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CONTENTS Spring 2017 6
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
8
LIVING TEXAS
26
STYLE
32
ROUGHING IT
36
HABITAT
42
PROFILE
48
FEATURE
Meet the Contributors
Austin 8 Dallas 12 Fort Worth 14 Houston 15 San Antonio 18 Glen Rose 20 Washington 24 El Paso 25
52
Wild About (Not) Matching. Roar this spring with creatively mismatched looks that work Go Wild, Swinging Across Texas 32 Crane Watching 34 A Slob Comes Clean 36 Camille Styles’ Entertaining Tips 38 Greening Up 40 Aaron Watson The State of Austin Music
SIP & SAVOR
Lockhart's Growing Family 52 Jazz SA 53
54
JET SETTER
60 62
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS
ROAD TRIP
Sage Hill Inn & Spa
64
REVIEWS
68 70
WEB EXTRAS
42
St. Croix’s Buccaneer Resort Spring Skiing in Keystone
26 Photo by Becky Fluke
Tacos of Texas 64 En Plein Air Artist Laurel Daniel 66
A BETTER TEXAN
Huston-Tillotson’s Colette Pierce Burnette 70 Western Wear Designer Pat Dahnke 71
On the cover: Franklin Mountains State Park, El Paso. Photo by E. Dan Klepper
texaslifestylemagazine.com
54
62
From the
Editors Desk
With spring in the air, we’re wild about all that Texas has to offer. From the safari tours of Fossil Rim—an easy outing from the Metroplex—to San Antonio’s Fiesta, some of the best partying in all of Texas, our wild writers have again served up a must-read issue. And, if you’re itching to get out of state, our travel team has two choices for you: tropical St. Croix’s enticing Buccaneer Resort or Keystone’s thrilling slopes for spring break. Time to get wild!.
Julie Tereshchuk EDITOR-IN-CHIEF julie@texaslifestylemag.com
T E X AS L
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PUBLISHERS Shawn K. Lively and Doug Flatt EDI TOR I A L T E A M Julie Tereshchuk TRAVEL EDITOR Marika Flatt DESIGNER Daniel Ramirez CREATIVE DIRECTOR Joshua Banks STYLE EDITOR Edith Henry EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Paxton Kelly ONLINE EDITOR Nick Bailey CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Barbee, Nancy Miller Barton, Beau Beasley, Julie Bonnin, Sarah Bradley, Autumn Rhea Carpenter, Barbara Van Cleve, Chuck Cooper, Cindy Debold, Leeza Dennis, Sarah Doliver, Melissa Gaskill, Kelsey James, E. Dan Klepper, Eric Moreno, Adam Moroz, Cris Mueller, Bill Orcutt, Sofia Puente, Britni Rachal, Robert A. Rodriguez, Mikayla Rogers, Gabi De la Rosa, Lydia Saldaña, Terri Schexnayder, E.A. Shumate, Jude R. Smith, Marco Torres, Colin Woods EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ART & PRODUCTION Sundaram Design
WEB DESIGN
Nancy Miller Barton rarely meets a person she
doesn’t want to talk to. Barista or serial killer (okay, that was from the old days in TV news), everyone has a story to tell. Since it’s spring in Texas, check her out in the middle of Austin’s Lady Bird Lake, balancing atop a paddleboard.
SALES & MARKETING Shawn K. Lively and Sharon Owens ADVERTISING, JOBS & INTERNSHIPS INFO@TEXASLIFESTYLEMAG.COM
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Emily Megan Photography
Albert Suarez Photography
SUBSCRIPTIONS@TEXASLIFESTYLEMAG.COM
Easily tempted by a full plate of food,
Cris Mueller's striking up conversations with
kitchen and bar talent across the country. Tasting her way across Texas and captivated by the edible landscapes provided through her travels, this wild nomad has made Austin home … for now.
Autumn Rhea Carpenter sees the world through
a whimsical filter that transforms her everyday experiences into legendary tales. A Houstonarea resident via Austin, her springtime plans include exploring the wildly creative Art Car parade, the very Texan Houston Rodeo and the colorful Hermann Park Kite Festival.
Terri Schexnayder discovered her voice by writing
and producing neighborhood plays, while growing up with nine siblings in Houston. After graduating from St. Edward’s University with a B.A. in English Literature, she launched her freelance writing business. Terri is wild about teaching adults and children the beauty of creative writing.
6 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR EDITOR@TEXASLIFESTYLEMAG.COM
Did you just grab the last copy of TLM? LET US KNOW! INFO@TEXASLIFESTYLEMAG.COM
Texas Lifestyle Magazine is Texas-owned and operated, published by TL Publishing, LLC ©
TEXAS CELEBRATION INDEPENDENCE DAY
MAR 4 MAR 5
10AM – 5PM
FREE
ADMISSION PARKING
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LIVING TEXAS | AUSTIN
The 2016 Black Fret grant recipients, Magna Carda.
Magna
elivering familiar '90s hiphop beats with a reinvented vibe, the rise of Magna Carda is a welcome and diverse addition to Austin's rhythmic landscape. In 2016, the artists found their way to the top of the local hip-hop scene and now have a hand in shaping the evolving scene in Texas’ music city. Megz Kelli, one half of the production team and voice of the band, lures you in with her mysterious lyrical combinations. With a range from poetic rap to melodic banter, she and co-producer Dougie Do are being compared to the likes of The Roots. As well as being involved with production, Do keeps his eyes and hands on the digital board. On many of their cuts, Dougie bids for sounds of the city with his keyboard, and his own bass-heavy vocals. Additionally, Magna Carda invites other local musicians
8 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
Cutting Open Austin’s Hip-Hop Scene
By Lucy Torres
into their harmonic designs to further stretch their music genre. Still baby-faced, the Magna Carda duo began their journey in 2012 and have since added members to their band. Now performing alongside Do and Kelli are guitarist Eric "The Greek" Nikolaides, bassist Derek Van Wagner, and drummer Michael "Brotha Mike" Gonzales. The lineup's instrumental and vocal collaborations ignite sounds evocative of 1920’s jazz rooms, and echoes of DJ duos from the 90’s, with a little electronic bustin’ out every now and then. Don't try too hard to cast a net of categorization over these artists though, as they're specializing in cutting right through conventional wisdom and boundaries. Magna Carda takes the stage with creative and poignant musical conversations about culture, lifestyle, news
of past and present, and any other verbiage they feel like touching the mic with. Playing witness to the unfolding of their versatile talents is a beautiful thing. Adding accolades to their career highlights, Magna Carda spent 2016 working to receive a musical grant awarded by Black Fret, Austin’s answer to financial and creative support for artists who are on the path to larger, long-term goals. Along with 19 other local musical acts, Magna Carda received opportunities to work with industry mentors, collaborate with and work alongside other Black Fret grant nominees, and generally tap into a network that will more quickly launch this band to deserved nationwide fame.
MAGNACARDAMUSIC.COM
Photo by Hakeem Adewumi
D
Carda
LIVING TEXAS | AUSTIN
Owners Jimi and Vivian Ballard have embraced the history of The Fairview while putting their elegant 21st century spin on the overnight venue.
The Bed & Breakfast Revamped Modernized Travel with Old-Fashioned Comfort
Within the walls of The Fairview, portions of the original structure still sit quietly beneath planks of flooring or a coat of paint. Jimi and Vivian Ballard have embraced the integrity of the home and its place in Austin history, then elegantly put their personal spin on the overnight venue. These 21st century innkeepers have embraced contemporary standards by adopting guest amenities like an all-day caffeine bar, modern dining options including a small-portion, continental-style breakfast, and “the fastest internet in any
By Cris Mueller
B&B, ever,� according to Jimi, a technology pioneer in his former career. Guest rooms at The Fairview range in square footage from standard to apartment-sized and are styled with a minimalistic aesthetic. The spacious rooms include modern flooring, large beds, and welcome updates with electronics and devices in mind to accommodate both vacationing guests and business travelers. Additional privacy is afforded with a private shower and bathroom for each room. In each room, you will see the Texas touch, including woodwork from Mockingbird Domestics and hair products from Dear Clark. In the kitchen, you will find farm fresh cream, eggs, and other local goods, and even herbs from the onsite organic garden. Be sure to look to your innkeepers for tips on local experiences, and their knowledge of the charming property.
SXSW &
Beyond
The tree-hugged streets of Travis Heights are home to The Fairview and an ideal place to escape the bustle of SXSW. Located only four blocks from SoCo, you can easily commute to and from interactive panels, a film screening or a music showcase. Book space for your entire group, or just a solo getaway at the cozy B&B. Bring the entire family to this gem. Invite your four-legged friends to slumber alongside you and the resident canine, Lucky. Join the Lucky Dog Club and receive a special doggy goodie bag with treats, plus a daily supply of doggy doo bags.
1304 NEWNING | AUSTIN FAIRVIEWAUSTIN.COM
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 9
Photography courtesy The Fairview Austin
B
ordering the trendy sidewalks of South Congress Avenue sits a historical spectacle of comfort, offering guests an updated look at the standard bed and breakfast. The Fairview Austin, a boutiquefashioned overnight experience is reminiscent of B&Bs of old, with modern offerings that suit savvy travelers and locals alike. Sitting on over one acre, The Fairview introduces visitors to rooted Texas traditions: a billowing Texas flag, street-front colonial pillars, and screened porches leading to the spacious interior of the home originally built in 1910.
and
Trail Blazing LIVING TEXAS | AUSTIN
Healthy at the Heart of Austin
By Nancy Miller Barton
A
t the western Johnson Creek trailhead of Austin’s Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake, there is a lovely, yet little noticed, rainwater garden. On any given day, you may see black swallowtail butterflies flutter amidst purple Salvia leucantha or other native plants. And all this wild nature despite traffic flying by overhead on the MoPac Expressway. All around the peaceful garden, runners, walkers, talkers, bikers and strollers hustle or meander by. Some runners stop to perch on rock walls doing impressive planks. A day in the healthy heartbeat of Austin. Longtime Austinites, or focused trail users, likely don’t even realize the trail has an official name, simply calling it “the hike and bike.”
Photo by Sarah Doliver
Explore the new boardwalk on the east side of the south shore, one of many welcome addition to the Austin's downtown Hike-and-Bike Trail.
10 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
The now 10-mile loop circles Austin’s downtown Lady Bird Lake. You can start, for example, under MoPac on the west side, cruise under I-35, explore the new boardwalk on the east side south shore, and circle all the way back around. And you won't be alone. The Trail Foundation — the nonprofit steward of the trail — estimates there are about 1.5 million visits to the trail annually. That’s some 30,000 pairs of sneakers laced up daily to crunch along the crushed granite path. While some of the trail visitors come from Austin's booming downtown population, the average user travels 6.75 miles to get to the trail, according to The Trail Foundation. People come from all over to exercise or soak up fresh air and shade. We queried a few runners, to see what brought them to the trail. Austinite Carol Barnes has been called to the trail at least once a week for the past 20 years and says, “I wish I could think of something better to say—I just love it!” Lauryn Ray and Yannin Carrasco were heading off to run when we spoke. Mid-week, mid-morning, they marveled at how many people were around. “It’s always been busy, but is a lot busier now,” says Ray, who has visited the trail for years as a native Austinite. Running buddy Carrasco moved to the capital city from Dallas and says of the scenery, “Why wouldn’t I want to come here?” All three agree they enjoy seeing others along the trail.
The trail offers many tranquil points to enjoy the natural beauty at the heart of Austin."
“People like to be alone, but together,“ says Susan Plettman Rankin a longtime runner, dating back to when the area was simply dubbed "Town Lake." Plettman Rankin has a unique perspective, as she is also the former longtime Executive Director of The Trail Foundation. The Foundation’s mission, as so charmingly described on their website, is to work to protect and improve an “urban path that meanders along the water’s edge and passes by skyscrapers, neighborhoods, ballfields and cultural attractions.”
As for that rainwater garden mentioned earlier, there’s more to it than natural beauty. It’s a picturesque example of the improvements, through partnerships, that have been quietly happening along the trail. Next to the plantings is a granite and wire structure that now absorbs and filters rainwater. Plettman Rankin says, when MoPac was built, the rainwater along with oil, dirt and grease, would wash off into the lake. A quiet example the butterflies, salvia and runners may not notice but which is blazing a trail to better health.
The Foundation is all about health, wellness and community as it works in partnership with the city to enhance the trail, adding and maintaining restrooms and gathering spaces, while protecting the area’s ecological health. Much of the trail is designated park space. One example of the Foundation’s work is the circular area along the Pfluger Bridge. “It was Bermuda grass and dog poop,” says Plettman Rankin. “Now it’s a gathering area with native grasses and butterflies.” Future projects include a footbridge improvement at Congress Avenue.
THETRAILFOUNDATION.ORG
There are those who prefer a different view of the trail — a water view. There are about seven stand-up paddle board (SUP) and kayak rental spots, a change from years past where few other than University of Texas rowers were spotted on the water. Perched atop a paddleboard, you skim the water. Look closely and you might spy turtles swimming and sunning.
GET
I N V O LV E D The Trail Foundation can always use volunteers to help maintain trails and gardens. Like many urban parks, improvement and maintenance are a public/private partnership. There may not be much glamour in weeding, but what a great way to give back! You can volunteer as an individual, or part of an organization.
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 11
Photo by Sarah Doliver
The Pfluger Circle is one of several bridge points joining the north and south shores of the 10-mile trail loop
Photo courtesy The Trail Foundation
LIVING TEXAS | AUSTIN
LIVING TEXAS | DALLAS
Texas women love their fly fishing. Free women-only casting classes are among the many scheduled activities at March's inaugural Texas Fly Fishing & Brew Festival in Plano.
