550 Bandera Hwy. H Kerrville, Texas 78028
830.896.2553 H museumofwesternart.com
Lifestyles of the
Hill Country Man
Tabak Haus SMOKE, DRINK, BE HAPPY.
Story By Travis Webb | Photos by Parastoo Nikravesh
Upon entering, the alluring aroma, an unmistakable bouquet of subtle variations engages the senses. It’s certainly enticing enough on its own — like a spectral hand summoning some cartoon character to a fresh pie. But the real dangers are the chairs. Low and leather, overstuffed and slightly worn, they’re comfortable enough to make standing up again decidedly difficult. It’s all part of the appeal at Tabak Haus, a Fredericksburg-based tobacco shop specializing in cigars. From the mottled, slightly distressed treatment of the walls to the coppery sheen of the tin ceiling tiles, Bob Kreipe’s little shop has an air of unpretentious elegance — the brick and mortar version of a person who somehow seems to fit in at a black tie affair even while wearing casual clothes. It is perhaps this simple, unselfconscious charm that keeps Kreipe’s regulars coming. That, and the combination of an excellent selection of reasonably priced cigars and Kreipe’s own encyclopedic knowledge of them.
A SLOW BURN
Kreipe opened Tabak Haus about three and a half years ago at the urging of his son-in-law and now business partner. “He suggested it for the better part of two years,” Kreipe said. In fact, Kreipe attributes a large part of the interior’s simple elegance to his son-in-law. "That’s all Caleb,” he said. “He has an eye for that kind of thing.” The cigar lounge features a selection of pipes and pipe tobacco, a hand-crafted walk-in humidor and more than 30 separate brands of cigars, many of which are available in a variety of styles and strengths. The establishment also has a mixed beverage license, so stogie aficionados can supplement their smoke with an adult beverage or two. Since opening his doors in October 2015, Kreipe has seen steady growth in clientele. “When we first started, well you don’t know what you don’t know,” he said. “Some just kind of happened along. It’s been a slow build.”
“ One guy might drive up in a Lamborghini, another might be driving
a beat-up old work truck ... Where else are those guys gonna’ meet? ” –BOB KREIPE, Tabak Haus
ANYTHING LIKE THIS
These days, between visitors to Fredericksburg, his local regulars and supplying other establishments with cigars purchased wholesale from distributors, Kreipe stays pretty busy. “It’s amazing, the different kind of people that come in here,” he said. “One guy might drive up in a Lamborghini, another might be driving a beat-up old work truck. “Where else are those guys gonna’ meet?” Speaking to the proprietor, one get’s the sense that if Kreipe didn’t own a place like Tabak Haus, he’d probably be occupying himself as a patron at one. “I’ve been smoking cigars for 35 years and I’ve always enjoyed going to lounges like this,” he said. “There just wasn’t anything like this here.” His long love affair with the most iconic of tobacco products has paid dividends that are readily apparent — while one would expect the owner of a cigar lounge to know a thing or two about cigars, the breadth and depth of Kreipe’s knowledge on the subject is impressive. “The tobacco industry, it’s kind of like wine,” he said. “Where it’s grown, how it was blended, the aging process — that all factors in. And everyone’s got a different palate.”
5 under $15
Good cigars don’t have to be expensive. “Even though cigars are kind of a luxury item, they don’t have to be expensive,” said Bob Kreipe, owner of Tabak Haus. “Sure you need some disposable income to go drop $10, $20 or $30 on a cigar. You’re paying for the complexity of the shape, the aging — and the reputation. You’re paying for the name.” In fact, almost all of Kreipe’s cigars are under $30.
The Griffin’s
Available in a variety of sizes and style ranging from about $10 to $12, The Griffin’s is one of Kreipe’s lightest and smoothest cigars.
Perdomo
Perdomo’s range of cigars, while still rather light, have a mild peppery or spiciness to them and range from $7 to $10 at Tabak Haus.
Kristoff
Available in a wide range of styles, Kreipe said Kristoff makes excellent medium strength cigars using Nicaraguan “Corojo” tobacco. He sells them for about $11 a piece.
Tabernacle
Full-strength but with a deceptive smoothness, Tabernacle cigars aren’t for the faint of heart — but at $12 OR $13 a piece, make for a budget-friendly treat for the discerning cigar enthusiast.
La Flor Dominica
Often abbreviated to “LFD,” this legendary brand offers fine, strong cigars in a range that can see prices climb as high as $1,000 — but not to worry, Tabak Haus has some of their offerings in stock for as little $9.
23
William H. Garrett Ford
THE JOURNEY TO A HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL LIFE Story and Photos by Mia Church William H. Garrett Ford was born in San Antonio in 1984 to a wonderful family who wanted only for him to have a happy and successful life. "I think it's a common mistake made by some people when they assume that all drug addicts/alcoholics come from broken homes or have some horrible trauma in their past,� William said. “My childhood was great. My parents both loved me and would have done anything to see me succeed in life." At 17 he discovered pain pills. During the opioid epidemic, doctors were prescribing freely and often. Soon these pills led William to heroin. Heroin being less expensive and more potent was the logical progression for someone strongly addicted to pain pills. At 21, William lived in Austin, and after almost ending up in jail several times he decided to make a change. He took a trip to Italy and ended up backpacking through
Europe, North Africa and the Middle East by himself for nearly two years. Finally, after a lot of soul-searching, he decided to come back to Austin. Unfortunately, as he suspected, his old addictions came back. His parents stepped in and brought him to a treatment center. "I agreed, but didn’t take it seriously, I was still convinced that my being clean was a matter of willpower and that if I could just find whatever external thing was missing from my life I would be okay,” William said. “I met a girl and fell in love for the first time in my life. The first time she found needles in my closet I cried and promised her I would stop, and I meant it. Every part of me wanted to stay clean for her, but I couldn’t. Looking back this was the first time in my life I really understood what those 12-step recovery programs had meant when they'd talked to me about being powerless. After three years she couldn’t take it anymore and left, and I was lost." After the next rehab, William ended up at a sober living home in Kerrville. He finally understood that it was essential to his success in life that he address his problem head on, get better and leave the past behind. "For the first time in my life I decided to take my hands off the wheel and just focus on what was in front of me,” William said. “I needed to get better and these people seemed to have a solution. I found a totally new level of willingness to do what was asked of me while I was in sober living. I got a sponsor, started going to 12-step meetings and things started to change. For the first time in my life, I felt like I had hope." Four years later, William is giving back to the Hill Country community. He not only turned his life around, he dedicated it to helping others. He runs several recovery businesses in the area, and he is a director of Crossroads Sober Living for Men. With more than 40 residents, the goal is to provide a place where they can recreate and redirect their lives. He says that he would not change one thing that happened because that difficult road is what empowers him to save others. "We get to watch miracles happen all the time,” William said. “People come in totally broken with nothing but the clothes on their backs and within a couple months they’re employed and helping other people. We have tons of guys who lived with us in the past who are now working in treatment centers all over the United States. Some have stayed here in town and started their own businesses, some have families. They’re leaders in their communities; it's incredible." Another business of William’s, Ford Sober Transports,
contracts with treatment centers all over Texas. Taking people to and from treatment centers or sober houses and providing anyone wanting to take that first step in recovery with logistical solutions. All of the Ford Sober Transports drivers are in recovery themselves. Almost all of the employees at each business are in recovery. According to Will, when a client being driven to treatment can look and see someone next to them who's sober and happy, but who also understands what he or she is going through, it makes a huge difference. It gives them hope. William and business partner Cody Leicht own several Vape Shops, Fog House in Kerrville, Fog Haus in Fredericksburg and the newest location in Boerne, F.H.B. The first store in Kerrville has been open for two years. The Fog House is where people meet and enjoy fellowship outside of meetings and home, whether in recovery or not. Every spring The Recovery Art Show displays art by members of the community at Fog House. Recently, William also began interventions all over the country. "I think my time dealing with the families of sober home residents really helped prepare me for that role and it's something I hope to pursue further in the future,” William said. “Interventions are typically just as much about the family as they are about the person who’s going to treatment. Getting to connect with those people in what’s usually one of the hardest days in all their lives and show them that there’s still light at the end of the tunnel is pretty cool." On reflection of everything he's been through, William says, “God, the universe or whatever you wanna call it ... it’s real. It has power — if you're at that spot where you're truly broken by addiction and willing to take some suggestions. If you can just let go and stop trying to control everything, then amazing things start to happen. Trusting in that power gets easier once you’ve seen the undeniable results in your own life and the lives of those around you. That’s the best part of my life today. I’m at peace. All the external stuff is great, the relationships with people I love, the house, the car, etc. But it's not what keeps me sober. Helping other people like me and watching them climb their way out of unimaginable darkness to fulfill their potential is amazing. I wake up every day grateful that I've been given a second chance at life and I want to give that chance to anyone else facing the same challenges."
