Texas Lifestyle Winter 2016

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WINTER 2016

Robert

DUVALL

Tied to Texas: 30 Years After Lonesome Dove

Downtown Cowtown’s Reboot: Sundance Square p. 12 Preservation & Innovation at King Ranch p. 20 Inside Golf: The Changing Face of the Game p. 36 Fresh Eyes on the Alamo p. 50 Jet Setter: Arise in Arizona; Sedona & Phoenix p. 58 Road Trip: San Antonio’s Mokara & Omni La Mansion p. 62

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CONTENTS Winter 2016 6

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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LIVING TEXAS

COVER CREDIT: Nate Smith

Austin 8 Dallas 10

Fort Worth 12 Houston 16

San Antonio 19 Terlingua 24

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STYLE

Upcycle Your Look 28 The New Cowboy Standard 32

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A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS

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ROUGHING IT

Golf Then and Now

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HABITAT

The ‘Hood Reboots 38 Not Just Any Door 41

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ON THE COVER

Robert Duvall By Daniel Ramirez

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FEATURE

Fresh Eyes on San Antonio’s Missions

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SIP & SAVOR

Midnight Rambler, A Craft Cocktail Salon 54 Whole Hog Dining at CBD Provisions 55 Argentina in Austin 56

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JET SETTER

Arise in Arizona: Push the Reset Button in Sedona & Phoenix

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ROAD TRIP

San Antonio Sisters by the Numbers: Omni La Mansion Del Rio & Mokara

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REVIEWS

Putting the Serve Back into Customer Service 66 No Baggage: A Minimalist’s Tale 67 The Relatives Revive the Funk 68

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A BETTER TEXAN

Cook Hall’s Vijay Sadhu

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On the Cover

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Letter

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“From the old comes the new.” That’s a comment I heard recently from a friend vacationing in London. While Europeans are known for their ability to blend the new with the preservation of historic places, that has often not been the case here in Texas.

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We’re celebrating success stories such as Fort Worth’s revitalized downtown Sundance Square, Houston’s Buffalo Bayou urban park, and Austin’s Rainey Street. Plus, we have an exclusive in-depth look at the new face of a true Texas icon, the Alamo.

Talking of icons, highly acclaimed and indomitable Robert Duvall graces our cover this month. Duvall, though not a native Texan, has taken on the traits that we’re proud to claim as full-on Lone Star. He prompts us to ask real questions - What is it like to conquer obstacles?

To be relevant over time? (Can you believe it’s been 30 years since Lonesome Dove?) And Duvall is certainly timeless, with seven Academy Award nominations, four Golden Globes, a BAFTA, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy under his belt. His fierce and fearless talent has ensured his place not only in the history of film, but forever in the cultural fabric of Texas.

Speaking of the cultural fabric of Texas, this month we explore San Antonio’s historic and timeless Mokara Hotel and Spa, famous for its River Walk real estate and its ability to revitalize all who enter. Our travels also take us to the skies as jet-setting Travel Editor Marika Flatt inspires us to arise in Arizona.

Let’s rejuvenate, refresh and renew in Texas Lifestyle’s first issue of 2016 !

Julie Tereshchuk EDITOR-IN-CHIEF julie@texaslifestylemag.com

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PUBLISHERS Shawn K. Lively and Doug Flatt EDI TOR IA L TEAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Julie Tereshchuk

CREATIVE DIRECTOR TRAVEL EDITOR STYLE EDITOR

Nick Bailey

ASSOCIATE EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS

Joshua Banks

Marika Flatt

Edith Henry

ONLINE EDITOR

However, we’re now noticing a significant trend toward ‘upcycling,’ which is why, for Winter 2016, we present our ‘Texas Reboots’ issue.