Fishing
for Family Fun
B
eer. Music. Football. Fly fishing?
That’s not usually what comes to mind when thinking about the Lone Star State, so what better way to bring more attention to the sport than to combine some of those long-time favorites with new education about the (not as popular) angler activity? Plus, there's the headlining star power of one of fishing's biggest celebrities.
12 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
“Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus together are not as famous in golf as Lefty Kreh is in fly fishing,” says Beau Beasley, the creator of March's inaugural Texas Fly Fishing & Brew Festival in Plano. “If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to fly fish but didn’t know where to start, this is your chance.” But, be warned. "It can be addictive. As we say in the fly fishing community, the tug is the drug,” adds Beasley, author and field
By Terri Schexnayder
editor for a multitude of fly fishing books and magazines. After managing the Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival for 17 years, he says the sport is long overdue for a largerthan-life event in a state where “things are always bigger.” “There is an enormous base of Texas anglers, who know where all the great places around the state are to fly fish,” says Beasley. There's a common misconception with non-fishing folks,
Photo by Beau Beasley
International angler events celebrate the great outdoors
LIVING TEXAS | DALLAS/HOUSTON
Houston Reels It In The GEICO Bassmaster Classic March 24-26 BASSMASTER.COM
The international championship of bass fishing comes to Houston's Lake Conroe this spring for the first time in the event’s 47-year history. “The Classic definitely carries the moniker of ‘Super Bowl of Fishing,’” says Chris Massey, director of events for Harris County-Houston Sports Authority. During the three-day multi-venue event, 52 of the world’s best bass anglers will weigh their catches at Minute Maid Park. And it's not just about sport. “The Bassmaster Classic offers a unique opportunity to raise public awareness of conservation issues that affect aquatic resources and fisheries in Texas and around the country,” says Gene Gilliland, B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society) conservation director. “The Classic helps inform attendees about serious threats to fishing from habitat loss, water supply mismanagement, invasive species and loss of public fishing access.”
Celebrities To Watch RICK CLUNN Hometown: La Porte Stats: Four-time Classic Champion, who has qualified for 33 Classics. Now age 70, Clunn was a bass guide on Lake Conroe early in his 42-year professional fishing career.
explains Beasley, that fly fishing is limited to freshwater (essentially, rivers and lakes) and to trout. Not so, he says. "Actually, you can take up the sport in fresh or salt water.” At Plano's two-day festival, featuring lectures and classes on techniques and tactics for novices through advanced casters, there will also be activities for children, including the chance for Boy Scouts to earn their fly fishing merit badges. Free women-only casting classes, one-on-one instruction in basic knot-tying skills, and a kayak pond demo are among the many other scheduled activities. A host of national fly fishing manufacturers, outfitters and guides will participate, some from as far away as Russia and Alaska. Plus, Texas microbreweries will be on hand with classes and tastings to toast the busy weekend.
“Contrary to popular belief, fly fishing is easy, affordable and fun. I like to say that fly fishing is to traditional fishing what archery is to traditional hunting. Not any better, just different,” says Beasley. “But, it’s a sport where you really need someone to show you how to do it.” Ron Foster of Dallas-based Tailwaters Fly Fishing Company, one of the largest retailers in the Southwest, notes the robust economy in North Texas is making for a boom in business. “The folks who come into our store travel all over the world to fly fish. But, you can also stay right here in Texas and cast for warm water species or fly fish in local creeks,” says Foster.. TEXAS FLY FISHING & BREW FESTIVAL MARCH 11-12 2000 E. SPRING CREEK PKWY | PLANO TXFLYFISHINGFESTIVAL.ORG
KEITH COMBS Hometown: Huntington Stats: Finished second in the 2016 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race. TODD FAIRCLOTH Hometown: Jasper Stats: A touring professional angler since 1999, Faircloth has won five B.A.S.S. events, earning more than $2 million.
Family Fun Lakeview Marina on Lake Conroe: Watch the takeoffs from Waterpoint Shopping Center. Minute Maid Park (home of the Astros): Cheer your favorite angler at the daily weigh-in. George R. Brown Convention Center: The country's largest exhibit of the latest in bass fishing equipment and outdoor gear.
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 13
Photo courtesy Texas Fly Fishing & Brew Festival
At Plano’s Texas Fly Fishing & Brew Festival, kids will enjoy the hands-on casting demonstrations, and Scouts can even earn their fly fishing merit badges.
LIVING TEXAS | FORT WORTH
Pure
Quill
Photo courtesy National Cowgirl Museum
Authentic Photographer Barbara Van Cleve By E.A. Shumate
The visiting exhibit includes 65 photos that reflect the Western idiom “pure quill,” meaning authentic and real, through and through. The Pure Quill: Photographs by Barbara Van Cleve is the exhibit's companion book, authored by Susan Hallsten McGarry and released in September 2016. The 216page book chronicles Van Cleve’s life growing up on a working cattle ranch in Big Timber, Montana, and her passion for capturing the West through the camera lens.
water. So I have gone digital and work in a ‘light room’ with computers,” she explains. Over the years, Van Cleve has undertaken various projects, the most recent being the use of the light of the moon and stars. Earlier projects include her “Rodeo as Dance” series that studies the similarities between rodeo and ballet, and her two-decade documentation of the Spanish Mission Trail in Baja, California. Interlacing the “Pure Quill” exhibit and book are the artist’s and the author’s mutual respect and admiration for each other’s work. “I had known of Susan when she was Editor-inChief at Southwest Art magazine,” Van Cleve says. “I [finally] met her after the publisher… brought her in to write the book about my career.”
A 1995 inductee into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame, Van Cleve discovered photography after she received her first camera when she was 11. Raised on the family’s ranch, she learned ranch life as a participant, with photography as an avocation. She taught English Literature and Photography at DePaul University in Chicago, becoming the youngest Dean of Women in the U.S. before retiring from teaching to pursue photography full time.
McGarry was excited by the opportunity to author the retrospective book.
Although Van Cleve carries an extra camera with color film in it, she works primarily in black and white. Despite the vintage look, Van Cleve's production techniques are contemporary. She switched from the traditional darkroom after moving back to Montana. “I didn’t want to … put the various toxic chemicals [of a wet darkroom] in my septic system and eventually into the ground
1720 GENDY STREET | FORT WORTH COWGIRL.NET
14 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
“I’d followed Barbara’s museum and gallery exhibitions [for years], but this was my first opportunity to work with her,” McGarry said. “I have always loved her work, both her subject matter and her aesthetics, her remarkable story and the land and sky, animals and people she has documented.”
Branding Break: Lunch, Mary Bailey Davis – Mary, one of the Davis family’s good ropers, takes a break from spring branding to nurse her daughter, Sarah. The Davis family are longtime owners of the famous CS Ranch in Cimarron, NM.
The “Pure Quill: Photographs by Barbara Van Cleve” exhibit is on display in the Anne W. Marion Gallery at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame through May 5, 2017.
Photo by Barbara Van Cleve
For
the past seven decades, photographer Barbara Van Cleve has captured the life of primarily women ranchers in the wide, open spaces of Montana. Now, Texans get to see Van Cleve’s work, thanks to a traveling exhibit at Fort Worth’s National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.
LIVING TEXAS | HOUSTON
Going (More Than)
the Extra Mile for MS By Julie Bonnin
In 2016, 13,000 cyclists rode from Houston to Austin to raise funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The ride rolls in the spring, when Texas wildflowers are in peak bloom, and a sense of expectation fills the air. Some riders have trained for months and are bent on achieving their personal best, while others are just hoping to finish the two-day race that offers routes ranging from 76 to 100 miles. Instead of Tour de France, think massive demonstration of humanity amassed for the primary purpose of funding research into multiple sclerosis, a chronic, often devastating, disease that wreaks havoc on the body’s central nervous system.
Eric Cioti has led a team of BP cyclists in the ride for several years, organizing team meetings where MS Ambassadors come talk about their challenges, and group rides that help cyclists prepare for the event months in advance. “I’ve met a lot of people who have MS,” says Cioti, a mechanical engineering team leader for BP who raised $8,100 in 2016, and a staggering total of more than $50,000 since beginning the ride in 2003. “It makes it a lot easier to motivate people because you can share their stories.” Participants contribute a minimum of $400, raising more money by gathering pledges. Last year’s total from the BP ride was $15.7 million. (This year's goal is a cautious $16 million.) Because of his longstanding involvement, Cioti has witnessed specific achievements the money has funded – such as the emergence of more than a dozen new drugs since he began participating in 2003.
Cyclists ride between 76 and 100 miles on the two-day ride.
Those successes, along with the solidarity and teamwork that culminate over the two days of cycling, keep riders involved and coming back year after year, he says. Community members in La Grange and other towns along the way come out to cheer everyone on, or offer refreshments. Cyclists stay in tents or have arranged for hotel rooms far in advance. “You’re never alone out there. It’s one big friendly group,” Cioti says. BP MS 150 Bike Ride: April 29 and 30 BPMS150.NET
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 15
Photography courtesy BP MS 150
T
hirteen thousand riders. Thirty-five hundred volunteers. One hundred fifty miles. Countless spectators. And one massive show of strength and solidarity. That's the annual Houston to Austin BP MS 150 Bike Ride—the largest charity bike ride in the U.S.
Harry Sheppard playing the vibes in 1961 with Benny Goodman in San Paolo, Brazil.
Daddy-O of cool THE
Vibraphonist Harry Sheppard Swings in Houston
W
hen Harry Sheppard pushes his trolley of vibraphone gear into a room, the atmosphere shifts. Any trace of negative energy disappears as this jazz-playing dynamo strolls along with pep in his 88-year-old step and a lilt in his voice that instantly transports you to the swinging big-band era. Sheppard, ranked alongside Milt Jackson and Lionel Hampton as the greatest vibraphone players in jazz history, has called Houston home since the 1980s. Harry’s older brother Harvey gave Harry his first lesson in Leicester, Massachusetts, when Harry was 8. This triggered Sheppard’s lifelong love affair with percussion. “Percussionists have the most fun,” he says. Sheppard joined the Navy, where he was a drummer in the band. He later studied music composition at Berklee College of Music and discovered the vibraphone, (resembles the xylophone) nicknamed ‘the vibes.’ “I itched to get on the road,” says Sheppard. “I landed in New York City where I spent the next 35 wonderful years.”
16 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
By Autumn Rhea Carpenter
Sheppard met his first wife, Betty Ann Miller, when she was 16 and he was 19. They formed the Betty Sheppard Trio and alternated sets with Woody Herman, Dizzy Gillespie and Henry ‘Red’ Allen. In 1958, The Trio played with Tito Rodriguez and Tito Puente and recorded “Cha Cha Cha in Blue” (the first cha-cha in English) with José Curbelo. “Rock ‘n' roll didn’t exist,” says Sheppard. “We travelled all over the country playing jazz. We got an offer from the USO and, in the midst of war, played every M.A.S.H. hospital in Korea.”
married 12 years.
Betty and Harry were married 12 years and had two daughters when they divorced in the 1960s. Sheppard became a regular on the TV show “Art Ford’s Jazz Party,” where he jammed with Coleman Hawkins, Billie Holiday and Lester Young. He played often with Benny Goodman’s orchestra, longtime “Tonight Show” bandleader Doc Severinsen and Barbra Streisand.
Octogenarian Sheppard also entertains residents at senior living communities in the Houston area. “To me, playing for an audience of two is the same as playing at Carnegie Hall,” he says. “I always get a kick out of playing my vibes.”
After a second marriage ended, Harry was single for decades until he met Pam Bingham, a clarinetist in the Houston Symphony. “We met one night in the dog food aisle at Kroger in The Heights,” he explains. They’ve been
Sheppard’s love for the vibes has never dwindled. “Often, as people age, the creativity juices slow down. Mine are still flowing and I continue to play new things everyday.” His performance schedule is packed, playing between three and 10 shows a week. He plays regularly at Café Brasil, AvantGarden and Birraporetti’s, as well as festivals and private events.
“The older folks are the best because I play music from their heyday,” he explains. “Once I played for Alzheimer patients and a man struck up a conversation with me about Benny Goodman. Later, the activity director told me that the man had lived at the facility for two years and had never spoken. That’s worth more than anything money can buy, baby.”
Photography courtesy Harry Sheppard
LIVING TEXAS | HOUSTON
A New Book from TEXAS A&M PRESS A provocative visual journal of off-the-grid living . . . WHY THE RAVEN CALLS THE CANYON E. Dan Klepper
In vivid images and well-considered prose, Klepper reflects on his experiences at Fresno Ranch, which sits within the boundaries of Big Bend Ranch State Park in far West Texas, “witnessing a natural world unfettered by the human footprint dominating so many of our remaining wild places.” For aficionados of fine art photography, cultural and natural history enthusiasts, and fans of the Big Bend region and its austere beauty, Why the Raven Calls the Canyon offers a “provocative visual journal of off-the-grid living that celebrates the unique landscape of the Big Bend.” 10x101/2, 240 pp. 212 color and b&w photos. $50.00 cloth “Klepper’s artistic technique is first-rate in composition and sophisticated aesthetic and his prose has become the work of a writer possessed with an important understanding of the natural world. All this makes me glad to be counted as among the first of many fans of Why the Raven Calls the Canyon.”—Alan Tennant, New York Times Best-selling Author of On the Wing
“. . . a beautiful challenge to our eyes, eliciting awe, wonderment, and respect for the power and delicacy of a place devoid of all comforts.” —Robert W.H. McCoy
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY PRESS
800.826.8911 Fax: 888.617.2421
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LIVING TEXAS | SAN ANTONIO
FIESTA SAN ANTONIO An Insider's Guide to the Best Party in Texas t all started in 1891. The city of San Antonio was looking for a way to honor its fallen heroes and commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo. A single parade featuring ladies in horse-drawn carriages decorated from stem to stern with colorful flowers took place in front of the Alamo. The event would come to be known as the Battle of Flowers Parade and over 100 years later, that event shuts down the entire city. For 11 straight days, as the south of Texas shrugs off its last vestiges of winter and welcomes in spring, San Antonio celebrates Fiesta. This year, from April 20-30, over 100 separate events will take place at dozens of sites across town. Billed as a “party with a purpose,” Fiesta events are all run by non-profits; at the end of the day, close to $300 million in revenue is generated by Fiesta events that come from over 3.5 million Fiesta goers each year.