“ God, the universe or whatever you wanna call it … it’s real. It has power ... If you can just let go and stop trying to control everything, then amazing things start to happen...”
25
Healthy Eating + Healthy Lifestyle =
Happy Gut
When Tres and Mitzi Weddle of San Antonio decided to change their lifestyle to allow more family time with their four children, they decided to abandon their present lifestyle and start their own business. This was the impetus for the family's purchase of Happy Gut Foods from friends in 2016. The Weddles met these friends while participating in a membershipbased food co-op in San Antonio called Farm Connection. At that time, Tres said these friends started Happy Gut Foods for members, and they offered two fermented products. Currently, the Weddles offer more than 40 fermented food products created in their small commercial kitchen in San Antonio. Some of customer favorites include lemon garlic and dill sauerkraut, fermented pesto, beet kvass and kimchi. All products are grain free and vegan. These products can be purchased each Friday at the Kerrville Farmer’s Market, 405 Water St. In addition, some of the products can also be found at Kerrville Health Foods, 141 W. Water St., across from Gibson’s. The Weddle’s sauerkraut is also offered in the Carrot Patch Café in the health food store. Additionally, Happy Gut
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products are featured at the Farm Table in San Antonio. “We sell our products in 10 stores in Kerrville, Boerne, and San Antonio,” Tres said. “And we ferment for one chef, Elizabeth Johnson, in San Antonio.” He said that the couple does everything by hand, with the biggest batch being 5 liters. “We can’t do this at home,” Tres said. “We have to have a commercial facility, and we’re governed by the State Dept. of Human Services. The kitchen is not open to the public, so we don’t have any dealings with the city.” Their commercial kitchen is the Weddles’ manufacturing location, and as such, is inspected annually by state health inspectors. “Our products use the finest natural, non-GMO, and certified-organic ingredients available,” Tres said. “We buy the best ingredients we can and make the best products we can make.” Tres believes that food is medicine. “This journey to search for quality foods began when our oldest son was born nine years ago, and we started thinking about the food we fed him,” Tres said. “Our food has evolved since then. We try to eat the cleanest, local food we can find.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy photos
by Sandra Lane
Benefits of Fermented Foods Tres said he thinks one of the main benefits of eating fermented foods includes the improvement of digestive processes. “It helps digestion and aids the body’s ability to soak up vitamins and minerals. It also helps with inflammation and strengthens the immune system,” Tres said. For the process of fermentation, Tres said they do not add bacteria or cultures. “We put vegetables, organic spices and Himalayan pink salt into 5 liter jars that have an airlock so that waste gas (Co2) can get out, but no oxygen can get back in,” he said. “This drops the PH and starts the fermentation process.” Then each batch is maintained at room temperature without access to light and oxygen from a week to a year and a half. “During the fermentation process, the sugars break down into lactic acid, which prevents spoilage and also enables beneficial bacteria to grow,” Tres said. “When the fermentation process is complete, the finished product is put into 8 oz. or 16 oz. jars to be sold at various outlets.” He said that after opening, these products, when kept in the refrigerator, will remain safe to eat from 6 to 8 months to 2 to 3 years.
Lifestyle change was needed In the years leading up to 2016, Tres said he had been feeling the need for a lifestyle change. He said he had spent 25 years in managing chain restaurants owned by large corporations, and he was discouraged by what he experienced in that line of work. “None of the restaurants I worked in provided food that‘s healthy for the body,” he said. “The purpose of these restaurants is to make money. To save money, they are not buying the best quality products and are not preparing them in the most healthy manner.” The main disadvantage, Tres said, was that due to his long and irregular hours, he sometimes didn’t get to see his kids for three days. “The main benefit in owning our own business is that it gives us an opportunity to do something together,” he said. The Weddles are pleased with their present lifestyle and the business they have created in Happy Gut Foods. “I spend a lot of time in farmer’s markets,” Tres said. “We wanted to know our neighbors, and we wanted to find an experience where we could be part of our community.”