E

Daniel Ramirez

Nancy Miller Barton, Clint Brewer, David Brown, Autumn Rhea

Carpenter, Rita Cook, Samantha Cook, Sara D’Spain, Leeza Dennis, Sarah Doliver, Hannah M. Hepfer, Paxton Kelly, Jacob Kluger, Mike Kordell, Jessica Newman, Nan Palermo, Courtney Pierce, Rasy Ran, Margaret Richards, Robert A. Rodriguez, Gabi De la Rosa, Lydia Saldaña, Shelley Seale, E.A. Shumate, Nick Simonite, Zach Smith, Peter Tung, Guillaume de Vaudrey ART & PRODUCTION WEB DESIGN

Sundaram Design

SALES & MARKETING Shawn Lively ADVERTISING, JOBS & INTERNSHIPS INFO@TEXASLIFESTYLEMAG.COM

SUBSCRIPTIONS SUBSCRIPTIONS@TEXASLIFESTYLEMAG.COM

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 ©

NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY With a tradition as old as Texas, New York Life has been honoring and protecting what matters most; your family.

New York Life Austin General Office 6200 Bridgepoint Parkway Building 4, Suite 300 Austin, Texas 78730 512-329-4201

LIVING TEXAS | AUSTIN

Austin’s always changing. And Rainey Street, with its bars, restaurants, food trucks and now hotels, is no exception. Yet, this once sleepy street tucked beside the interstate and the lake, still has the quirky vibe that attracted its original developer, bar owner Bridget Dunlap, a decade or so ago.

Rainey Street’s rejuvenation has come largely through repurpose and reuse, from old clapboard houses to shipping containers turned bad ass bar. And, as these unblinking images show, it is still very much a work in progress.

Yet, pause with us for a moment and you’ll also see there’s an increasing juxtaposition of quirky with shiny, new Rainey Street.

Photography by Sarah Doliver * Words by Julie Tereshchuk

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LIVING TEXAS | AUSTIN

Longtime, ever-popular Rainey St. residents include: JAVELINA javelinabar.com G’RAJ MAHAL CAFE & LOUNGE grajmahalaustin.com BANGER’S SAUSAGE HOUSE & BEER GARDEN bangersaustin.com ICENHAUER’S icenhauers.com CONTAINER BAR austincontainerbar.com

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LIVING TEXAS | DALLAS

Plano’s Upper Crust:

URBAN CRUST

By Doug Flatt

Urban Crust, located in historic downtown Plano in the 1896 W. R. George building, centers around a custom-built woodburning oven, designed to be the largest in the Metroplex. The original life of the building, a harness and saddle establishment, has been reinvented by the introduction of a hip, urban restaurant and bar concept brought to Plano’s eastside neighborhood.

But it’s not all about the pie at Urban Crust. Head up to the top floor where you’ll find a rooftop ice bar. At the aptly named 32 Degrees Bar, select draft beers are served at 32 degrees and liquor shots at 5 degrees, a hit in any season.

1006 E 15TH ST | PLANO urbancrust.com

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CREDITS: (BAR, EGG DISH, GREENS & CURED MEAT PIZZA) Doug Flatt, (PIZZA SLICES) Nan Palmero, (ALL OTHERS) Urban Crust

It’s the roaring wood-burner that gives the Urban Crust signature taste to its artisan crafted pizza, as well as to its choice steaks and seafood.

LIVING TEXAS | DALLAS

Scardello Artisan Cheese

Helping North Texans Appreciate Handmade Cheese One Block at a Time

By E.A. Shumate

Rich Rogers loves selling cheese and talking about cheese. But even more than that, he loves teaching people about how to enjoy cheeses from around the world.

Rogers is the owner of Scardello Artisan Cheese in Dallas’ Uptown neighborhood. (There’s also a second location at Dallas Farmers’ Market.) Named for Rogers’ grandfather, Peter Scardello, this cut-toorder cheese shop offers about 150 handcrafted cheeses from Europe and the United States, including roughly 17 cheeses handmade in Texas.

The enthusiastic cheesemonger carefully selects the cheeses available at Scardello.

“When a new one comes in, we call it ‘Cheese Christmas,’” Rogers said, explaining how his staff excitedly unwraps and samples new shipments. “With handmade cheese, there are differences in every wheel, so we’re always interested to taste it.”