18 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
While every event is special, there are some fan favorites to know about.
Flambeau (aka The Night Parade) all draw people by the tens of thousands.
If you like food, put the Oyster Bake and Taste of New Orleans on your list. And then there is the week-long celebration of food, music, and dancing known as Night in Old San Antonio (NIOSA), held at the La Villita Historic Arts Village, the ancestral and original home of San Antonio. Everything from gorditas and fajitas to egg rolls, shrimp po'boys and crepes suzettes, along with musical acts ranging from conjunto to Irish folk to jazz, attract thousands of party-goers.
Families camp out for days preceding their favorite parade to secure a prime spot along the route. These explosions of color, music and dance all embody the very best that San Antonio and South Texas have to offer. You're going to want to put at least one of these on your Texas bucket list.
Parades are how Fiesta began and parades are what Fiesta still does best. The Texas Cavaliers River Parade (on barges that roll down the famed San Antonio River), the aforementioned – and greatly expanded – Battle of Flowers Parade, the King William Fair and Parade, and Fiesta
“One of my favorite events each year is the Charreada,” Fiesta Commission Executive Director Amy Shaw says. “This is a traditional Mexicanstyle rodeo and it is very exciting. I also enjoy the Fiesta Pops, the amazing concert put on by the San Antonio Symphony. It is a unique, upscale event.” Fiesta is not just for adults. Kids will have a great time at the parades, but they are sure to have an
Photography courtesy Fiesta San Antonio Commission/Betsy Newman Photography
I
By Eric Moreno
LIVING TEXAS | SAN ANTONIO
A Night In Old San Antonio wouldn't be complete without the food of Old S an Antonio.
Children of all ages can get into the tradition of cracking Cascarones over one another's heads.
Billed as a “party with a purpose,” Fiesta events are all run by non-profits; close to $300 million in revenue is generated by Fiesta events that come from over 3.5 million Fiesta goers each year. even better time at the Fiesta Carnival. Held in the expansive parking lot of the Alamodome, the Carnival is an upsized version of a regular county fair, with rides, games, food, music and contests. Like all great events, there is a host of traditions built into Fiesta. Medallions, sold and given away by virtually every business and group in the city, are collected, traded, and coveted by all longtime Fiesta attendees. Cascarones, hollowed out eggshells filled with confetti, are omnipresent and you will have strangers cracking these over your head; don't take offense. Buy a dozen of your own at one of the hundreds of roadside vendors and take part in the festivities.
Fiesta also has its own royalty. King Antonio and El Rey Feo – which translates into “the ugly king,” but is really a high honor – rule over the festivities. There is even an El Rey Fido! Fiesta Queens also rule over many of the events. So, dress comfortably (that includes your shoes), wear a hat, stay hydrated, and bring plenty of cash (that's the preferred currency at most Fiesta events). Last, but not least, be open to the experience. Viva Fiesta!
All across the country, March 17 is set aside to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. On this day, the whole world seemingly turns green and adopts an Irish brogue. San Antonio is no different, as it hosts one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the country. If you have ever visited the Alamo City, it should be abundantly clear that its citizens love to have a good time and St. Patrick’s Day is no different. The famed San Antonio River, which runs through the heart of the city’s tourist-friendly downtown, is dyed green and shamrocks are scattered far and wide. Festivities abound, led primarily by the Harp and Shamrock Society of San Antonio. Their South Texas Alamo Irish Festival features music, dancing, food, crafts, Gaelic football and spans multiple days leading up St. Patrick’s Day. Murphy’s, the venerable brewers, sponsors the annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival, which takes place over two days each year at the Arneson River Theater in the La Villita Historic Arts Village. The Harp and Shamrock Society are also the organizers of this massive celebration. Music, food, drinks and dancing all culminate in a river barge parade along the green-for-a-day San Antonio River.
FIESTA-SA.ORG
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 19
Photography courtesy TheSanAntonioRiverWalk.com / Fiesta San Antonio Commission/Betsy Newman Photography
Another Spring Tradition: St. Patrick' s Day in San Antonio
LIVING TEXAS | STATEWIDE Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is one hour south of Fort Worth.
Take A Drive
WILD SIDE On THE
at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
By Lydia Saldaña
B
eing eye-to-eye with a giraffe just might have been the best part of the visit. As the jeep came to a stop in one of the pastures at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, we were quickly surrounded by the graceful creatures, who all seemed to know we had bags of feed to share. They lowered their huge heads and took the feed straight from our hands with gentle swipes of long black tongues. Staring into the huge brown eyes of one of those creatures, you couldn’t help but feel a connection to the animal, and to all of the animals there. And that, of course, is the idea. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center has been entertaining visitors while educating them about wildlife and wildlife conservation for more than thirty years. The 1,800-acre facility just outside Glen Rose in North Texas is home to more than 1,000 exotic animals representing 50 species, from giraffes and zebras to the critically endangered scimitar-horned oryx and addax.
20 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
“It’s the opposite of a zoo,” said Gerry Raff, the knowledgeable volunteer docent who has been giving tours for almost 10 years. “We’re the animals in the cages of our cars while the wildlife here roam free.” Raff was quick to caution us that the only animals we could feed by hand were the giraffes. The feed we purchased at the visitor center could be tossed to the other wildlife. As we drove along the wildlife loop, we were amazed by the variety and proximity of the animals and appreciated Raff’s commentary about what we were seeing. Midway through the loop, we stopped at the Overlook, which included a children’s center, a picnic area and a well-appointed gift shop. The adjacent Overlook Café offers lunch options and a deck with a beautiful view. While most visitors come for a day trip, Fossil Rim also hosts overnight visitors in a variety of settings. From a rustic group bunkhouse to a
luxe lodge, overnight visitors can be immersed in all that Fossil Rim offers. You can even go “glamping” in safari cabins, complete with twin beds, air-conditioning and an en suite bathroom. Lodge and cabin visitors also enjoy a hearty breakfast buffet, served on a deck overlooking a water hole where dozens of animals can be viewed. While the playful encounter with the giraffes may be a memory we won’t soon forget, the serious work being done here to conserve critically endangered species also leaves a lasting impression. From the successful breeding of the exotic scimitar-horned oryx to Texas’ own Attwater’s prairie chicken, Fossil Rim is helping to conserve the wildlife we treasure. “Just by visiting us, you become a partner in the conservation work we’re doing,” said Kelley Snodgrass, Fossil Rim’s chief operating officer.
Photo by Bill Orcutt
Find creature comforts
LIVING TEXAS | STATEWIDE
A baby Attwater's prarie chicken--one of the most endangered birds in North America.
Fossil Rim's conservation work has been critical in preventing extinction of the Attwater's prairie chicken.
Take A Tour Learning about the endangered species work at Fossil Rim’s intensive management areas is but one of many tours available for visitors. From guided tours of the wildlife loop to an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at operations, there’s a tour for every interest. Knowledgeable staff or volunteer docents provide background information about the animals you’ll see and the work being done to conserve them. 2299 COUNTY RD 2008 | GLEN ROSE FOSSILRIM.ORG
Saving a Species, One Chick at a Time
The endangered coppery red Bongo antelope is a native of West Africa.
Photography courtesy Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
The Attwater’s prairie chicken is one of the most endangered birds in North America. At the turn of the 20th century, an estimated one million birds roamed the coastal prairies of Texas and Louisiana. In 1967, the bird was placed on the endangered species list, and in the early 1990s, Fossil Rim partnered with the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and several Texas zoos on an ambitious recovery plan. Fossil Rim is home to 75 of the precious birds, and each year some two dozen nesting pairs produce eggs for the recovery effort. Under the watchful eye of avian curator Janet Johnson, each and every egg is catalogued and incubated. “There are only a few hundred individuals left in the world, so every egg is precious to us,” Johnson explained. Since the recovery program began, Fossil Rim has supplied half of all the birds released back into the wild. Without the conservation work being done here and at several other zoos, the species would no doubt be extinct.
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 21
LIVING TEXAS | STATEWIDE
HIGH NOON FULL MOON Traveling the Comanche Trail in Big Bend Country
O
By E. Dan Klepper
ver two hundred years ago, along a line from the Pecos River to the Rio Grande, the Comanche crossed the state’s Big Bend country by horseback and the full moon. The route was known as the Comanche Trail. Little evidence remains of the trail itself, but you can travel its approximate course by following U.S. Route 385 from historic Fort Stockton to Big Bend National Park. Although the land belongs to the modern age, nature still dominates all the way to the Rio Grande River. Start in Fort Stockton, a historic community established around Comanche Springs, a source of fresh water that once discharged from the ground “like a sea monster” according to 1800s explorer John C. Reid. Tour the town’s frontier military garrison, built in 1867 from locally quarried limestone and handmade adobe bricks.
Desert marigolds bloom along U.S. 385 south of Fort Stockton
Continue south, entering a crater with low-lying hills known as the Sierra Madera Astrobleme, the result of an asteroid or comet impact that occurred approximately 65 million years ago. Highway markers indicate your entrance and exit through the six-mile diameter crater intersected by U.S. 385. Farther down the highway, you’ll find high desert grasslands dotted with antelope and yucca. Ten miles before the town of Marathon, look for a prairie dog colony. Their numbers reached into the millions during the heyday of the Comanche Trail. A roadside pullout provides an opportunity to witness the dogs’ goofy antics. Continue south through rough country, a long haul even for the Comanche who knew the route’s hidden watering holes, before arriving at Persimmon Gap, the northeastern entrance to Big Bend National Park. Your next 50 miles cross a landscape described by Lt. William Echols as “the most difficult country we have yet traversed.” Echols’ command included soldiers and camels during his 1859-60 expedition.
Abandoned telephone poles cross the Marathon Grasslands under a full moon
TRAIL TIP
Stop in Marathon if you’re in need of a break. Check into Eve’s Garden or treat yourself to a luxury stay at the historic Gage Hotel. Want to keep moving? Grab a fresh brew at the French Company Grocer.
22 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
An ocotillo, a desert plant specific to Big Bend National Park’s Northern Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem grows above the Rio Grande River at La Clocha campsite.
Photography by E. Dan Klepper
The Comanche Trail likely crossed the river near Big Bend National Park’s La Clocha campsite, located along the park’s primitive East River Road. Today, in the park’s peaceful environs, you’ll have a chance to witness the state’s wildest place at its best, lit by high noon or nothing more than moon and stars.
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LIVING TEXAS | STATEWIDE Reenactment of working men in Independence Hall
Take a Day Trip
Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site
L
eave the cityscapes behind and head for the site where Texas became Texas. Washington on the Brazos State Historic Site, located just southwest of Navasota, is tucked away in a rural area where the fields are large, the flowers are beautiful and wildlife is abundant. The site is home to Barrington Living History Farm, Star of the Republic Museum and Independence Hall, all of which center around Texas history circa 1836 to 1850. Dr. Ansel Jones was the last president of the Republic of Texas and Barrington Living History Farm is centered on his house as it was in 1850. Visitors can explore most rooms in the house and ask questions of the very knowledgeable Texas Parks and Wildlife park rangers who are dressed in clothes of the era. The rangers not only dress the part, but they work in the house and on the farm just as would have been done in 1850. There are no modern conveniences, tools or power. If it is cold, the rangers light a fire in a stone
24 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
By Gabi De La Rosa
fireplace, if they’re bored, they embroider or make cotton yarn, and if they’re hungry, they cook food raised on the farm in an 1850’s kitchen complete with wooden utensils and cast iron pots. The hardy rangers are eager for visitors to also take part and help on the farm. Children are asked to fetch firewood or plant in the garden using traditional tools of the period. If they're lucky, they might even feed the animals. “We work the farm not only for entertainment, but to keep the skills and traditions alive, so that people are not just looking at things in a museum or on a wall,” said Park Ranger Mike Edwards. Star of the Republic Museum, located
a short distance from the farm, is dedicated to preserving historical material and culture of the Texas Republic from 1836-1846. It is the only museum in the state that was created specifically for this purpose and has a vast wealth of artifacts and exhibits.
Texas Independence Day Celebration – March 4 & 5 This annual two-day celebration features live old-time music, traditional crafts, living history presentations, the Texas A&M University Singing Cadets, family reunions of the descendants of the 58 men who signed the Declaration and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Children’s Monument. Kids can dress up in historical costumes, sign a largescale copy of the Declaration and take photos near the real Declaration.
Another treat to visit is Independence Hall or "the birthplace of Texas,” where the Declaration of Independence for Texas was signed, freeing it from Mexico and making it a brand new nation. The building is a replica, but right outside is a monument to the site that has been standing since 1899. It is hard to stand in that spot and not feel a historical connection to the brave people that came before us to help make Texas what it is today.
23400 PARK RD 12 | WASHINGTON WHERETEXASBECAMETEXAS.ORG
Photography courtesy Washington on the Brazos State Historical Site
Back in Time
LIVING TEXAS | STATEWIDE
Top View from the
The Wyler Aerial Tramway at Franklin Mountains State Park features an aerial cable car situated on 196 acres of rugged mountain and rock formations on the east side of the Franklin Mountains.