Local writer explores Fredericksburg past and present Hill Country author Marc Hess often explains, “My book is not a historical account of the Gillespie County Fair. In fact, my publishers asked me to change the title, but I refused.” “The Gillespie County Fair,” was released April 30, and despite its availability in every Barnes & Noble bookstore in Texas, he insisted the formal launch take place at Kerrville’s Wolfmueller’s Books.. “This is what I’m all about,” Marc said. An independent, antiquarian-style shop on Earl Garrett Street, Wolfmueller’s features not only contemporary releases, but also rare, outof-print, used, secondhand and other hard-to-find books. The selection of this venue, an intriguing blend of old and new, underscores the central theme of Marc’s “The Gillespie County Fair.” His novel offers an unflinching, but poignant, examination of the problems gentrification brings to formerly rural communities. Government officials, business owners and residents of the 25 counties in the Texas Hill County, a small portion of the state’s 254 counties, grapple daily with the same double-edged sword — the need to balance growth and change with traditions and values of the past. A longtime resident of Gillespie County, Marc has struggled with the novel on the gentrification of Hill Country towns and counties since 2010 when he completed his first draft, which he described
Photo of Mark Hess by Parastoo Nikravesh
By Judith Pannebaker
as “huge.” He sent the voluminous manuscript to a developmental editor in Boerne. “I got it back with a cover letter, stating, ‘Before you open this, write down the theme, premise and moral of the novel and why it has to take place in Fredericksburg.’” “I opened the box and saw my typewritten pages were covered with red ink,” Marc said. “It looked like someone had been killed in there.” Marc, however, had been buoyed by another of her other comments, “At the end of the day, however, I think this is worth going forward on.” Relying on the editor’s expertise and experience, Marc eventually completed 14 extensive revisions. In the process, he also pitched the novel to 97 agents, only eight of whom entered serious discussions with him. “Nothing hones a manuscript like rejection,” Marc said. “It forces you to drill down and ask yourself, ‘What did I miss?’ It also makes you figure out what you really want to say — as well as “remove lots of adjectives.” After Marc distilled his former tome into a more manageable 200 pages, Greenleaf Book Group Press accepted the novel for publication. “It’s a fast read now, and with fewer and fewer people actually reading, that’s a good thing. Learning to write tight apparently lessens the ‘chore’ of reading,” he said. “While working on the book, I received a call from a woman who was the 1958 fair queen. She offered me fascinating details about the Gillespie County Fair, but I had to let her know I wasn’t writing about the history of the fair.” Rather, the annual celebration serves as a backdrop for the novel. As used by Marc, "The Gillespie County Fair" — founded in 1881, it’s the oldest one in Texas — chronicles the inevitable clash that occurs when new wealth and evolving mores collide with the reality of pervasive poverty and disappearing, once-cherished traditions. “The fair continues to support the area’s agriculture heritage just as it did in the ‘old days,’ but to be successful, the event has had to turn itself into a rock festival,” Marc said. “The threads of the story come together at the Gillespie County Fair, where
Fredericksburg’s old and new worlds meet.” And, parenthetically, a character discovers old sins cast long shadows. Although he has lived in Fredericksburg since the late 1980s, Marc still considers himself an auslander, the German word for foreigner. He visited the area at the urging of a former classmate at the then Rochester (New York) Institute of Technology, where Marc graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in typography. “My friend said, ‘Stay here for two years and see,’” Marc said. “I never left.” Fredericksburg clearly charmed him. “My heritage is German and this was an old German farming community hidden in the Hill Country. I wanted to live among ‘my people,’ people who loved sauerkraut and dark beer,” Marc said before admitting frankly, “But I found them to be the oddest people ever.” The locals’ quirky phrasing and amusing anecdotes enabled Marc, a self-described “writer by compulsion” to capture his new acquaintances with a series of amusing character sketches — some of which were no doubt incorporated into “The Gillespie County Fair.” According to Marc, people are attracted to Fredericksburg because they feel under the illusion it’s “everybody’s hometown,” but unfortunately that’s becoming less true. “Prosperity, in the form of increased sales receipts and hotel occupancy taxes, has turned 40 percent of the residences in Fredericksburg into B&Bs, rental properties and retirement homes,” Marc said. “And, while that’s good for the economy, it makes it nearly impossible for young families to purchase homes here because of the high cost.” Additionally, due to rapidly increasing property taxes, it’s more economically feasible to sell heritage ranches for development rather than keep them in the original families, who settled Texas’ counties and towns. When asked what he sees in Fredericksburg’s future, Hess replies, “More prosperity — and that’s not always a positive." Clarifying, he adds, “I’m not saying you must cling to traditions. You have to change, but the selling of a region’s traditions often drives youth away. And you have to decide what parts of heritage you want to keep.”
“ My heritage is German and this was an old German farming community hidden in the Hill Country. I wanted to live among ‘my people,’ people who loved sauerkraut and dark beer ...” – MARK HESS, Author -The Gillespie County Fair
C
�OURBON,
CENTRAL TEXAS-STYLE STORY BY SEAN BATURA | PHOTOS BY PARASTOO NIKRAVESH
VISION, FORTITUDE LED TO FIRST LEGAL DISTILLERY IN THE STATE How a man responds to adversity says a lot about him. As Patrick Henry once said, "Adversity toughens manhood, and the characteristic of the good or the great man is not that he has been exempt from the evils of life, but that he has surmounted them." Adversity struck for many thousands of Texans with the collapse of Enron in 2001. One of them was Dan Garrison, whose software marketing career was abruptly, unexpectedly over. And at about the worst time: he was 40 years old, an age when many men are evaluating their lives, re-assessing what's important. "You're questioning your existence, you're questioning your value to earth and to God and to your family, and it's a tough time to be in," said Garrison in March on "The Trey Blocker Show". "And that's when I lost my job. And so I kind of had to reinvent myself. And the first thing I did is I went to Kentucky to go get drunk on the Kentucky bourbon trail for a week."
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Taking that much strong drink at such a time is the beginning of the end for many, but the virtue of temperance prevailed, and Garrison's experience on the bourbon trail was as inspiring as much as it was analgesic. He came back home with a business plan to start the first bourbon distillery — the first legal one — in Texas. But a commercially produced, Texas bourbon? It had never been done before, and it
wasn't hard to see why. Cumbersome, mystifying state distillery regulations that hadn't been updated since 1935 would have made such a venture daunting even to a seasoned bourbon maker. It was a highly ambitious proposal that called for resourcefulness, attention to detail, tenacity, persuasiveness and patience. Plus he, would have to wait years before learning whether the first batch of bourbon aging in the barrels was even good. Many men dream big and never follow through, and a plan is only as good as the person executing it. Apparently Garrison had a good reputation, because Rob Cordes, one of his initial investors and a longtime friend, leaped at the idea. Asked why, Cordes said, "Because it was Dan Garrison." "He asked me, 'Do you want to see a business plan?' And I said, 'Nope,'" Cordes recalled. In 2005, the first legal whiskey distillery in Texas history was born:
“We didn't set out to make the
best bourbon in Texas, we set out to make the best bourbon ever
”
– ROB CORDES, Garrison Brothers Distillery
Garrison Brothers Distillery. Located in Hye, about 20 minutes east of Fredericksburg, the business has won national awards for its bourbon, gone from having nine employees to 40, and now operates 24/7 to produce whiskey for clients in 26 states and seven countries. "We didn't set out to make the best bourbon in Texas, we set out to make the best bourbon ever," Cordes said during a tour of the distillery in April. Located on a low hill surrounded by green fields, stunning wildflowers and scattered groves stretching the horizon, the distillery also hosts weddings, dinners and private parties. Unlike larger operations, the business offers clients the chance to come by, take samples from barrels, and bottle their own whiskey with personalized labels. The Garrison Brothers Distillery is a testament to human ingenuity. One building houses two, 500-gallon stills, a 5,000-gallon still, the business's original, 200-gallon, pot-bellied still, a boiler, and mammoth water chillers, all working in sync to produce white dog,
which is then put in unused, charred American white oak barrels and aged for two to four years. "We want as much sugar and oil as possible in there," Cordes said. The fact that about 13 percent of the distillate is lost annually through evaporation doesn't make Garrison flinch. In a recent interview with Whiskey Reviewer, he said these, "angel's share losses," just mean the caramelized sugar-to-whiskey ratio becomes more concentrated. "There's a reason Garrison Brothers is so dark, has no burn, and has such a long, gentle finish," Garrison said in the interview. In the cookhouse, Emma Kahn oversees the four-to-five-hour cooking process to enhance the sugar content of the corn, barley and wheat mash, followed by a days-long, four-stage fermentation process. The "sweet mash" yields a beer that's 14 percent alcohol. Unlike large, industrial operations, Garrison Distillers does not use "sour mash" — mash that's leftover from previous
fermentations; their ingredients are fresh each time. Their leftover mash is given to farmers as free cattle feed. Central Texas water and heat are
great allies to the bourbon-making process. The high amount of dissolved solids are nutritious for the yeast, and the heat contributes greatly to the quality of the bourbon as it ages in barrels. As Rex Williams of Austin-based Whiskey Marketing School pointed out, bourbons from cooler climates can be triple or quadruple the age of Garrison bourbon, "and you will not get half the intensity." "Basically, it cooks the bourbon in the barrels in the Texas heat, so you get barrel-heavy notes," Williams said during a Whiskey Vault video from last year. In the video, co-host Daniel Whittington sips the same Garrison Brothers 94-proof, single-barrel bourbon. "Everything that's happening in the nose and in the taste is happening at mach 10," Whittington said. The summer heat does make life a little harder for the workers in the still room as they labor near temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, and cart around heavy barrels. "In the summer you are dripping with sweat," said Russell Hartmann, who began at the distillery working in maintenance. Luckily for him, Garrison
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Brothers encourages the same values in its employees that made the business successful. "Every time I came through the building, I'd ask them questions about the stills, and finally, they said, 'Let's just teach you how to run the still.'" Hartmann said. Another employee began at Garrison
— including at the distillery's gift shop — and not being able to sell customers more than two bottles per person per 30 days from the shop. Garrison's no stranger to working with lawmakers and bureaucrats. After seeing a pothole-ridden trail in Austin one day, he wondered why the city wasn't fixing it. He called the city, was shown the insufficient budget, and worked to raise money, including If I cannot drink Bourbon an earmark with and smoke cigars in Heaven, the help of Senator Kate Bailey then I shall not go. Hutchinson. – MARK TWAIN Time will tell whether Garrison and Brothers after he rode up one day on other Texas distillers get their way. a motorcycle and refused to leave, so In the meantime, Garrison Brothers intent he was on being a part of the Distillery will continue trying to outdo operation. its competitors, even if it means using Not content to rest on his laurels, custom-made barrels that cost three Garrison wants to do what commercial times as much as traditional barrels, winemakers and beermakers do: and paying four times more for grain mail product directly to customers. than larger distilleries. Garrison could He's been working with the Texas definitely make cheaper bourbon — his Alcoholic Beverage Commission and averages $80 a bottle, compared to the state legislators to try to get distillery typical $35 — but that's something he laws updated. Additionally, distilleries and his investors are opposed to doing. aren't allowed to sell their products at "If we were just like everybody else, festivals, unlike breweries and wineries. I don't know that we would succeed," Other impediments include not Cordes said. "We have to be that being able to sell whiskey on Sundays gourmet brand."