Artisan and farmstead cheeses both involve a human factor that is largely removed from mass-produced cheese. This, combined with differences encountered in the cheese-making process – for example, the type of food the milk-producing animal was eating during the time of year the cheese was made – results in differences in flavor from one batch to the next.

What about the customer who isn’t familiar with selecting the “right” cheese? Scardello offers a variety of cheese classes to help customers understand differences in cheese type, pairing it with food and beverages, and more. Private classes are also available for parties of 14 or more.

“My favorite class to teach is Cheese 101,” Rogers said, explaining that he taught his first class at the store in 2008 and enjoys the interaction with guests as they sample each offering.

CREDIT: Scardello Artisan Cheese

Participants in the Cheese 101 class receive a cheese board and glass of wine at the beginning of the class, as well as a program that explains a little about each of the 16 cheeses they’ll be sampling. The board also contains a few accompaniments (dried fruit, nuts, honey, etc.) that are paired with a specific cheese sample. This allows the participant to experience different flavors brought out when sampling a cheese first alone and then with, for example, a piece of chocolate.

Other Scardello classes teach guests about pairing cheese with wines from specific regions around the world, other foods, champagne and beer. Throughout the year, the cheese shop offers special classes and a popular fondue dinner is offered monthly in which guests enjoy fondue paired with salami, bread and fruit along with a salad and handmade chocolates. Staying true to the shop’s Lone Star State roots, Scardello has classes in pairing Texas wine and cheese and Texas beer and cheese.

3511 OAK LAWN AVE | DALLAS scardellocheese.com

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CREDITS: All photos courtesy of Sundance Square

LIVING TEXAS | FORT WORTH

Fort Worth’s Sundance Square Melds Modern Urban Design with Western History

By Lydia Saldaña

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LIVING TEXAS | FORT WORTH

In the late 1800s, downtown Fort Worth was a favorite stop for rowdy cowboys returning to Texas after driving cattle along the Chisholm Trail. With money in their pockets, they caroused in an area that came to be known as “Hell’s Half Acre,” filled with saloons, gambling halls and other establishments with shady reputations. Outlaws, including Harry Alonzo Longabaugh, better known as the Sundance Kid, hung out here, along with his notorious partner in crime, Butch Cassidy.

In the early 1900s, civilizing influences in Fort Worth and beyond took hold, and the worst excesses of the Old West were tamed. Hell’s Half Acre faded into the annals of history as the 20th century progressed. Like many downtown areas in the United States, by the late 1970s, as freeways and suburbs became the norm, Fort Worth’s downtown was derelict. After 5:00 p.m., when the high-rise office community called it a day, businesses shuttered and downtown streets were deserted.

Enter the Bass Family, among Fort Worth’s most prominent citizens.

They led the effort to transform their hometown’s city center, starting with a major hotel (now the Renaissance Worthington), two office towers and restored commercial buildings along Main Street. Building by building and block by block, they purchased, refurbished and repurposed it all. It’s one of the largest privately-held downtown sectors in the country. The district is named Sundance Square to honor its colorful history.

The transformation has been 30 years in the making, and the most recently completed feature, Sundance Square Plaza, has become its centerpiece. The expansive 55,000 square-foot plaza is a gathering place for locals and tourists alike, and features a performance stage, huge retractable umbrellas and fountains, flanked by an eye-catching mural that depicts the cattle drives of yesteryear.

restaurants, entertainment, retail, office, and residential elements.

Performing arts venues include the architecturally significant Bass Performance Hall, Circle Theatre and Jubilee Theatre, North Texas’ original AfricanAmerican theatre company. The district has become a model of urban planning done right and the 10 million visitors each year attest to the many awards the development has garnered over the last few years.

“Since the very beginning, this project has been designed to be a catalyst for downtown’s rebirth,” said Johnny Campbell, who has been chief executive officer of the project since 2001. “People want to live and work here, and that’s a testament to the visionary planning that took place at the very beginning.

We’ve been an urban laboratory and what we’ve done here shows that adaptive reuse works.”