El Paso’s Wyler Aerial Tramway
W
ith spectacular views on offer, any visit to the western-most tip of Texas isn’t complete without a ride on the Wyler Aerial Tramway. From Ranger Peak, high above El Paso, guests can take in the 360-degree view of the rugged terrain making up the U.S.-Mexico border region, including the sprawling cities on each side of the border, the Fort Hood area, and the wilds of the Franklin Mountains. Lucky guests may get to watch a rain or dust storm roll across the horizon before heading safely back down the mountain. Comprised of two Swiss-made, six-passenger gondolas, the Wyler Aerial Tramway began transporting park visitors to the top of Ranger Peak in 1960. Originally built to transport equipment and supplies for the construction of a radio transmitter antenna and its service platform, the tramway was open to the public until 1986. Project director Karl O. Wyler bequeathed the tramway to the State of Texas in his will, enabling the tramway’s inclusion in the Texas Parks and Wildlife system. Visitors to the Wyler Aerial Tramway at Franklin Mountains State Park, which reopened to the public in 2001, can enjoy more than the breathtaking view and scenery.
By E.A. Shumate
“The biggest annual park event is our anniversary celebration in March,” said Park Interpreter Diana Moy. “We have exhibitors, food vendors, free activities and, of course, ranger-guided tram rides.” Park visitors wanting a bit more of a challenge may also work their way from the park to Ranger Peak via a challenging footpath that winds up the side of the rocky mountain. Visiting during Daylight Savings Time (MarchNovember)? Park personnel recommend riding the tramway to Ranger Peak during the last hour of park hours. This allows plenty of time to enjoy the sunset over the Franklin Mountains before the tramway closes for the day.
Tramway Tips: 1. 2. 3. 4.
The park is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Entrance to the park is free. Ranger-guided tram tours are $8/$4. The tramway closes to the public during bad weather or periods of high winds. The park closes after reaching capacity for the day, so arrive early.
By The Numbers The tramway was built in 1959. 40,000 park visitors per year 300 visitors per day 196 acres of hillside park Ranger Peak is 5,632 ft. above sea level. 940 vertical ft. from the park to the peak 4 minute gondola ride from park to peak 240 feet deep canyon below the gondola 2,600 ft. of cables carrying the gondola between the top & bottom of the park Range of view from Ranger Peak: 7,000 sq. miles
1700 MCKINLEY AVE | EL PASO TPWD.TEXAS.GOV
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 25
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | STYLE
Wild matching
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ome of the best head-turning looks come from mismatching spring trends such as animal print, florals and black and white. It takes a careful eye to curate this fierce look. Ready to get wild with style?
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26 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | STYLE
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TEXAS LIFESTYLE | STYLE
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28 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | STYLE
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Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 29
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TEXAS LIFESTYLE | ROUGHING IT
Go
Wild
Swinging Across Texas By Robert A. Rodriguez
I
magine a week of golf where you play in a desert, then follow that with rounds in prairie lands, through battalions of pines, on a Gulf shore and across scenic hills and mountains. Thankfully, a G5 and in-flight entertainment aren’t needed to follow this golf itinerary – only several tanks of gas and some great road tunes. That’s because our massive state offers more than 800 golf courses spread out over vastly different landscapes, creating some beautiful places to tee it up. Here are some of the most scenic and breathtaking golf courses and holes that make us wild about golf in Texas.
Photo courtesy Lajitas Golf Resort
Photo courtesy Dallas National Golf Club
Golf Courses
Austin Country Club
Blackjack’s Crossing
Dallas National Golf Club
A year ago, golf fans around the world got, what was for many, their first glimpse of this Pete Dye beauty. Site of the PGA TOUR’s World Golf Championships – Dell Match Play tournament, Austin Country Club plays through rugged terrain along the Colorado River. The Pennybacker Bridge behind the third green is the site of many Kodak moments.
Mountain golf in Texas? Better believe it. Tucked between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend State Park, Blackjack’s Crossing features plenty of awe-inspiring views thanks to its many mountainous vistas and backdrops.
The southern part of Dallas County – where this exclusive Tom Fazio design is located – boasts some surprising elevation changes. Golfers can see for miles from several vantage points, and handsome bridges go across deep canyons separating the tees from the fairways.
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32 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | ROUGHING IT
Photo courtesy Palmilla Beach Golf Club
Golf Holes The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch, No. 16 Beautiful and “bearly” touched by Jack Nicklaus, his signature design in Boerne features this par-3 with an elevated green bordered by natural waterfalls and a 40-footdeep canyon. CORDILLERARANCH.COM
ColoVista Country Club, No. 15
Palmilla Beach Golf Club The King’s last design in Texas might be his best. Nestled between Port Aransas and Mustang Island State Park, Palmilla Beach is a windswept Arnold Palmer creation that offers Corpus Christi Bay views on the front side and holes lining the Gulf of Mexico on the back nine. PALMILLABEACHGOLFCLUB.COM
The beauty of the Texas Hill Country is on full display at this par-3 in Bastrop. The hole boasts a striking 100-foot fall-off from tee to green, with the Colorado River and vast landscape providing an amazing setting. COLOVISTAGOLF.COM
La Cantera Golf Club, Resort Course, No. 7
Photo courtesy Whispering Pines Golf Club
Golfers either love or hate this hole – but nearly all of them take a selfie here. Six Flags Fiesta Texas provides a unique backdrop, with the Iron Rattler roller coaster serving as an aiming point for tee shots.
Whispering Pines Golf Club Lost among the towering pines in the tiny town of Trinity, Whispering Pines is widely considered one of the best courses in the state. Much of the back nine hugs the shores of Lake Livingston, providing a resounding and attractive finish.
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Bluejack National, No. 12 Tiger Woods’ first layout in the U.S. is getting plenty of fanfare, and this par-3 might be its most dazzling hole. Located in Montgomery, this hole mirrors the 12th at Augusta National – water fronting a narrow and slick green, massive bunkers in back, striking beauty all around. BLUEJACKNATIONAL.COM
The Retreat Golf Course, No. 18 Good things come to those who wait. Located just outside Cleburne, this dramatic, downhill finishing hole features an 80-foot drop from tee to green, with a waterfall below the tee boxes and a rock-lined stream cutting in front and right of the putting surface. THERETREAT-TEXAS.COM
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 33
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | ROUGHING IT
Sandhill Spring
Migrating from Texas to Nebraska and beyond
I
n faint pre-dawn light, I carefully pick my way along the dirt path from The Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center to a viewing blind facing Nebraska’s Platte River. I've come to see one of the world’s largest gatherings of wildlife – the North American Sandhill crane spring migration. As my group approaches the blind, the sound of the birds waking up fills the air, individual squawks joining together into a cacophony like some enormous, outof-tune orchestra warming up.
twice, hundreds take flight at the same time, covering the sky. Finally, the sun fully up, only a few stragglers remain in the river. Sandhill cranes migrate up to 5,000 miles each spring and fall, their travel pattern resembling a huge hourglass with its narrow neck here at the Platte. Some half a million birds show up mid-February to March, roosting on shallow sandbars in the river at night and, by day, feeding in nearby meadows, grasslands and corn fields. Their weight increases 15-20% in preparation for breeding season. The birds spread across the north in summer to raise their chicks, then spend winter in the south, including areas around Texas. Sizable
groups of them gather on Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge near Lubbock from midDecember to mid-January, but they gather by the thousands only in spring and only along Nebraska’s Platte. The Crane Trust maintains roughly 10,000 acres of crane habitat and nearby Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary another 2,800 acres. Both places offer morning and evening viewing tours and overnights in private blinds. The Crane Trust also has on-site lodging, with an overnight stay including breakfast and dinner, an arrival reception, and morning and evening visits to the blind. The property includes 30 miles of hiking and biking trails. CRANETRUST.ORG ROWE.AUDUBON.ORG
Photo courtesy Chuck Cooper, Crane Trust (Nebraska)
Inside the blind, I look out on cranes as far as I can see in either direction. One after another, the birds stretch their wings and begin to lift off, individually and a few at a time at first, then in huge waves. Once or
By Melissa Gaskill
34 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
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TEXAS LIFESTYLE | HABITAT
Inspiring Secret Slobs Everywhere! How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind By Autumn Rhea Carpenter
Texas native Dana White, author of How to
Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind: Dealing with Your House’s Dirty Little Secrets and self-
proclaimed slob, wrote a book from the perspective of someone who understands what it’s like to be completely overwhelmed and not know where to begin in the organization game, inspiring secret slobs everywhere.
failed at every method she tried. Success came when she put her energy into specific non-negotiable daily tasks. "I finally gained control of my house.” When White began her de-slobification blog journey in 2009, she had no intention of making it a public experience. “I created a fake name and email address, so no one could trace the embarrassing pictures back to me,” she said. Eight years later, and using her own name, she's now helping others. "They know that I truly understand their starting point and can give them courage to begin this challenge." White’s journey included tackling a new habit each week, making her choices according to what drove her the craziest. “I realized that going ahead and tackling a problem was much more helpful than analyzing that problem and never actually getting started.”
“ I ’ m a n i d e a l i s t wh o analyzes situations and researches solutions, but White’s de-slobification Dana White, author of A Slob Comes too often, I can’t live up to helped her learn about Clean, debuts her latest organization that expectation in real life,” herself. It was enlightening book, geared toward creative said the Dallas resident. to realize that she wasn't a thinkers and problem solvers. For all of her adult life, failure because traditional she treated housekeeping organization advice as a project without realizing it. "I would doesn’t work for her. "I simply needed to clean like a maniac, get it perfect, and then find solutions that work for my personality.” be shocked when it was a mess three days ASLOBCOMESCLEAN.COM later." Desperate for lasting change, she'd
36 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
Spring Cleaning Tips 1. Spring brings a renewed (yet fleeting) cleaning energy, so use it wisely! Perform the non-glamorous, basic cleaning jobs first, including cleaning the kitchen, bathroom and living areas. 2. Next, focus on more detailed tasks, like washing curtains or floorboards or dusting walls or window blinds. 3. When you feel the itch to de-clutter, the natural tendency is to tackle the junk drawer, linen closet or another hidden space. Don’t start there! Follow the visibility rule and focus on cleaning a space that you see everyday, but have stopped noticing. 4. When purging unnecessary items, get rid of the easy, non-emotional items first. Once you experience living with less clutter, it’s easier to get rid of items that you once believed were impossible to live without.ichotomy of glitter and grit.
Photos courtesy Dana White
rganization is an evasive, impossible dream for many people. They purchase books that promise by the last chapter a nirvana of alphabetized book shelves, color-coordinated closets and clutter-free desk drawers will be found. Unfortunately, most of these books are penned by Type A, innately organized authors who don't relate to the segment of the population who sees the world as one big project.
Photo by April Pizana
O
Dana White— a self-proclaimed slob— encourages people to organize their homes with realistic, achievable strategies
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TEXAS LIFESTYLE | HABITAT
Spring Soirée
Entertaining Al Fresco with Camille Styles By Elizabeth Barbee
Hosts can have fun, too. Allowing people to serve themselves allows a host to enjoy their own soireé.
T
here are few people more aptly named than Camille Styles. The Austin resident runs a highly successful blog that's dedicated to helping people fashion their best lives. “The site started seven years ago as a creative outlet where I could explore all my passions,” she explains. “But, as it evolved and our audience grew, I saw an opportunity to use the site as a place to inspire others.” Styles and her team write about everything from meditation to interior design. Posts have titles like: “Why you should have a career mantra,” “Nine dry shampoos that will bring your locks back to life,” and “How to deck out your front porch like a floral designer.”
In the three years since the book's release, Styles has stayed plenty busy. Most notably, she's teamed up with French liqueur manufacturer Cointreau, to host parties and create cocktail recipes. (See the sidebar for the Cointreau Cucumber Mint Rickey recipe.)
38 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
Photos by Kristen Kilpatrick
But the evidence shows that Styles' true passion is party planning. She wrote an entire book about the subject called Camille Styles Entertaining: Inspired Gatherings & Effortless Style, which hit shelves in 2014.
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | HABITAT Because the spring season is ripe for outdoor soirées, we asked Styles to share her top five tips for partying al fresco. She was eager to offer up suggestions but made a point of emphasizing the importance of relaxation. “I'm a big believer that the hostess sets the tone for a party – if you're having fun, your guests will too!”
Styles’ Soirée Style
Think beyond the cooler. Get creative with vessels when icing down bottled or canned drinks. Galvanized buckets, wine barrels, wagons and wheelbarrows filled with ice will keep refreshments cool and collected all day while adding a springtime fresh visual element to any get-together. Protect guests from the elements. Nothing’s more of a buzz kill than mosquitos at a party. Keep bites at bay by setting up a station with galvanized metal beach buckets full of ice and stocked with insect repellant and bottles of sunscreen. For extra protection, spray the air, ground and plants with an insectrepelling fogger several hours before the party. Family style service lets the host enjoy the party, too! I love to place food on big platters in the center of the table. It prevents me from running back and forth from the kitchen all night, and lets my guests serve themselves without having to ask! Dress it up. For outdoor gatherings, I stick with a laidback centerpiece that won’t wilt in the heat. A big wooden bowl looks so cheerful when filled with lemons and limes, wildflowers gathered in mason jars make for a casual arrangement, and pots of herbs or succulents can be sent home with guests for impromptu party favors!