“
”
Jennifer and Jacob Karre
Photo Credits: courtesy photos
BY JONATHAN TOYE
Initially, Jennifer and Jacob Karre didn’t have any grand intentions of entering the handmade soap business. It just sort of happened. During the last 10 years, soap-making has been one of Jennifer’s favorite hobbies. In that same span, Jacob always possessed an itch to start his own business. Mother and son decided to team up. They decided to name their new business, “Bear Creek Goods.” It began as a small-scale operation. They made their first sale to Pint and Plow in 2017. In less than two years, the mother-son venture evolved into one of the finest handmade soap businesses in the Hill Country. They have tripled their production. Five local stores now carry “Bear Creek Goods” stock. Jacob and Jennifer also sell their handmade soap and bath bombs on their website, www.bearcreekgoods.com, and have shipped their products to eight states, including Hawaii. Jennifer and Jacob, aren’t just interested in producing high-quality handmade soap. They also hope to create a brand. They want consumers to identify with their product; hoping it bolsters their self-confidence. "Our initial idea behind the brand was for modern-day adventurers and pioneers," Jacob said. “That can really extend to anyone because I think anyone can be fearless in whatever they do." "I really believe in what we do,”Jacob continued. "I am always striving to make sure we are making the best product we can and making sure everyone has a really good experience using the soap, or bath bombs or whatever products they are using. We want to make sure it’s great across the board.” Jacob and his mother form an ideal
NATURAL INSECT RELIEF
LAVENDER SOAP
CEDAR-LEATHER SOAP
LEMONGRASS SOAP
partnership. Both run the business while working other jobs. Jacob’s primary responsibility for Bear Creek Goods is finding different ways to market the products to new consumers. Jennifer primarily operates the manufacturing process, only using organic materials to make and color the soap. She collects and harvests rain water and uses it as the base. With sales continuing to increase, Jennifer has experimented with creating new types of soap. In July, Bear Creek Goods plans on launching a five-bar, Texas-themed soap. Naturally, operating a family business requires some work. Jacob admits there are days he comes home from his day job completely exhausted, only to discover that his mom needs help making soap. At the moment, they are producing 30 bars a night. “We are seeing an increase in sales, so we’ve really had to ramp up production,” Jennifer said. “It’s a good problem to have," added Jacob, laughing. They still to keep expanding the business, however. The hope is that the business becomes a full-time job, and within in two years they'll have their own store. And their biggest goal: They hope Bear Creek Goods’ brand continues to resonate with users. “We really want to grow and be one of the best Texas brands at making handmade stuff,” Jacob said. “There are a lot of really good brands out there for sure, but we want to be in those ranks and we want to be known nationally. We want to take this thing and turn it into an actual brand — something that really means something to people and connects with them.”
416 Main Street • Kerrville • 830-896-5688
Mouth Watering, Daily Specials Award Winning Wine List • Full Bar Homemade Delicious Desserts Lounge Open 4PM • Dining Room Open 5PM - ‘TIL • Mon.-Sat.
Serving Proudly Hill Country as the Tex r 41 years! fo
www.cowboysteakhouse.com 34
TEXAS HILL COUNTRY CULTURE
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JO ANNE ENGLISH LET JO ANNE MAKE YOU HER PRIORITY!
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DIN
N PE
12522 Ponder Ranch | $274,000
11770 FM 775 Floresville | $479,500
Summit Ridge | $550,000
Saltgrass Trail | $650,000
• Top 10 Sales Agent in Kerrville •
Texas REALTOR® GRI, ABR and EPro
The ShuTTer FacTory, Inc.
Call Christine today for the “the best experience in real estate”
830-955-0363
christine.durham@colonialrealestate.com 1005 Sidney Baker Suite A
InterIor ShutterS, BlIndS & ShadeS
2018 AND 2019 FINALIST www.era.com/ERA-Colonial-Real-Estate-1628c/Christine-Durham-201844a EQUAL OPPORTUNITY HOUSING
shutterfactoryinc.net 830-896-7110 or 1-800-308-9881 23+ years family owned and operated
1412 Broadway • Kerrville
FULL DESIGN SERVICES • Custom Cabinets • Custom Woodwork • Stair Systems • Wine Storage • Libraries • Custom Trim Work • Custom Furniture
830-955-5625 J O S H UA C A D E ,
420 JEFFERSON ST. KERRVILLE, TX 78028
CRAFTSMAN
www.joshuacadecraftsman.com
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TEXAS HILL COUNTRY CULTURE
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A TEXAS HILL COUNTRY TRADITION FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS
RESIDENTIAL
RECREATIONAL
RANCH
Whether you are buying or selling, let our experience work for you Harold Crocker 830-739-0911
Robbie Crocker 830-459-0616
Kyle Kleypas 830-459-3797
crockerrealestate.com 39
The House on the Hill
PARADISE FOUND. HAPPY PLACE. DREAM HOUSE ... YOU NAME IT Story By Nancy Foster - Photos by Parastoo Nikravesh
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YOUR HOME
Paradise found. Happy place. Dream house ... you name it, all these superlatives and more can be used to describe the beautiful ranch that Guy Allcorn and his charming wife Becky, have lived in since 2017. Guy and Becky, who have been married 25 years, have moved 21 times, built a dozen of their homes and currently share quarters with Rudy and Brady, their two lively Boston Terriers, in their hillside haven in northwest Kerrville. The Hill Guy and Becky had both grew up in Bellville and a passion for the hills led them to Kerrville. Their first strategy when building their new home was, as the saying goes, location, location, location, so when a 210-acre property just off Harper Road came on the market, they knew it was perfect. It was secluded yet accessible, and at the crest of the acreage they could look down over miles of Kerr County and up to glorious blue skies. They named it Mystic River Ranch and set about to build their dream place – hidden from view, behind gated fences, and incorporating the raw beauty of the landscape. They hauled in an RV, erected an air-conditioned barn complete with kitchen and bathroom, and Guy somehow sandwiched time from a demanding career to build their
stately manor. The House Guy is a modest, driven, and very talented man who never stops. The owner of a sign and graphics company in Katy, he travels there for part of most weeks. Locally he is known as an associate broker for Texas Ranch Sales LLC in Kerrville. As it turns out, his talent also expands to architectural design, because what he envisioned for his spacious, 6,000-squarefoot, 3-story, concrete-and-stone home became a reality. The build was a nine-month ordeal, but being on site had its advantages; the end product is decidedly breathtaking. A bold Tuscan interior is aesthetically pleasing and features a lowerlevel front foyer, indoor bar, theater and spacious common rooms that lead outside to 1,800 square feet of covered outdoor space and cushy settees and furnishings to provide a place to unwind. The main living area on the second level features an open deck with panoramic views. A few steps to the rear of the house is a spectacular infinity pool – it genuinely appears to float right off the side of the hill. The pool also sports a swim-up bar and dramatic fire bowls. Adjacent to the pool area is an outdoor kitchen equipped with a grill, fridge and griddle.