CAMILLESTYLES.COM
Accentuate the everyday Adding creative visual elements adds to everyone's enjoyment
Cointreau Cucumber Mint Rickey 2 oz. Cointreau 1 oz. fresh lime juice 3 wheels cucumber 5 mint leaves 3 to 4 oz. club soda Muddle the cucumber and mint in the bottom of a glass. Add Cointreau and fresh lime juice with ice. Top with club soda and stir briefly. Garnish with a cucumber wheel and a mint sprig.
Photo courtesy Rémy Cointreau
Simple is best. Al fresco dinner parties call for no-fuss tabletops, but that doesn’t mean you’ve got to break out the disposable cups and throwaway plates! I like to keep it pretty and pared down with a natural linen runner, earthenware plates and sturdy glassware. Let table décor blend with the natural setting so that the great outdoors can take center stage.
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 39
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | HABITAT
Green Up in a crunch
How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind
f Due to the Texas heat, all plants require some watering, but these varieties can thrive with little water and work well in pots: pencil cactus, Spanish lavender, Liriope (an ornamental grass). f Plant your pots and window boxes with
herbs such as rosemary, thyme and oregano. They're fragrant and great in your cooking.
f Use hanging baskets and pots. If you have some shade, golden pothos is a fantastic plant that trails downwards and has full, evergreen foliage. Or, plant your baskets with tumbling tomatoes that look good and provide a tasty treat. f Add color to window boxes with moss
rose. They're hardy, drought-tolerant and have a vivid flower.
f If you've got a bright, sunny spot, look at
the wide variety of ready-potted succulents and cacti. They require minimal care and space – perfect for the time-constrained gardener.
40 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
f There are a number of low maintenance
interior plants that can give your home a little greenery. They require minimal attention and, even if you missed out on a green thumb, you'll have no problem keeping them alive and well.
f Cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior) Great
for a full foliage look. One of the easiest plants to take care of, requiring minimal light and tolerating long periods without watering. When watering, thoroughly soak the roots then allow the plant to dry out.
f Lemon lime (Dracaena warneckii) If you love bright colors, this is for you. Does well in darker interiors and only has to be watered once every two weeks. f Snake plant (Sansevieria) Comes in a range of colors and is extremely easy to grow. They thrive in both high and low light and require little watering. f Ming aralia (Polyscias fruiticosa) A beautiful foliage plant, perfect for areas with bright light (large windows, etc). If you tend to overwater your plants, this is perfect, as they require more water than most.
GREENOASISPLANTS.COM
WATER, WATER (NOT) EVERYWHERE Here's how to plan a good-looking yard that will survive the Texas drought. r To avoid wasting water through overwatering, and to save time, connect a hose or a drip system to minimize watering time through the growing season. This can be relatively inexpensive, but make sure you have an exterior water source. r Select your plants with water restrictions in mind. City sites like San Antonio's (saws.org/conservation) provide guidelines and easy steps to landscaping for lower water usage. r Use species such as blue plumbago and Turks cap that are well-suited to drought environments. Texas mountain laurel is a fantastic evergreen tree that works well in both pots and ground planting.
All photography courtesy Green Oasis Plantscapes
W
ild about all those beautifully budding spring plants and flowers but crunched for time or space? We talked to San Antonio's Marcus Lloyd of Green Oasis Plantscapes for his tips on gardening when you're super busy or your outdoor space is an apartment balcony, patio tub or window box.
By Julie Tereshchuk
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | FEATURE
42 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | FEATURE
Aaron Watson A (New) Lone Star On The Rise if
By Daniel Ramirez
Photo by Joseph Llanes
you don’t consider Texan Aaron Watson a household name, on par with the likes of Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett, give it a little time. He didn’t sign to a Nashville label when he started writing and performing music in West Texas and he wasn’t a CMT darling, nor was he writing pop-soaked country tunes that could corner the crossover market. But, just wait a moment and he’ll find a way to be compared to the other legends of Texas country music. After all, despite a career of almost two decades of a life spent on the road, center stage and in the studio, he’s still just now becoming a breakout star.
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 43
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | FEATURE “I went with my girlfriend at the time and her family,” Watson explains “She was short and she couldn’t see. So, I put her up on my shoulders, trying to be the stud who saved the day. I held her up on my shoulders for an hour and a half. She probably only weighed 90 pounds, but I only weighed 130. I remember my legs hurting so bad, but being too proud to say, ‘Hey, I’m fixing to pass out.’”
Photo by Kevin Winter
Beyond demonstrating the chivalry that Watson adopted early in life, the story displays just the kind of dedication he applies to every effort. And it is that sort of effort that takes a baseball prospect from Abilene to stages across the globe, and the top of the charts, especially when no one thought it would happen.
“I was in Nashville last week and I’m still ‘up and coming,’” Watson beams. It’s something he’s clearly just shy of being proud about. He’s had to cultivate a rebellious spirit over the last two decades, having heard pessimism and discouragement at every turn. Still, Watson has a genuine nature that spills over into every word. He is laughing and shaking his head as he explains his ‘newcomer’ status. “Seventeen years, 13 albums, 2,000+ shows later, and even after we’ve charted a record number one on Billboard – making history because it’s the only independent album that’s ever charted number one – and have an exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame, I’m still 'up and coming,’” he says. Reflecting on a pedigree that would be the envy of most country music successes, Watson laughs. “That’s pretty good for an ‘up and coming artist.’” To find out where a newcomer like Watson gets his start, you have to go back to a magical night in 1993, when a man took command of a stage, a stadium and more than one dreamer’s future. Garth Brooks
44 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
was holding court in the most spectacular way that most country music fans had ever seen. In so doing, he charmed a young Miranda Lambert (see the Fall 2016 issue of Texas Lifestyle Magazine for that story) into pursuing a life in music. And, across the field, also marveling at what was transpiring before him was a teenage Aaron Watson, nearly riveted to the stage. The performance launched an idea. “I love Garth Brooks, but he’s not a specimen of a man,” Watson explains. “He’s an average white boy, like me. So, when I saw another average white boy like me get up there and drive the girls crazy, I was like, ‘I need what he’s got. Because I need all the help I can get.’” It isn’t true of the man who now graces stages like the hero he admires. One need only look at the successful marriage, having lasted nearly 14 years and counting, to know that he didn’t need much help driving the girls anywhere. Truth be told, he might not have needed that much help then, as his recollection of that magical night reveals.
After releasing 11 albums that received mostly local attention, but created a groundswell following, Watson’s musical triumph arrived. A mere 22 years after that fateful concert at Texas Stadium saw the release of “The Underdog.” The album carried the timeless sound of traditional country music – a sound that was on its most flamboyant display while Watson played a precarious balancing game with his date – into the production-heavy world that pervades the contemporary country music scene. When asked how he did it, Watson can only flash his humility. “I have no idea,” he confesses. But, despite his honest denial, he follows up with an evolving theory. “Staying true is what’s gotten me to this point. There have been opportunities where we could have signed a major record deal, but that always would have meant changing what made me who I am, and that’s just not something I could ever agree to do.” The pitfalls of a life in the limelight threaten nearly all who stand within it, however, and the light keeps shining brighter on Watson. The success of “The Underdog” has led to sold out shows in Italy and a night playing the historic Ryman Theater in Nashville, all of which change the strongest of personalities. It is a war between who an artist is and where they come from, the music industry and the starmaker machines. Watson is standing strong. “So often as an artist gets more successful, they begin to change who they are,” he
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | FEATURE the hotly anticipated follow-up to “The Underdog,” an album that he’s titled “Vaquero.” Now, while that name might ring a little too much like “High Plains Drifter” or “Bonanza” in the ears of some, in Texas, there’s far more to it. There’s a history there and a meeting of cultures that’s difficult to explain and impossible to replicate, outside the borders of the Lone Star State. None of this is lost on Watson, in his music or his personality. So, it’s little surprise that, on this latest cover, he stands tall, guitar overhead and backed by a mural of the Texas flag. Call it a battle cry to all who told him he would need to lose his localized sound to become a success.
says. “A lot of them started with a cowboy hat on. Then, after a couple of hit songs, they’re wearing baseball caps on backwards. And they’re not wearing a buckle…they’re wearing skinny jeans and lace-up boots. I’m still wearing the same thing that I was wearing 17 years ago, because the cowboy is timeless. The cowboy is classic.” That humility and dedication to his roots and the music that first inspired him to pick up a guitar can often be seen by industry moguls and fans alike as insincere, or, worse, as stereotypical. When searching for an artist to promote, the music industry isn’t too fond
to convince Watson of for years. It hasn’t worked, for Watson or for the industry’s predictions for his career. “A lot of people still call me a regional act,” Watson says in disbelief. “I’m a regional act that played in 40 states and eight countries in the last two years." People across the country and around the world love his brand of country music, he says. And yes, it is heavily influenced by the great state of Texas. "How can it not be? It’s home," says Watson. "It’s where I raised my babies. It’s where I met my wife. It’s where I buried my grandparents. It’s just home.”
"It’s where I raised my babies. It’s where I met my wife. It’s where I buried my grandparents. It’s just home."” Aaron Watson
of niche acts, because they won’t sell to the broader audience. In essence, they won’t ever grow. It’s a dynamic they’ve been trying
A strong dedication to his sound, to ‘Texas music,’ keeps paying off for Watson and his band, and finds them on the verge of
“The reason it’s called ‘Vaquero,’” he says, “is you can’t talk about the American cowboy and not talk about the vaquero, because that’s the original cowboy. This album is my Declaration of Independence. Instead of going the direction that the mainstream expects me to go, I’m sticking to my roots. I’m saying, ‘this is who I am.’” Standing in front of the Texas flag, painted on a wall outside of Abilene, guitar raised in the air, it's a rebellious pose. "It's to let the world know: This is who I am. This is where I come from,” says Watson. It all has a familiar ring to it, all this talk of staying true and finding the original version of things. It sounds both determined and defiant. At the very least, it sounds independent, particularly in an industry that keeps pushing for constant evolution and reinvention. It sounds, unequivocally, like Texas itself. One could say that Watson certainly ‘comes by it honestly.’ His home state pervades more than his music. It shapes more than the man, himself. Texas shapes his entire world. From history to music to family, it is a clear part of everything that is Aaron Watson. And, it isn’t always the lofty goal of proclaiming the Lone Star State to the world at large. Sometimes, it’s just about taking it all in and letting it affect you, naturally. When asked about how it is he does this, he’s proud to say, “I take the kids down to Corpus Christi every summer. We love fishing for reds,” he grins. But it doesn’t stop there. “We just love experiencing Texas,” he explains. “I live in the dead center of Texas,
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 45
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | FEATURE
And the love for Texas around the world is incredible, he says. "We’re in France and there’s people taking pictures of me and they have phone cases that have the State of Texas flag on the back. I love it.” It doesn’t get more proud than that. And yet, at a point 17 years, 13 albums and thousands of concerts away from where it all began – and a lifetime away from that magical night in front of Garth Brooks (and under the weight of a too-short date) – there are still those who have reason to cast doubt on Watson and his career path. They are the ones who still consider him an ‘up and coming artist.’ And they still send Watson messages, though his response is still the same. It may be a little better fleshed out and may have the confidence of experience and success to accompany it, but it is still the same answer. As evidence to support that point, Aaron talks of another recent encounter, similar
46 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
to the time he was branded with ‘up and coming’ status. He explains, “I had a guy from a record label tell me, ‘You’re never going to get away from being a regional act if you’re all about Texas. If you’re fine with just being the king of Texas, then just be the king of Texas.’” It is Aaron’s response that tells you all that you need to know about the man and everything about how he’s managed to become so successful. It backs up everything he’s spoken about being true and staying true, to both who you are and where you come from. “I said, ‘Man, that’s a great title,’” Watson recalls. “And my theory is this – if you’re the king of Texas, you might just become the king of the world.” With a number one hit record, 12 albums and thousands of concerts in the rearview mirror, along with a new anxiously anticipated album, it’s difficult not to think that this ‘up and coming artist’ might just be one to watch, and one of whom Texas should already be very proud.. AARONWATSON.COM
VAQUERO
Texas Tour Dates February 25 San Antonio March 4 Sonora March 7 Houston March 25 Fort Worth April 28 Corpus Christi
Photo courtesy Aaron Watson
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TEXAS LIFESTYLE | FEATURE
A VIGIL for an Ailing F riend
The State of Music in Austin By Daniel Ramirez
The Deacon of this particular service, John Burnett – Southwest Correspondent for NPR – brings the mass to order with relevant numbers before introducing the visiting pastor, Ted Gioia. A jazz critic, musician and author, Gioia’s not the picture of a typical man of the cloth. He is not wearing a white collar or carrying scripture, but they still are gathered, rapt with attention for the message he’s about to deliver. Like all who gather in such a place, they are here to find hope, to seek guidance or comfort and to pray. Because, by some accounts, a loved one they all share in common might be dying.