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YOUR HOME
“ There’s always another
dream house to build...” – GUY ALLCORN, Property Owner
Where the deer and the zebras play Getting around the ranch requires an ATV, and Guy graciously took us on a tour, winding up curvy paved roads and paths past 6 acres of highfenced deer pens. Somehow, he also finds time to be a licensed whitetail deer breeder, and over 70 deer are living the good life with proper feed, plenty of water and carefree lands to roam. Charismatic Becky has found a way to name most of them, including a few exotics (two zebras named Zorro and Lola) – and the deer come running when the ATV approaches and she calls out. Tons of wildlife live here, lured in part by the live water feed from Turtle Creek. Several fenced acres down by the pond adjacent to Harper Road are leased to the owner of a herd of longhorns. The Landmark If you travel along I-10 west near exit 508 (Harper Road) and glance up at the hill to the right – you’ll easily spot the Allcorn’s land. Guy erected two 40-foot flagpoles and mounted a Texas and a U.S. flag that can be seen from a mile or more away. “I just wanted to be patriotic,” he said. Shocking Revelation It’s evident that the DNA of a realtor courses through Guy’s veins, so it shouldn’t have come as a surprise – yet it did – when he mentioned rather casually, “It’s listed for sale.” “There’s always another dream house to build,” he said, and their next dream may be just around the corner, leaving his hilltop paradise to the care of the next owners.
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Energy efficient windows will reduce your summer cooling bill.
Offering a variety of product lines including vinyl, aluminum, fiberglass and wood. Retro-fit specialists and suppliers of windows and doors for new construction. Kerrville owned and operated by certified installers. Contact us for a free, no obligation, in-home consultation
KPUB customers eligible for rebate up to $500.
830-997-5302 517 South Adams Street • Fredericksburg, Texas • 830.997.5302 • www.hillcountrywindowsanddoors.com
Kerrville
Nobody sells more real estate than RE/MAX.* Stop by and let us show you why!
*As measured by residential transaction sides.
1835 Sidney Baker • Kerrville, TX 78028 • Office: 830-895-7771 500-C Main Street • Kerrville, TX 78028 • Office: 830-896-3200
www.Remax-Kerrville-Tx.com Each REMAX® real estate office is independently owned and operated.
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YOUR HOME
Herbs ... From Table to Table INDOOR HERB FARM AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Fresh herbs can transform the flavor of favorite recipes and add a fresh spark to one’s palate when used during cooking or as a garnish. People who may not have the space or the inclination to create an outdoor garden should know that many herbs can be grown successfully indoors. Small in size compared to outdoor gardens, indoor herb gardens can be grown on a windowsill. Indoor herb gardens also can be housed in decorative containers, serving double-duty as living centerpieces on kitchen or dining room tables. Start by finding a container that fits your decor. Punch holes in the bottom, if necessary, to allow for proper drainage. Line the bottom of the container with gravel or perlite to help with drainage, then top with potting soil. Position small herb plants and fill in with extra potting soil. Sage, thyme, dill, and rosemary are good starters, but any herbs will do. Add a top-dressing of peat moss to assist with water retention and help the plants thrive. Place the container in your desired location and enjoy the welcoming aromas and fresh herbs at your fingertips.
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TEXAS HILL COUNTRY CULTURE
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Ugly tub?
Don’t Replace – Resurface! Up to 70% less than replacement.
RANDY PURSWELL Realtor®
Looking to buy or SELL call PursWELL www.RandyPurswell.com Office:830.496.1041 Cell:713.817.9786
Make your existing BATHTUB • Also Clawfoot • Sinks Bath Tub • Chip Repair look BRAND-NEW with a • Ceramic Tile • Counter tops new, durable surface.
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804 Water Street • Kerrville, texaS 78028 LIVING
THE
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LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE CELEBRATING THE UNIQUE AND COLORFUL STYLE OF LIVING IN THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY
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Steven Paul Premier Properties 830-285-4738 Steven R. Paul
a publication of The Kerrville
Daily Times
“Manufactured Home Resale Specialist” Broker/Owner srpaul1234@yahoo.com 1012 Guadalupe st 1D Kerrville, Texas 78028
| GUARANTEED DELIVERY | BUDGET FRIENDLY PRICING
Call 830-896-7000 for advertising opportunities. Photo by Tom Holden
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SWEET & SAVORY
Key Lime Pie Serves 6 to 8. 1 sleeve graham crackers (9 large crackers) 1/3 cup sugar 5 tablespoons butter, melted
WITH GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
Ingredients
3 to 4 teaspoons finely grated zest (from 2 to 3 limes) 1/2 cup strained fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes) 1 (15-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 4 egg yolks (freeze whites for future use)
Preparation Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place graham crackers in a heavy-duty, sealable bag and crush with a rolling pin into crumbs that resemble sand, leaving some larger crumbs for texture. You’ll have about 1 1/2 cups. Pour into an 8-inch pie plate. Mix in sugar, then pour melted butter over all. With a fork, slowly blend the crumbs and butter until mixture is uniformly moistened. Press mixture firmly and evenly across bottom and up the sides of pan. Pressing with a small measuring cup helps pack the crust and makes a smooth, even surface. Bake crust for 20 minutes. While crust is baking, prepare the filling: Grate zest from
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limes, then halve and juice them. (Start with 2; you may not need the third.) In a medium bowl, whisk together zest, juice, yolks and sweetened condensed milk. The mixture will thicken as the milk reacts with acid citrus juice. Set aside. When the crust is done, remove from oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Place rack in center position. Pour filling into warm crust, then bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until filling is just firm. Cool on wire rack, then carefully cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Ingredients
4 to 5 hours. Serves 6 to 8. 2 racks (4 1/2 to 5 pounds each) spare ribs About 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt About 2/3 cup basic rib rub or similar unsalted rub Hickory hardwood chips
1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup Dijon mustard A generous cup Kentucky bourbon barbecue sauce, or similar barbecue sauce
Preparation Prepare the ribs: Peel the membrane from the back of each rack. Rinse the ribs under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Season the ribs with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt for each pound of ribs. Season with rub, about 2 tablespoons evenly over each rack. Refrigerate until ready to smoke, up to several hours. Meanwhile, prepare your smoker or grill to cook over low, indirect heat. Set a drip pan under the ribs, and fill with water. Before cooking, adjust the heat to maintain 250 degrees, and add hickory chips to start smoking. Prepare baste in a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, water and mustard. Place a rib rack over the drip pan and slide the ribs onto the racks. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain the ambient temperature (about 250 degrees). Replenish the chips as needed to keep smoking. Baste the ribs every 30 minutes to keep moist.
After about 1 1/2 hours, baste the ribs once more. Wrap the ribs tightly in foil and continue to cook over indirect heat (about 250 degrees) until the meat is just tender (a toothpick slid into the meat between the bones should penetrate easily, and the meat will crack as the rack is bent), 2 to 3 additional hours (time may vary depending on the size of the smoker and how well the heat is regulated). The ribs can also be finished in the oven: Place the basted ribs in a roasting pan tightly covered with foil and cook in a 250-degree oven until tender, 2 to 3 hours. Uncover the racks and coat them lightly with barbecue sauce. Place the ribs directly over the coals or a hot grill and cook until the sauce is aromatic and begins to darken, about 5 minutes. Watch the ribs to make sure the sauce does not burn.
Spare Ribs HICKORY-SMOKED
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UNCORKED
Garden Vineyard
FLOWERS AND WINE — BUT MOSTLY WINE Story and photos by John and Carol Aceti Sipping fine wine under the shade of giant oak trees leather sofas and a fireplace. Once owned by an opera singer, perfectly describes the park-like setting of Signor Vineyards the house was designed with great acoustics. We were warned on Texas 290 east of Fredericksburg. On the 163-acre never to tell secrets in the living room since the acoustics property, the grounds are laid out like one of nature’s gems. were so good that no secret would be safe. Owner Clay Signor is an entrepreneur and real estate Another house on the property, the Market, offers candles, developer from Austin with a background in horticulture. olive oils, wine-related gifts and food items. It opened in May Oenophiles are welcomed and has plans for bungalows, wine with rows of a brilliant production buildings and event rainbow of perennials. venues within the next two to five We were warned never to tell secrets in The Charles Vineyard the living room since the acoustics were so years. and the Joanna vineyard, Personable Will Coker, from good that no secret would be safe. named for Clay’s parents, Austin became the manager of the surround the outdoor Signor Vineyards tasting room patio. when it opened in March 2018. He had spent many years The wine-tasting room is in the what is known as the traveling the world as an auditor of clinical testing. It has “Great House,” which is a remodeled home built in 1993. It opened up a whole new way of life for him. boasts a tasting room and a comfortable living room with Wines offered here come with a special history
“
”
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TEXAS HILL COUNTRY CULTURE
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connecting Texas and southern Oregon. Eric Weisinger, the wine maker for Signor, lives and does his grape magic in the Rogue Valley in the shadow of the Siskiyou Mountains a few miles from the California border. The Signor family met the Weisinger family in the 1950s in Conroe, Texas where they dwelt as neighbors and friends. Now three generations of friendship later, Eric who honed his winemaking talents all over the world continues the relationship. Grapes produced on the Texas High Plains and on the property of Signor are cold trucked to Oregon. Grapes grown in Oregon are included in the final product. All wine production and bottling is done in Oregon and shipped back to Signor in Texas. There is live music on the weekends. A charcuterie board
Signature Wines from SIGNOR VINEYARDS
of meats, cheese, nuts and crackers is available. Picnic tables near the great house are often used by families and lawn games are available for children. Perdenales River and Grape Creek run through the property and many a couple have had a romantic stroll here. It is said that 25 marriage proposals have occurred on the premises. Will Coker mentions that serving tastings in the pleasant seated atmosphere outside on the patio has made Signor very popular. This beautiful property and great wine have created a unique atmosphere on the Texas Hill Country wine trail. A wine club delivers three releases annually of three, six or 12 bottles per shipment. Winemaker tasting notes, pairing ideas and recipes arrive with each shipment. The 750 members are invited for pick-up parties and shipping is available.
A red wine from 100 percent Texas High Plains grapes is the 2016 Cuvée. A blend of cabernet sauvignon and Tempranillo, it boasts of young tannins, sour cherry, dark fig and tobacco aromas. A light red dry wine with flavors of juniper, and aromas of soft leather, pepper and late tannins is 2016 Tempranillo which is 56 percent Texas and 44 percent Oregon grown. The most popular Oregon white — also an award winner in the 2018 San Francisco International Wine Competition is 2017 Pinot Gris. Close behind is 2016 Roussanne of 100 percent Texas — grown fruit with touches of honey, pineapple and lemon verbena oil. 49
1•2•3 Twist
Guys Gear
Tequila
Old Fashioned
for Father’s Day
+ receive
FREE
r gift wrap fo ay Father’s D purchases!
Ice Grapefruit swath 2 ounces Reposado tequila (narrow strip of peel) or 1/4 ounce Demerara syrup wedge, for garnish 2 dashes aromatic Bitters
Invisible Solutions for Dependable Hearing
Rum
1900 Junction Hwy • Kerrville 830.895.5800 kerrvilleranchand pet.com
Old Fashioned
In ice-filled mixing glass, stir tequila, Demerara syrup and aromatic bitters. Strain into ice-filled rocks glass. Squeeze grapefruit swath over glass and insert into drink.
1 Demerara sugar cube 4 dashes aromatic bitters 2 dashes orange bitters 1 splash soda water
Ice 2 ounces rum Orange peel, for garnish
Call and schedule an appointment to determine if Lyric or other hearing device options are right for you.
703 Hill Country Dr., Ste.102 Kerrville (830) 792-4060
www.hillcountryaudiology.com
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TEXAS HILL COUNTRY CULTURE
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MS058054
Old Fashioned
Wisconsin-Style
• 100% invisible • 24/7 Hearing • Clear, natural sound • No Batteries to Change
510 S. Adams Street Fredericksburg (830) 997-5006
Brandy
Place sugar cube in rocks glass. Wet cube with aromatic bitters, orange bitters and soda water. Using muddler, crush sugar cube. Add ice, pour in rum and stir. Garnish by squeezing orange peel over glass.
3 ounces, plus 1 splash, lemon-lime soda 1 Demerara sugar cube 5 dashes aromatic bitters, divided 3 maraschino cherries
1 orange slice, plus peel, for garnish Ice 2 ounces brandy 1 dash orange bitters Skewered maraschino cherry, for garnish
In rocks glass, muddle splash of lemon-lime soda, sugar cube, 2 dashes Aromatic Bitters, cherries and orange slice. Add ice and brandy then fill with remaining lemon-lime soda. Add remaining aromatic bitters and orange bitters. Garnish with skewered cherry and orange peel.
Fashioned
Twist
WITH A
Old
Cocktail trends may come and go, but one staple remains a fixture on drink menus two centuries after its invention — the Old Fashioned. There are many competing stories about the origins of the “first” true cocktail recipe, but nearly all agree that the modernday cocktail was first mixed in the early 1800s, and the recipe was generally the same Old Fashioned recipe still mixed in bars around the world today: liquor, sugar, water and bitters. Bourbon is traditionally the spirit of choice for an Old Fashioned, but contemporary versions may substitute virtually any type of liquor, from rye whiskey, to tequila to rum. Yesteryear’s sugar cube, served as a lump doused with bitters, has given way to simple syrup, which mixes more easily when served. A twist of citrus zest or a dark cherry are common garnishes in today’s Old Fashioned renditions.