48 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
No, it isn’t a funeral in progress. Not yet. The dearly beloved are gathered, on this day, to get through this fear that, in the “Live Music Capital of the World,” there are signs that something is amiss; and that the malaise is spreading fast. Today’s sermon is “The Crisis of Music,” and everyone attending is either fan, contributor, entrepreneur or dreamer. Music, as they know it, could be withering before their very eyes. The numbers are frightening. Burnett, who has done his share of study on the matter, pulls from an Austin Music People study, explaining, “In one of the most economically vibrant cities in the nation, Austin has lost more than 1,200 jobs from 2010 - 2014. In the same four-year period, economic activity by local artists and venues declined by more than 15%.” The study, of course, is localized to Austin, but with over two billion dollars a year of impact to the local economy, as well as the cultural influence that Austin is able to exert on the music world, at large – through expressions like SXSW, the Austin City Limits television program and an ever-growing roster of music
festivals – it isn’t a stretch to consider Austin a microcosm of the music industry. Bearing that in mind, when Austin music suffers or stalls, people begin to pay attention. Ted Gioia, the would-be pastor for the Church of the Live Music, cites a statistic that hits far closer to home. “Close to half of the musicians in Austin could qualify for federally subsidized housing, if they could find it,” Gioia admits. “Close to a third of them make $15,000 a year or less from all income sources.” To those in the trenches, suffering for their art is their way of life, battling to make rent. On the front lines, is Stephanie Bergara. Moved by the opening number at the 1993 Tejano Music Awards, she knew she wanted to pursue music. As most Tejano fans will tell you, that show was hijacked by the opening number, a legend in the making, named Selena. Bergara now is lead singer for Bidi Bidi Banda, a group that takes its cues and namesake from the late Selena. Gaining traction over the years, it has made part of her dream come
Photography by Todd Kapke
T
hey are huddled together in the pews of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, worry on their faces and a sort of hunger in their eyes. The sermon is about to begin, and they are already as attentive as any audience this venue has ever had. And, there isn’t an empty seat to be found. Yet, skirts are too high, colors are too loud and there’s a motorcycle jacket or two on display. Their attire doesn’t exactly convey “Sunday best.” The raucous sounds from mounted speakers and the local taps on offer in the yard complete the picture of a very strange service.
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | FEATURE
Stephanie Bergara
Familiar with the numbers that Burnett and Gioia cite, she puts it in more personal terms. “It has never been more difficult to be a working musician, industry professional or venue owner in Austin,” Bergara declares. “Stagnating pay, cost of living and trouble navigating the City of Austin permitting process are among the immense hurdles for Austin's music community.” Just down the road at the Continental Club or 3TEN – whenever they’re taking a break from their breakneck tour schedule – Ryan Harkrider, lead singer of The Nightowls, is actively making it happen. And, elsewhere in the city, that songstress you hear, the one that all but forces you to seek it out, whether from
the gritty streets of The Mohawk or the refined marble of Geraldine’s – Lex Land, a crooner of the highest order – is leaving a piece of her soul on stage. Each is a picture of why so many are concerned about the future of music. After constant gigs entertaining wedding guests and barroom regulars, Harkrider’s current endeavor has, at long last, caught fire. The Nightowls are more sought-after than ever, having played the Austin City Limits Music Festival and headlining showcases at SXSW. “For me, success is writing a good song, connecting with the audience at a concert, helping a young musician find their voice ... or simply creating music with people who you love and trust,” says Harkrider. Austin’s Lex Land – who has built a solid following, a decade’s worth of tour dates and three albums, all of which has been forged from sweat, effort and persistence – struggles to define what it means to ‘make it.’ She calls Austin home, though she’s not exactly a native. Land moved from California, and out of the shadow of the big music industry, where things are significantly more dismal, and far less generous to even the most determined of creators.
“I’d say I haven’t ‘made it’ to most nonmusician’s standards,” Land explains. “When I moved here in 2008, it was still pretty affordable. That part has, of course, changed a bit. I found a community here, I became an adult here, I became a real musician here. I’m not sure I could have done that in Los Angeles.” Of course, the din of the industry has tried to rob Harkrider, Land and all their fellow musicians of their humble definitions of success. The internet has irrevocably changed much in the industry, and technology has been as much partner as it has been peril. While today’s concentration on social media connectivity and streaming services like YouTube or Spotify can get an artist’s name into the world and generate a fair following, Gioia cautions with a harsh truth and a simple anecdote. “People won’t pay for music anymore. In fact, some people, on principle, refuse to pay for music – especially young people. ‘Why would I pay for music, when everything is free on YouTube?’” “It’s a difficult world to live in,” Land says. “I feel this indomitable drive to go out on stage or on the web and expose my innermost self to so many people. On paper, it makes no
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 49
Photography courtesy Stephanie Bergara
true, but only a part. It wasn’t enough for her to simply be on stage. The musician’s life takes sweat and it takes resources. So, she diversified her income and found another dream. “I've worked in the fields of booking, publicity, festival production, artist management and now within city government,” she explains. “When I am not doing the Banda, I am the Music Tourism/Audience Development Program Coordinator at the City of Austin Music & Entertainment Division.”
sense, but I do it because I really live for that moment of connection with people.” What Land says is genuine. And it is undeniable. If it sounds too simple an antidote for the crisis at hand, it is crucial to remember that music, according to nearly every musician, is a passion. As each of the musicians and the ‘dearly beloved’ gathered to consider the future make clear, the passion itself is surely what will ultimately rescue music from any crisis. For the creator and critic alike, there will always be music to play and music worth listening to, respectively. And, like any good cause, like any rallying cry that spawns a nonprofit to lend a hand, the everyday citizen is left wondering what he or she can do. On that point, every single person consulted, from ‘Pastor Ted’ to Stephanie Bergara, from Lex Land to Ryan Harkrider, and from John Burnett to Austin Mayor Steve Adler, agrees. “Go to concerts,” Harkrider says. “Buy records. Follow your favorite artists, venues, records stores, and recording studios and get involved with what they do. Listen to the people in your community and participate in elections that affect the music community.” Bergara reinforces his sentiment. “Patrons will pay to see good music performed live,” she says. “Continuing to pay a cover to see your favorite bands, buying merchandise, buying recorded music, supporting the artists you
Photo courtesy Lex Land
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | FEATURE love, never goes unappreciated.” Once more, Land lends her elegant voice to the matter. “The best way to support an artist continues to be word-of-mouth,” she says. “If you love an artist, talk about them! Play the music in in your car while you have a friend with you, or bring them to a show. Word-of-mouth is now easier than ever with social media. You can share a post. You can send someone a free download link. Just “liking” or commenting on a post helps. Even the tiniest action can have a huge impact.” ‘Pastor’ Gioia has an overwhelming note of optimism. In his message, he delivers a definitive take on why music will ultimately triumph, and it must surely peal through the church, out the doors and into the city and state and world that surround it, cutting straight through the worry that has defined this crisis point – like a holy chorus. “Music is a change-agent,” he proclaims. “It makes our lives better. Music is not like other products and services. It’s not like the laundromat. It’s not like the gas station. We need those, but we don’t have the same intimate connection we do to those that we have to music. For many of us, music is part of our identity.” And, to a worried world of musicians and musical appreciators, that must surely sound like Hallelujah.
Lex Land
Photo courtesy The Nightowls
"Go to concerts," Harkrider says. "Buy records. Follow your favorite artists, venues, records stores, and recording studios and get involved with what they do."
Ryan Harkrider
50 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
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TEXAS LIFESTYLE | SIP & SAVOR
A Growing Family Year-round Texas gardening springs passion in Lockhart
By Britini Rachal
ith sprawling fields of bluebonnets and other colorful wildflowers, Texas is known for its natural beauty. But the same soil and climate that fuels springtime blooms, also helps some Texans bolster a less realized gem, the ability to grow food year-round. Milder temperatures and favorable southern weather are something a Lockhart family is reaping flavorful benefits from. Thanks to a year-round garden, rows of green regularly sprout from Julie and Chris Rorrer’s backyard. Gardening fruits and vegetables is an interest that first sparked while Julie was pregnant with their son, Grayson, now 11. Stripped, processed, preserved and packaged foods at supermarkets left the couple wondering where all the "actual food" was as they walked grocery aisles. Natural and organic food became a family priority. The self-taught Rorrers now grow 50% of what they eat. “We have a much longer growing season in Texas than a lot of people have access to,” said Chris, who recalled not-so-favorable conditions when the family lived in Virginia. “Some of the best growing we’ve done here has been during the winter.” Crisp leafy greens and spinach grow especially well during the Texas winter months. The family also takes advantage of longer harvesting seasons in the fall, which sometimes results in extra tomatoes. But gardening hasn’t come easily for the Rorrers. They’ve struggled and learned lessons along the way, including the importance of
52 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
having the best soil, as well as how rough the sweltering Texas sun can be on crops during the hottest summer months. “You have to build your soil,” explained Julie, who has the family’s soil tested each year. “You have to continuously compost, especially with the nutrient loss from the heat of the summer.” The Rorrers are also still learning how to deal with bugs, including finding natural solutions for ants and snails. “Texas bugs are bad. Some of them are intense,” said Julie. “We had 15 abundant okra plants. One day, ants came and within 48 hours, all our okra was gone.” To produce the largest and freshest crops, the family records everything they do in the garden. It’s a practice that led to a new product launched by the Rorrers in 2016. A dedicated garden planner and journal, Gardenkeepr, is a one-stop book for gardeners to keep records. From where crops are planted, to soil levels and which seeds are set aside for the next year, the Rorrers say documenting every detail is key for successful gardening. It’s a small secret to their success the family is happy to share. “Having everybody grow more food is awesome,” said Julie. “And, we love seeing kids gardening. Watching their faces when they grow their own food is pretty cool. If you can share that–that’s the best thing you can do.” Words of passion from a family that plans to increase their gardening even more by the end of 2017. GARDENKEEPR.COM
How To Grow Your Own Despite the obstacles, the Rorrers say gardening is worth it and something anyone can do, with a commitment of just a few hours each week. Good starter crops include carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, peas, broccoli and watermelon (a Rorrer family favorite). s Grow what you love to eat. s Don’t give up if things die. Pick a different spot and keep trying. s Get your soil as good as you possibly can.
Photos by Chris Rorrer
W
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | SIP & SAVOR
Jazz TAKES THE STAGE
Underground Music Making a Comeback
M
uffled conversation, clinking glasses, and a tune redolent of the melodic stroke of ivory keys send a whisper to the streets above the burrowed nightclub that is Jazz, TX. Bandleader Brent 'Doc' Watkins has reintroduced a musical heartbeat to the historic Pearl Brewery complex in San Antonio. The stage hosts a diversity of musical programming performed six out of seven nights each week, in the cellar of the space that was once the brewery's bottling house. The love and labor Watkins has poured into Jazz shines through, with its pitchperfect classic nightclub atmosphere. Turn an unmarked corner just off of the street to discover a cobblestone stairway leading to a faint neon glow and music wafting from below. In true underground club fashion, Jazz is something of a nightlife secret. With no brash branding on the exterior of the club, you'll find Jazz by its uniquely crafted logo. The combination of a sunset, a tuning fork and a spur together reflect both music and the concept's Texas roots.
By Cris Mueller
his high-quality Texas cuisine. (Don’t leave without trying the King Cowboy, a Texas-sized, country fried, bone-in pork chop.) Morales' business partner, Watkins, leads the musical programming. After earning a doctorate from the University of Texas, his friends took a liking to the 'Doc' nickname and, “the name just stuck," explains Watkins. At Jazz, you can witness Doc Watkins' musical talents that range from a six-piece New Orleans style band, to a trio, to a 12-piece big band that takes up every free inch of the stage, filling the underground space with energy. Under Watkins' guidance, Jazz also hosts Latin jazz, salsa, acoustic shows and more.
312 PEARL PKWY | SAN ANTONIO JAZZTX.COM
It’s more than a live music venue, Jazz has the makings of a real San Antonio destination.
Photos by CourtPie Studios
Just like the jazz club's of old, you can expect elegance and a full menu, with a uniquely Texas spirited twist. Bring your dancing friends and dancing shoes out to Jazz while you celebrate decades of musical history. Dress accordingly, and select your decadeappropriate cocktail to set the tone for your evening. Come early to sit down for a meal (staples include quail, country fried favorites and brisket) alongside the brass, the wailing vocals and the boogie taking place on stage. Lorenzo Morales, of Old Main Association, conducts the kitchen and remains in tune, with
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 53
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | JET SETTER
St. Croix Celebrates Centennial
Photography courtesy The Buccaneer Hotel
By Marika Flatt
54 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | JET SETTER
D
o you remember the final scene of the movie “Shawshank Redemption,” where he escapes to a beach with clear blue waters? That was filmed on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). That scene shows the bounteous natural beauty of this island, that many from the mainland escape to—either temporarily or permanently. St. Croix, which is only 28 miles long and 7 miles wide, celebrates its centennial this year, 2017; 100 years ago it became a territory of the U.S. Three islands comprise the USVI and St. Croix is known as the perfect island escape—not as commercial as St. Thomas and not as desolate as St. John. From Texas, fly to Miami and there are daily flights to St. Croix (STX). If you leave early enough, you can be sipping rum punch (it’s the home of Captain Morgan Rum) on the island by 3 p.m. (They are on EST and there are no problems using your cell phone or exchanging money.) St. Croix is also proud of hometown boy, former San Antonio Spurs player Tim Duncan.
There are only two towns on the island, Fredericksted and Christensted. The grand dame of Christiansted is The Buccaneer Resort, a “pretty in pink” Caribbean resort. The Buccaneer, which started out as an 11room inn, celebrates 70 years and has been family-owned (by the Armstrong family) since it opened. Guests are welcomed by owner Elizabeth Armstrong at the Tuesday night reception on the lawn by the old sugar mill. The expansive Caribbean views from The Buccaneer will take your breath away. The Great House sits atop a hill and there are guest quarters of many different types scattered along the hillside, all 138 with ocean views. From hotel rooms in The Great House to single-room beachfront rooms, two-bedroom suites above The Grotto, or even a fourbedroom Doubloons condo, you just can’t go wrong. And, if you’re feeling like a celebrityworthy splurge, you can rent the six-bedroom Buccaneer Beach House that overlooks the private Whistle Beach, for $12,000/week. We love the retro exterior of the property, and that the interiors have all been immaculately renovated.