No matter what spirit or style you prefer, there’s one constant that’s crucial to any drink bearing the Old Fashioned name: bitters. Dr. Johann Siegert, the bitters’ inventor, created the elixir in 19th-century Venezuela while serving as a doctor to soldiers in Simon Bolivar’s army. By 1824, he perfected the formula for “amargo aromatico,” which he initially used to help alleviate the stomach issues of ailing soldiers. By the mid-1800s, cocktails were steadily gaining favor, and nearly all the early recipes called for bitters. Siegert’s sons seized the opportunity and astutely developed a following for their formula among cocktail lovers. Today, aromatic bitters are a classic and versatile ingredient in bars and kitchens for their ability to balance a range of cocktails. Bitters provide layers of flavor and complexity through a combination of aromatic herbs, bark, roots and other botanicals.
Classic Bourbon Old Fashioned 2 ounces bourbon 1/4 ounce Demerara syrup 2 dashes aromatic bitters 1 dash orange bitters
1 splash water Ice Long orange peel, for garnish
In rocks glass, stir bourbon, Demerara syrup, water, aromatic bitters and orange bitters with ice to incorporate ingredients. Add ice to fill glass to top. Garnish with orange peel.
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Creating Smiles...
IN THE HILL COUNTRY
Acne · Eczema · Hair Loss Rashes • Mole Examination Psoriasis · Rosacea · Warts Skin Cancer (evaluation & treatment)
Photo Dynamic Therapy Facial Rejuvenation
(Botox, Fillers, Kybella)
Spider Vein Treatment Chemical Peel
Free Consultation on Wisdom teeth
School is out and wisdom teeth are in. Bring this ad in to receive a FREE consultation on having your wisdom tooth removed at Advanced Oral Surgery of Kerrville. This offer ends August 31, 2019 Dental Implants • Wisdom Teeth • General Oral Surgery • IV Sedation
Advanced Oral Surgery of Kerrville
715 Hill Country Dr #6 • oralsurgerytx.com • (830) 896-0056
Accepting
Matthew C. Lambiase, DO, FAAD
Board Certified: American Board of Dermatology
Fellow, American Academy of Dermatology
Diplomate, American Board of Dermatology
CareCredit
Accepting new patients and all insurance, including Medicare and Tricare. Same day appointments.
712 Hill Country Drive, Suite 100 Kerrville • 830-890-5181
Total Image Salon
400 Quinlan Street • Kerrville • 896-6322
Our Team of Specialized Technicians and Master Stylists will meet your every need. Open Monday - Friday • Specializing in custom color and cuts for men and women • Kerrville’s Only Redken Specialist • 25% off on products with color service • Therapeutic massage Lillian DeLeon 459-8106
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TEXAS HILL COUNTRY CULTURE
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Seeking experienced and established Hair Stylist to join our team. (Signing Incentives)
Changing habitual behaviors Habits are learned behaviors which develop over time. Often your conscious mind believes it is under control until one day you try to resist a habitual behavior such as smoking and realize that you cannot help but do it. During hypnosis we can communicate directly with your subconscious mind to make a change in these behaviors. The little voice which is usually saying “do it, just a little won’t hurt” quiets down. Through hypnosis, you can begin to use the same strength of mind that has kept you doing something, to keep you FROM doing it. As we work together, you develop the ability to change your behavior. Visit our Web site and see the many habits that can be changed through hypnosis.
104 Homestead Dr. • Kerrville, TX • 830-792-1138
sheehanearlyhypnosis.com
OUT AND ABOUT
Hill Country Charity Ball Hill Country Charity Ball Association hosted their 33rd annual Hill Country Charity Ball on April 27th at the Hill Country Youth Event Center. Proceeds from the event went to support Habitat for Humanity Kerr County. Photos by William Houghton
1
2
3
4
5
1) Shasha McCracken, MG Koenig and Walt Koenig 2) Caren Harris and Jennifer Gonzales 3) Eric Summers, Travis Moebes, Rankin Starkey, Gabe Tognietti 4) Scott and Karen Barkley 5) Amber Carpenter, Jaylynn Perkins, Allison Bueche and Caitlin Probandt
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We’re invested in your health. EXPANDED ENDOCRINOLOGY CARE IN KERRVILLE. Peterson Health is highly invested in the health of our region. That’s why we continue to offer the best care available — which includes specialist Dr. Toni Terry, board-certified endocrinologist, now offering comprehensive endocrinology services right here in Kerrville. From diabetes and thyroid conditions to hormone disorders and obesity, Dr. Toni Terry treats a variety of conditions to help keep our community healthy — while keeping you right where you want to be. Right here at home. Toni L. Terry, MD Endocrinologist
Conditions treated: • Diabetes
• Obesity
• Thyroid Disorders
• Parathyroid Disorders
• Thyroid Cancer
• Osteoporosis
• Pituitary Disorders
• Male and Female Hormone Disorders
• Adrenal Disorders
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 830-258-6251 or visit PetersonHealth.com/endocrinology.
American Board of Internal Medicine Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
EVENTS
June Hill Country Events! JUNE 1 KERR COUNTY MARKET DAYS & HILL COUNTRY SWAP MEET JUNE 1-JUNE 6 48TH ANNUAL KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL TH-SU, Times vary, 18 days and nights featuring songwriters of national and international acclaim. The festival has activities for all ages with a focus on nurturing and developing artistic expression in a loving, family-friendly environment. Quiet Valley Ranch, 3876 Medina Hwy. 830-257-3600. www.kerrvillefolkfestival.org
JUNE 1-JUNE 29 AMERICAN PLAINS ARTISTS SIGNATURE SHOW TU-SA, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Museum of Western Art, 1550 Bandera Hwy. 830-896-2553. www.museumofwesternart.com
SA, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Market Days continues to feature artists and crafters bringing their own original handcrafted jewelry, fiber, wood, metal, soaps, lotions and more. Hill Country Swap Meet is a community garage sale and flea market with all types of merchandise. Concessions available, indoors, free parking and pet friendly. Kerr County Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 Hwy. 27. 830-459-6198. www.kerrmarketdays.org
JUNE 1-JUNE 14 60 YEARS STRONG ART EXHIBIT TU-F, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m., SA, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Celebrating artists from the past 60 years of HCAF history. Hill Country Arts Foundation, 120 Point Theatre Rd., Ingram. 830-367-5121. www.hcaf.com
JUNE 1 MOVIES UNDER THE STARS AT THE LBJ RANCH “SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF” www.nps.gov/lyjo
JUNE 1 15TH ANNUAL FREDERICKSBURG MASONIC OPEN CAR SHOW
JUNE 2 PAINTING WITH PIZAZZ SU, 2 - 4 p.m. Create a personalized, one-of-a-kind wine glass to treasure and keep. Enjoy a glass of wine, chocolate treats, and lots of fun while creating your personal masterpiece. Kerrville Hills Winery, 3600 Fredericksburg Rd. 830-895-4233. www.kerrvillehillswinery.com
www.fredericksburgmasons. com/carshow.html
JUNE 1-JULY 6 SOUTHWEST GOURD FINE ART SHOW
TU-SA, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The nation’s finest gourd artists compete in a variety of categories. Kerr Arts & Cultural Center, 228 Earl Garrett St. 830-895-2911. www.kacckerrville.com
JUNE 3-8 81ST ANNUAL HILL COUNTRY COWBOY CAMP MEETING SU-SA, Times vary. Nondenominational worship services, bible study, music & potluck suppers. 140 Cowboy Camp Rd., Mt. Home. 800-603-0157. www.cowboycampmeeting.net
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EVENTS JUNE 7 FIRST FRIDAY WINE SHARE
F, 4 - 7 p.m. The Kerrville Farmers Market is a producersonly market offering a variety of locally sourced produce, meat, eggs, bread, cheese, beer, wine and more. AC Schreiner House, 529 Water St. www.kerrvillefarmersmarket.com
Gold-Diamonds-Silver
Celebrating 49 years Downtown
Baublit’s
Jewelry & Watch Repairs
Vintage & Antique Watches
F, 6 - 7:30 p.m. A fun way to meet new or different wines, people and places. Please bring no more than one bottle of wine per every two people. Singles may feel free to bring a bottle every other month. Bring your own wine glass. This could be a conversation starter in itself. Different location each month. 830-896-6600 Stephen. www.firstfridaywineshare.com
JUNE 7, 14, 21, 28 KERRVILLE FARMERS MARKET - DOWNTOWN
Jewelers
719 Water St.• 830-257-8317
830-792-0808 204 Cully Drive Kerrville
Find Us on Facebook 56 TEXAS HILL COUNTRY CULTURE
I JUNE 2019
JUNE 7 FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK FREDERICKSBURG www.facebook. com/First-Friday-ArtWalk-Fredericksburg -401466143219898/
JUNE 8 SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK – “THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR” SA, 8 p.m. Admission is FREE and open to the public. Bring your picnic blanket and lawn chairs. Louise Hays Park (weather permitting), 202 Thompson Dr. 830-896-9393. www.playhouse2000.com
JUNE 7-8 THOMAS MICHAEL RILEY MUSIC FEST
JUNE 8 BOERNE MARKET DAYS
in Luckenbach Texas www.luckenbachtexas.com
SA, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Main Plaza comes alive with great shopping in an outdoor setting.
JUNE 7 FIRST FRIDAY WINE SHARE & SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK “THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR” F, 6 - 7:30 p.m./8 p.m. Special 2 events in one. A fun way to meet new or different wines, people and places of business or art. One bottle of wine per every two people. Bring your own wine glass. Bring a chair, blanket and/or food and stay for the Shakespeare in the Park “The Merry Wives of Windsor”. Louise Hays Park, 202 Thompson Dr. 830-896-6600 Stephen. www.firstfridaywineshare.com
JUNE 8 NATIONAL GET OUTDOORS DAY SA, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Annual FREE event meant to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun. “GO Day” offers opportunities for families to experience traditional and non-traditional outdoor fun at the park. So, come out and enjoy bubble soccer, some yoga, a snow cone, and some nature walks with the Parks and Recreation Dept. Louise Hays Park, 202 Thompson Dr. 830-257-7300. www.kerrvilletx.gov
JUNE 8 SUMMER BBQ AT 4.0 CELLARS www.fourpointwine.com
EVENTS JUNE 14-30 WOMEN IN JEOPARDY!” F-SA, 7:30 p.m., SU 6/23 & 6/30 2:30 p.m. A modern Comedy by Wendy MacLeod. A somewhat “edgy” comedy that puts women front and center to solve a murder mystery, the show offers lots of laughs for adventurous audiences. Playhouse 2000 VK Garage Theater, 305 Washington St. 830-896-9393. www.playhouse2000.com
JUNE 14-15 HANK WILLIAMS AND PATSY CLINE TRIBUTE SHOW Rockbox Theater www.rockboxtheater.com
JUNE 15 KERRVILLE SKATEBOARD COMPETITION SA, 10 a.m. Entrants have 3 minutes to perform their best skating skills. Helmets required. Singing Wind Park, 2112-2116 Singing Wind Dr. 830-257-7300. www.kerrvilletx.gov
JUNE 20-22 58TH ANNUAL STONEWALL PEACH JAMBOREE AND RODEO
JUNE 22 CONCERT IN THE CAVE- SUMMER SOLSTICE SA, 7:30 p.m. Enjoy an eclectic mixture of uplifting, contemporary acoustic songs, ancient instrumentation, improvisation, and contemplation celebrating the Summer Solstice
JUNE 29 FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL Luckenbach Texas www.luckenbachtexas.com
Previous Preapproval # 8089
www.stonewalltexas.com Thank you, Kerrville, for voting us the Best Heating/Air Conditioning Company
Serving the Hill Country’s A/C Needs for
30 +
Years
1986
JUNE 14-16 FREDERICKSBURG TRADE DAYS www.fbgtradedays.com
JUNE 22 3RD ANNUAL CODY’S MEMORIAL CAR SHOW JUNE 14-30 FREDERICKSBURG THEATER COMPANY PRESENTS “THE SOUND OF MUSIC” (WEEKENDS) www.fredericksburgtheater.org
SA, 8 a.m. Car show, BBQ lunch plates, silent auction, door prizes, kids’ zone, music and much more. Kerr County Hill Country Youth Event Center, 3785 Hwy 27. 830-459-2639
2016
KERRVILLE’S TRUSTED LEADER IN AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE HEATING & COOLING SERVICES
830-257-4303
93 Coronado DR Ste 7 Kerrville, TX 78028 www.coolingkerrville.com TACL000165C
57
Chop House Dining in The Trophy Room Special limited menu event Only available for the first 24 people
Comanche Trace Restaurant Home Delivery Service Tuesday - Friday 5 PM - 8 PM
-Club Members OnlyReservations Required
Community Delivery - Club Members OnlyDelivery Service Fee - $5.00
Call (830) 895-8500 ext. 237 to reserve your seat
Call (830) 895-8500 ext. 249 to order now
Comanche Trace Membership has something for everyone! Golf
Club
Fitness
• Championship 27 hole Golf Course • Tiffsport Bermuda Tee Boxes & Fairways • Bentgrass Greens • 1,100 sq. ft. Golf Pro Shop • 15 acre Practice & Teaching Facility with Chipping & Putting areas • Annual MGA, LGA, and Lady 9’ers golf events & tournaments • Texas Hill Country Couple’s Invitational Golf Tournament • Numerous & diversified Men’s & Ladies’ Golf Groups
• Monthly “Member Mixer” • Mah Jongg Club • Bridge Club • Book Club • Texas 42 Dominos Club • Kid Comanche Summer Camps • Family Movie Nights • Uncorked Wine Dinners • Untapped Brew Club • Quarterly Trivia, Bingo, & Karaoke Nights • Additional fun-filled Member and Family Events, including Special Holiday Buffets, Chop House Dinners, Food Delivery, & more!
• Tennis & Pickleball Courts • Swimming pool & hot tub • Fitness Center with weights & cardio machines • 4+ miles of crushed granite walking trails • 8 acre private river park • Stocked Catch & Release fishing lake • Yoga, Feldenkrais, and Pilates
Gena Teer, Membership Director - gteer@comanchetrace.com | (830) 895-8500 ext. 224 Trent Schiek, Clubhouse Manager - tschiek@comanchetrace.com | (830) 895-8500 ext. 237 3074 Bandera Highway, Kerrville, Texas 78028 • (830) 895-8500 • info@comanchetrace.com • www.ComancheTrace.com