Breakfast is included; you can enjoy a buffet at The Terrace or order off the secret menu—which doesn’t really exist, so you can ask for just about anything, including omelets and chocolate chip or blueberry pancakes. Lunch is offered poolside at The Grotto or beachside at The Mermaid outdoor restaurant (on Mermaid Beach). Dinner moves to a different onsite restaurant each night, which keeps it fresh, and reservations are required. Expect resort prices on food and beverage, but you’ll appreciate their fresh seafood—think mahimahi fresh off the boat, or fresh pasta such as handmade sweet potato-Gorgonzola ravioli or creamy chicken pappardelle. Nightly music entertainment at dinner is a nice touch and a great way to stretch this beach vacay into the evening hours. Read more about The Buccaneer Resort on the following page.
THEBUCCANEER.COM VISITUSVI.COM
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 55
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | JET SETTER
Complimentary when you stay at The Buccaneer: •
Snorkeling – Mermaid Beach touts some of the best snorkeling on the island. You’ll
feel like you’re swimming inside an aquarium, watching large schools of fish, sea turtles, and stingrays.
• • • • •
Stand-up paddle boarding – If you’re new to the sport, you’ll get a lesson at no
charge, then you can enjoy paddling between the navigational buoys at Mermaid Beach.
Kayaking – Look out for the free two-hour tours. Jogging – Take the trail over to remote Whistle Beach. The Hideaway Spa – It’s simple but just what you need to get you in vacay vibe.
Schedule a 50-minute massage to kick off liming (relaxing) on the island.
Golf – The resort’s 18-hole course boasts fairways with some of the most amazing Caribbean 'scapes. Plus, you’ll get to see iguanas and mongoose roaming around.
“We pledge to provide world-class service and to share our heritage, warmth and friendliness, ensuring that every visitor becomes an ambassador for St. Croix.” –The Buccaneer
Off-Property: •
Monk's Bath – Even some locals don’t know about this series of tide pools on the
western side of the island. Take a dip in the crystal blue water along these remote beaches. Then, stop at Rainbow Beach Bar & Grill for mahimahi tacos and cold Carib beer.
•
Mt. Pellier Hut Domino Club – This 30-something-year-old bar and grill
shack in the middle of the island’s rainforest showcases beer-drinking pigs! Purchase a cold
one for yourself and a few for the pigs (there were “two professionals and two amateurs”
when we visited, meaning two had been drinking for years and two youngsters just learning $3 to take video (taking still photos is free). Fun fact: the pigs used to drink Heineken but
were drunk by noon, so to keep them working all day (oh, and because of PETA), they now drink non-alcoholic O’Doul's.
• •
Point Udall – It’s the easternmost point of the U.S. Drive over to the point and walk
around the brick wall at this territorial tipping point.
The Deep End’s Thursday night disco bingo – This beach bar is just down
the road from The Buccaneer and offers a taco bar for just $10 and a TBT you won’t forget, mixing five games of bingo with a rockin’ DJ between games (disco to local Caribbean music).
56 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
Photography courtesy The Buccaneer Resort
the fine art of beer guzzling). Fees are $1 per person for viewing, $2/can of beer for the pigs,
KEYSTONE RESORT, COLORADO A Texan’s Playground
By Marika Flatt
K
eystone Resort was overrun with Texans when we visited their Kidtopia Extravaganza in December. Those of us wanting to see actual snow, feel real winter temps and hit the slopes flock to this resort, about 90 minutes from Denver. Most Texas airports have direct flights into Denver, where you can take the Colorado Mountain Express shuttle van to your snowy escape (prices vary per season). Keystone, founded by Max and Edna Dercum, is home to family-friendly ski slopes (especially atop Dercum Mountain), multiple restaurants, a wide array of accommodations, shopping and two unique villages. The resort is known for being a great family ski destination, with kid-focused activities abounding, the largest night skiing operation in Colorado (lifts don’t close at 4 p.m. like most ski resorts), and more reasonable pricing than other Colorado resorts.
Keystone’s signature Kidtopia program is celebrating its 5th year of existence, with more than 100,000 free kids’ lift tickets provided to families since the inception of the program in 2012. The program elevates any visit, with a variety of free daily family offerings throughout the winter and spring seasons, such as scavenger hunts, evening parades and fireworks, and the world’s largest snow fort atop Dercum Mountain. The program also includes designated family parking, enclosed gondola
THE KIDTOPIA MOUNTAINTOP SPECTACULAR, MARCH 5-11 Kids rule at Keystone every day of the year, but families won’t want to miss this week-long celebration of all things Kidtopia with special parades, fireworks displays, face painting, crafts and live outdoor music. Start your family’s spring break early and be a part of all the kid-centric festivities at the Kidtopia Experience, March 5-11.
If you rent a condo at Keystone, and especially if you won’t have your own vehicle, try the grocery delivery service Stocked Summit. Run by two young ladies, you can choose your list of groceries from options on their site or (what I recommend) you can email them your grocery list. I opted to choose items from their pre-selected choices, paid online and was greeted shortly after arrival with a kitchen full of groceries. We enjoy cooking a lot of our own meals on family trips, and there’s not a large grocery store within a reasonable distance, so this convenient service really paid off.
STOCKEDSUMMIT.COM
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 57
Photoby Ben Lindbloom
There are more than 3,000 acres of skiable terrain including three incredible peaks, five above-tree-line bowls, and the aforementioned night skiing. The resort is also home to the industry’s leading Kids Ski Free program. Kids 12 and younger can ski for free every day, all season long with just two or more nights of lodging booked through the resort, with no blackout dates. For families, this represents a significant discount.
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | JET SETTER
Photo by Jack Affleck
lifts (versus open air chair lifts) and red wagons to help parents tote gear (and tired kids) to and from the slopes—all helping make a visit to Keystone easier and hassle-free.
“The mountains are calling, and I must go.” —John Muir There are many types of accommodation to choose from, but we stayed in a three-bedroom, two-bath condo at The Dakota Lodge, part of River Run Village. The condo was an ideal size, with plenty of room to spread out, comfortable beds, a fireplace in the living area with a large dining table to seat many family members and a well-appointed kitchen. We loved the bench by the front door in an alcove for storing ski gear (with plenty of hooks hanging on the wall), which made it easy to undress and then re-layer each day. We also loved the easy access to the lodge’s two hot tubs and heated pool, just outside the back door. Must-Do Activities for Your Keystone Adventure Whether your family is new to skiing or you’re seasoned snow veterans, those looking to develop new skills, improve technique or explore the mountain (with a guide) can enjoy Keystone’s Family Private Lesson. Keystone is one of the few resorts that offer this type of lesson. In addition, we found it’s nice to be with someone who knows all the runs on your first day—takes the mapping out of the equation. Of course, they also offer the typical kids’ ski school too. Right outside our front door at Dakota Lodge is an ice rink that is hoppin’ until 8 p.m. Rent a pair of skates for $12-$15 and skate as long as you like. Even if you’re not a skater, you’ll enjoy watching the fun at the lit-up rink. Take the River Run Gondola up to the Kidtopia Snow Fort and play around, then head to Adventure Point, just steps away, and enjoy lanes of high-speed tubing action. A one-hour session (which is just enough time) costs $33/person and is a great snowy activity to check off your list. To cap off an evening of mountaintop adventure, ride two gondolas to Keystone’s North Peak, where Der Fondue Chessel offers an interactive dining experience for the family, complete with accordion-wielding musicians in lederhosen (the chicken dance is a nightly tradition), all at 11,640-feet elevation. Start your four-course meal with a cheese fondue and caesar salad, then enjoy bratwurst and potatoes, followed by grilling your own beef and chicken. End the culinary journey with milk or dark chocolate fondue. Plan to do this on a lighter day of skiing, because it lasts several hours into the evening and your kids will be tired. Jump on a sleigh and ride to Keystone Stables’ restaurant in an original and historic ranch homestead in Keystone’s Soda Creek Valley. We especially enjoyed the live music from Randall McKinnon, who’s been pickin’ his guitar there for decades. The hearty meal and free-flowing cabernet definitely warmed us up. There are a host of restaurants and pubs to enjoy in River Run Village, including the all-important Starbucks. During your ski day, grab lunch at The Summit House on Dercum Mountain for a convenient warm-up break. The prices are steep as the mountain but you can’t beat the convenience.
KEYSTONERESORT.COM
58 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
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plan to spend a few days in denver, enjoying a bustling city amid the rocky mountains.
STAY at the ultra mod The Art, a Hotel, in downtown Denver. It provides eye candy galore with its impressive art collection, which was given its own LLC, because it costs twice as much as the hotel! We loved the artistic touches in everything from the lit canopy above the half-circle drive to the wall drawing in the entryway by Sol Lewitt, to the coloring books for kids in the room. Everywhere you look, you’re greeted by modern art. Some of our favorite pieces are the lobby tapestry, “Industrial Strength Sleep” (which we did get at the hotel), an homage to the artist’s home of Chicago; “Otter,” a horse in the lobby made of riverbank driftwood found in the artist’s home state of Montana; the “Bottoms Up” chandelier created from four layers of glass drinkware, and art by Vance Kirkland, which he created while he lay suspended by slings over his canvas. EAT at The Art’s restaurant, Fire, where you can enjoy breakfast (try a real Denver omelet or a house-made smoothie), lunch or dinner, and don’t forget to have a cocktail during happy hour. Or, venture out into town to eat at a fun diner called Steuben’s Food Service, where you can fill up on comfort food favorites like meatloaf, chicken and waffles or their Wacky Burger (cornbread, patty and a black eye pea overture). Or, you can head over to Avanti F&B and choose from a selection of seven food vendors from Quiero Arapas (Venuzuelan) to Brava Pizzeria, to my favorite, Chow Morso, where I inhaled their house-made gnocchi with mushroom sauce. There’s a bar on each level so you can pair your chosen meal with a Colorado craft beer or wine. TOUR the beautiful Denver Botanic Gardens, just about a mile and a half from The Art hotel. Just behind The Art hotel is the Denver Art Museum. Through April, they offer “Star Wars and the Power of Costume,” a fascinating exhibit and storytelling of the design and method behind the creation of the actual main characters’ costumes in the Star Wars films. This is one museum you won’t have a hard time getting your kids to be excited about.
DENVER.ORG
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS
Out
Get
Spring is the perfect time to get outdoors, whether you’re cycling, jogging, skiing over spring break, or camping. Spring outside with these finds.
Handpicked by Marika Flatt and Sarah Bradley
LUMO RUN Want to improve your form this season? Then you need to know about Lumo Run, a wearable tracking device that clips onto the back of your shorts. It tracks metrics key to maintaining good running form (including cadence, bounce, rotation).
$99.99 | AMAZON.COM
THE INFINITE MONKEY THEOREM’S CANNED WINE Add this Austin-based beverage to your camping or picnic list. Available in red, white, rose, moscato and cider, this canned wine makes life easy because you don’t have to worry about bringing a glass bottle, wine opener or glassware.
RUNLITES® With built-in flashlights to keep you safe at night, these gloves allow you to see what is in front of you, not just be visible to others. They even include a pocket. We love the pink for cycling or jogging.
$34.99/HALF-LENGTH $39.99/FULL-LENGTH GORUNLITES.COM
$15/PACK | THEINFINITEMONKEYTHEOREM.COM
TAZA UNBREAKABLE WINE GLASSES Next time you pack your camping bag, throw in a few of these sturdy, stemless wine glasses. We love the grip. Take them on picnics, to the pool (no worries, they’re not glass) or to the beach.
$34.95/SET OF 4 | AMAZON.COM
NARVIK JACKETS Headed to the slopes? These sleek, solar powered, water resistant jackets for men and women are perfect for outdoor explorations, winter sports or even that cold snap. The Narvik red jacket is easy to spot on the slopes at Keystone.
$230| NARVIKWORKS.COM
FILSON SPRING APPAREL WEARSAFE TAG On a solo workout, this handy device could be a lifesaver. The sleek tag is the only wearable giving location data and live audio to friends and family—no matter where you are in the world.
TAG FREE, SERVICE $5/MONTH | WEARSAFE.COM
60 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
Few companies produce the quality of outdoor wear that Filson does. We love the Lightweight Alaskan Guide shirt and Twin Lakes sport shirt for their long sleeves. Going fly fishing? Get the Mesh Fly Fishing Strap Vest for fishing perfection.
$98/125/195 | FILSON.COM
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TEXAS LIFESTYLE | ROAD TRIP
Sage Hill Inn A Quiet Place We’re Wild About
By Marika Flatt and Colin Woods
W
ith sprawling fields of bluebonnets and other colorful wildflowers, Texas is known for its natural beauty. But the same soil and climate that fuels springtime blooms, also helps some Texans bolster a less realized gem, the ability to grow food year-round. Sage Hill Inn & Spa is close to Austin (30 miles from downtown), but might as well be hours away. Just outside of Kyle, and only about four miles from a convenience store, Sage Hill Inn sits on 88 acres above Onion Creek, and features two faux historic buildings (they were only built about 21 years ago but look like they could be from the early 1900s) and several cottages hidden in the Hill Country woods. There's a rustic feel about the place you can’t help but love. Great attention has been paid to small details in almost every area of the inn. From HGTV-style decorated bedrooms and spacious bathrooms to a Garden Spa that highlights
62 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
some of the best products of Texas (including the luxurious bath products made by General Manager Theis Raiford). This is where you’ll find the relaxation you’ve been looking for. Sage Hill Inn has 16 rooms that include onebedroom inn suites, a few private cottages and even a three-bedroom home. In the inn rooms, there’s lots of space to stretch out and enjoy your fireplace, relaxing porch, and the incredible scenery of the Hill Country. Their sunsets are spectacular and, because the night sky is unimpaired by big city lights, you can enjoy a sweeping view of the stars. When it comes to food, Sage Hill will give you your fill. Each stay comes with a full hot breakfast and a three-course dinner prepared with fresh, local farm-to-table ingredients (there are five garden plots on property for produce and in-room flower arrangements). Dinner changes every night and you can view the week’s menu online. We started out
with a choice of hearty beef and vegetable stew or a wedge salad; then moved on to choose between a prime New York strip and a chicken pot pie. Our final choice was between a toasted almond torte and molten chocolate cake. You can purchase beer or wine with dinner or bring your own for just a $10 corkage fee.
Taking a Walk on the Wild( flower) Side Sage Hill Inn has many relaxing amenities, including a pool deck with hot tub, the Garden Spa, a bocce ball court, two horseshoe pits, and a large outdoor fire pit. (Perfect for relaxing under the stars, after dining al fresco on the patio.) In the Garden Spa (which is located in the garden), you'll find fresh local honey (tapped that day from the onsite hive) being used for spa treatments and local Austin music
The property has miles of hiking and biking trails to explore, including the Overlook, 80 feet above Onion Creek, as well as endless (and stunning) views of the hills surrounding the inn. During the spring, wildflowers abound.
See our Facebook Live videos from Sage Hill Inn to hear about their doors, which came from an old church in Louisiana and Mexican jail bars. A few other things we love about Sage Hill Inn are their homemade Innergy bars. Just grab one from the dining area. Headed out for a hike? Help yourself to water bottles and hiking sticks by the trailhead.
Nearby
Other Activities
Wimberley – 15 minute drive Wimberley Glassworks – 15 minute drive Duchman Family Winery – 8 minute drive Driftwood Vineyard – 22 minute drive
Swim or tube in the San Marcos, Guadalupe, Comal, and Blanco rivers – all within 45 minutes of Sage Hill.
For Golfers
Plum Creek 10 minutes away, with driving range, putting green, and 18-hole championship course. Quicksand at Woodcreek 15 minutes away in Wimberley, with narrow fairways challenging you to hit it straight.
Hiking
Hamilton Pool Preserve A beautiful natural pool, located in a box canyon, 30 miles north of the inn. A quarter-mile hike down into the canyon brings you to 100-foot Cypress trees lining the creek. At the end of the canyon, there is a 50-foot waterfall that pours down into the pool year round. Swimming is allowed at certain times of the year and there is a small sandy beach.
Texas Ski Ranch Wakeboarding, skate park and more. No boat required. A cableway carries wakeboarders, skiers and kneeboarders Helicopter Tours of Texas, based in New Braunfels, 35 miles south of the inn. Bear Creek Stables Horseback riding located just outside of Buda, about 20 minutes from the inn. Davis Fly Fishing Service A guide-based excursion specializing in Hill Country trout and river bass. (Also offers float trips on the Blanco, Llano, San Marcos and Guadalupe rivers.) Skydive San Marcos, about 25 minutes away. Bel Canto Farms in Wimberley offers horseback riding lessons and trail rides.
Spring 2017 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 63
Photography courtesy Sage Hill Inn & Spa
playing during treatments. Monday through Wednesday, day guests come out to have a spa treatment, enjoy the property and have lunch (reservations needed).
Sage Hill Inn & Spa sits right in the middle of the Hill Country wine region. The world-famous Salt Lick BBQ (celebrating its 50th anniversary this year) is a short drive away, as are the San Marcos Outlet Malls. You’ll feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle but be able to drive there in no time.
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | REVIEWS
Tacos of Texas By Gabi De La Rosa
T
wo writers, a photographer and a filmmaker hit the road on a six-week mission to map out the tacos of Texas. What came of their trip was the book The Tacos of Texas (University of Texas Press, 2016), a compilation of mouthwatering photos from Houston-based photographer Marco Torres, taco recipes from all over Texas and insight into Tex-Mex culture. Mando Rayo and Jarod Neece co-authored the book, and we sat down with Rayo to talk about...tacos. Texas Lifestyle Magazine: What came first: your taco tracking or the book idea?
Traditional Fish Tacos,complete with pickled onions & avocado.
Mando Rayo: Tacos! Growing up along the border in El Paso, tacos were a staple food— I was born with a tortilla in my hand. My grandma, my aunts and my mom always made tacos, so that’s what I’ve always known. Food writing came later and, eventually, there was the taco book. TLM: Why is the taco a good representation of Mexican/ Mexican-American culture and tradition? MR: Tacos were here before Texas was Texas, so there is definitely the Mexican influence, but we made our own food group, so now there is Tex-Mex. That is the really cool thing about tacos – they are constantly evolving, and there are regional differences.
Tacos served at La Guadalupana restaurant in Houston.
TLM: What was it like spending six weeks on a taco road trip? MR: We visited 10 different cities and drove over 7,000 miles without leaving Texas. We chose “Taco Ambassadors” for each city. The best thing was that we ate at a lot of mom and pop restaurants that aren’t on Yelp or Facebook – you just hear about them by word-of-mouth. Those are the best.
MR: In theory, we ate tacos three times a day, but actually it was more like 10 times, because in each city we had to try five or six different places. I never got tired of eating tacos, but I did get really full. TLM: Did you enjoy the tacos or the interviews more? MR: The interviews were better than the tacos - from talking to people
across the state, I learned about all the heart and love that people put into their food. That made the tacos taste even better.
TACOSOFTEXAS.COM
64 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
Salsa accompaniment is a must for most Texas tacos.
Tacos are such a popular food that entire festivals are dedicated to them. Chances are, there is one in a city near you. Houston and Dallas both have large Tacolandia Festivals held in the fall, where popular taco trucks and chefs from well-known restaurants gather to serve up their fare.
Photography courtesy Marco Torres
TLM: How many tacos into the trip before you were craving something else?
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Misty Hill
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TEXAS LIFESTYLE | REVIEWS
Three in a series of images taken at Turkey Bend showing Laurel Daniel's six-step process of creating "Spring Bloom," a 9" x 12" oil on panel, now in a private collection.
Step 1.
Step 3.
I establish the composition of my painting with a simple sketch in a neutral pigment. I will be building the whole painting on top of this sketch.
Moving to the lighter elements, I focus on the ground plane (everything parallel to the sky). I begin with the road and lay in passages of color that will travel from foreground to background.
Step 6.
When all the elements of the painting are working well together, I am finally ready to add nuance and a bit of detail. At this stage, the personality of the painting is solidified.
Spring Colors Inspiring Art exas artist Laurel Daniel gains inspiration from painting outdoors, with her larger studio work greatly influenced by her plein air work. (“En plein air” is French for “in open air”). As the Texas wildflowers put on their annual display, we asked Daniel to describe how she captures nature's beauty.
parts first, move to the mid-tones next, and save the lightest bits till last.
Most en plein air works are completed in a single painting session; they are painted outdoors on location and are characterized by the bold use of color, design and the freshness of paint application. For me, it also represents the “adventure" side of painting.
It is my plein air work that gets me outside, into all kinds of settings, studying and learning from nature. I discover new challenges every time.
Whenever I make a painting, I break the process down into a few basic steps. In general, I work "dark to light", meaning I start with the darkest
LAURELDANIEL.COM DAVISGALLERYAUSTIN.COM ANDERSONFINEARTGALLERY.COM
66 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Spring 2017
I also work "simple to complex," meaning I begin with large, simplified shapes. I analyze what I see and practice delayed gratification, as [my technique] requires me to hold off any detail work until the very end.
“Plein Air Southwest Salon” Outdoor Painters Society April 8-May 15 Southwest Gallery 4500 Sigma Rd | Dallas SWGALLERY.COM
Photography by Cindy Debold
T
By Julie Tereshchuk
#FoodieFriday
Now We Are Five!
#TravelTuesday
Houston’s Latest Millionaire
Forged from an old print shop on Austin’s hopping South Lamar (SoLa), Eberly is a collection of dining, drinking and thinking spaces featuring contemporary American cuisine, a rooftop patio and the legendary Cedar Tavern bar. Named for an 1800’s local innkeeper, Eberly warrants exploration from early morning to late night.
Photo courtesy Sonesta Bee Cave
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Sonesta Bee Cave, a chic boutique hotel property just outside of Austin, is set amid the beautiful Hill Country. With wineries just a short drive away, this destination is ideal for a quick getaway. And, listen on Thursdays to the statewide NPR show "Texas Standard" for our #WeekendTripTip to hear more.
The Battle of San Jacinto
With hundreds of actor s, cannons, horses and fireworks, the largest battle reenactment in Texas is the exciting centerpiece of the April 22nd San Jacinto Day Festival. Admission-free and held on the grounds of the stirring San Jacinto Monument, it recreates the events leading up to Texas winning its independence from Mexico 181 years ago. .
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In a free celebration on April 8, the fifth annual San Antonio Book Festival again brings books to life in a fun day of literary entertainment. Family activities include children’s theater perfor mances, a technology area, interactive play and art stations, and a selection of the city’s famous food trucks.
Interested in a graffiti tile wall created by the popular European artist Banksy in one of your guest bathrooms? Then check out the new 8,450 square-foot, $4.9 million home in Memorial, designed by George Allen Cole. We’re going behind the scenes to bring you the details of this stunner.
Dallas Designer Sarah White
Be sure to catch us online to learn more about Dallas-based accessories designer Sarah White. For over 25 years, White has designed intuitive products, managed renowned design teams and built well-known brands, such as Fossil. Now this savvy female entrepreneur has launched her own thoughtful collection.
Photo courtesy KEY Concierge
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | WEB EXTRAS
TEXAS TEXAS LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE || A A BETTER BETTER TEXAN TEXAN
WHO I AM
COLETTE PIERCE BURNETTE As told to Leeza Dennis
Dr.
Colette Pierce Burnette is not only the first female president of Austin's Huston-Tillotson University, but she is also an avid advocate for education and opportunity. Devoted to her core to student excellence, this Texas transplant is surely a force to be reckoned with. I am an urban girl, born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. My father was a part of the great migration north, moving from Mississippi with a 6th grade education. My mother was born and raised in Cleveland, earning her high school diploma and marrying young.
professional football. (Go, Seahawks!) I love The Ohio State University, my undergraduate alma mater. I love love.
My parents are two of the smartest people I know. They came of
I am humble, yet easily turn into a fearless tiger when necessary.
I am still growing. I am a proud and doting mother. I am the military wife of a retired Air Force Officer. I am a transparent and committed servant leader. My very best friend is my sister. I am blessed to have found the yin to my yang to keep me balanced.
I have learned over the years that two things change people - a broken
heart and an opened mind. My heart was broken at Ohio State, and my mind was opened in many ways. Studying engineering there is the one chapter in my life that I would do all over again in exactly the same way.
My goal is to create a culture of excellence. My indefatigable commitment to Historically Black Colleges
I am a feminist who believes that chivalry is not dead and welcomes it.
and Universities is rooted in my passion for their continuing necessary mission to provide access to high quality higher education for traditionally marginalized populations.
I love and need beautiful shoes. I love Delta Sigma Theta and
What motivates me? My students.
am a high maintenance Delta Diva and all that that means. I love
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HTU.EDU
Photo courtesy Huston-Tillotson University
age when opportunities for African-Americans to pursue higher education were sparse or non-existent. I was the first in my family to go to college. I can’t thank my family enough for instilling in me a love of learning, grit, resilience, and a warrior I-can-doanything spirit.
BeyoncĂŠ and Jay Z. Yes. I am a groupie.
TEXAS LIFESTYLE | A BETTER TEXAN
WHO I AM
PAT DAHNKE Pat
As told to Julie Bonnin
The first rodeo I remember going to was the Lyons County rodeo in Emporia, Kansas. I was learning to knit, and in second grade, and I won second prize for one of my little scarves. I started learning the women’s wear business because
my now ex-husband was a dress salesman. In 1969, we moved to Houston and began selling samples. A little later, we opened three stores, which we operated for 22 years. Designing clothing was my salvation. In 1985, I had a
series of personal tragedies, including the loss of my 2-year-old son to cancer. I’d gotten divorced and had no money. It brought me to my knees, and sewing, especially late at night, became my salvation.
My clothes are all made in America. We converted barns into a cutting room, sewing room, dye areas, a shipping area and a gathering place for our employees. They take pride in the beauty, quality and design of each piece. Why is my approach to western wear popular? I've always
thought that the cowgirl look should be very feminine—something that inspires the cowboy to lift the hay bale without her having to ask.
Photo courtesy Pat Dahnke
Dahnke has been outfitting women in romantic western wear perfect for rodeos and other Texas shindigs for decades. Operating with four seamstresses from an idyllic horse ranch near Waller, Dahnke and her daughter “raise clothing and horses,” she says. Unlike some of the women who dress up in her fanciful fashions that are dripping with ruffles, fringe and other flourishes, she is a real deal cowgirl, nominated to the Texas Cowgirl Hall of Fame. That said, she’s all about flattering the female shape and embodying an old-school, feminine approach to dressing.
Designing has taught me that every woman wants to look tall,
thin and rich.
One of my best-loved designs is a removable leather applique
collar to go over a silk blouse, a coat, anything. It stays put but, because it’s removable, you don’t have to take your blouse or coat to the cleaner so often.
I’m proud of being chosen as a Guest Designer at the Dallas Market Center in August. My favorite place is my ranch. I pull into the drive and I can
feel the layers of stress coming off my shoulders. I get a lot of inspiration from the sunrise and sunset, the beauty of nature. It’s very peaceful out here.
I love mowing. my ranch. I pull into the drive and I can feel the
layers of stress coming off my shoulders. I get a lot of inspiration from the sunrise and sunset, the beauty of nature. It’s very peaceful out here. DESIGNSBYPAT.COM
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leather like never before TM
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