MAIN STREET | FORT WORTH sundancesquare.com

Today, Sundance Square encompasses 35 city blocks, featuring turn-of-the-century buildings and brick-lined streets filled with

Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 13

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LIVING TEXAS | HOUSTON

Trans forming HTX

One Park at a Time Nearly 200 Acres of Green Space Added to Houston’s Landscape

By Gabi De la Rosa CREDIT: David Brown

I have a theory that Houston suffers from low self-esteem; it is not as posh as its DFW

neighbors to the north, lacks the nightlife and crunchiness of Austin and, it doesn’t have the rich Tex-Mex history of San Antonio. I decided to test my theory in a crowded bar in downtown Houston where I asked people what the first thing that came to mind was when they thought about the city. The answers were varied: traffic, concrete, bayou, highways, J.J. Watt, and food were some of the top replies, but no one mentioned parks, green space or outdoors.

Houston is still seen as a cement city, despite the fact that, according to a study by The Trust for Public Land, it rates first among the nation’s 10 most populous cities in total acreage of parkland (56,405 acres) and ranks first in Texas for total acres of parkland. Buffalo Bayou Partnership is leading the charge to change that, however, and has

CREDIT: (LEFT) Buffalo Bayou Partnership, (RIGHT) David Brown

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spent millions of dollars transforming the 160-acre Buffalo Bayou Park into a first-rate Houston destination.

Enhancements to the park began in 2012 with a team that was focused on not only improvements to the area, but also restoration, reuse, and making the park accessible to a diverse community. “Our belief is that projects like Buffalo Bayou will not just add acreage but elevate access and experiences for city residents. Projects like [this] begin to showcase how we can still utilize these waterways through smart design that works with nature,” said Scott McCready, principal and landscape architect with SWA, the firm that helped design Buffalo Bayou Park.

Picnicking under a beautiful tree or in a wildflower meadow is now possible at Buffalo Bayou Park, because invasive plant species and 50% of mowed grass have been removed and replaced with native wildflower meadows and nearly 14,000 native trees. Designers also reclaimed a

LIVING TEXAS | HOUSTON

CREDIT: (LEFT) Buffalo Bayou Partnership, (RIGHT) Courtesy of Buffalo Bayou Park – photo by Tom Fox/SWA

four-acre abandoned City of Houston water system site and turned it into The Water Works at Sabine Street where you can rent a bike, grab a bite from local food trucks or watch a performance in the open-air Hobby Family Pavilion. You can also visit “The Cistern,” which was built in 1927 as the City of Houston’s first underground drinking water reservoir. Abandoned for decades, it will now be one of the features of the park with temporary art and lighting installations.

One of the most visually striking examples of the park’s improvements is Lost Lake. What was once an abandoned water structure filled with trash and inhabited by weeds is now a beautiful area surrounded by wetland gardens with benches and tables. It is near one of two visitors centers where you can rent kayaks, stop to use the restroom or grab a drink or bite to eat at The Kitchen at the Dunlavy, where the food is both seasonal and locally sourced. You might love Lost Lake so much that you want to host a party there; you can do that too at The Dunlavy,

which is a large multi-purpose private event space overlooking Lost Lake.

Bike, walk, or run along the miles of separated pedestrian and biking trails connected by a series of pedestrian bridges which have turned the park into an easy to navigate loop. Little ones will have fun at the Barbara Fish Daniel Nature Play area which has water and sand play areas, slides, a stream, climbing areas and a three-story tree house and boat deck. Four-legged friends will have a blast at the two-acre Johnny Steele Dog Park. Spacious and shady, it has large and small dog areas with ponds, plenty of room to run, and dog-washing stations.

Buffalo Bayou Partnership has succeeded in getting people off the freeways and out of their homes to fully experience what a green space in Houston can offer. We don’t have to worry about Houston’s self-esteem any longer; it is obvious that Buffalo Bayou Park has turned Houston into one of the #coolkids at the party. buffalobayou.org

CREDIT: (LEFT & RIGHT) David Brown

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LIVING TEXAS | HOUSTON

by Paxton Kelly

Houston’s Livestock Show and Rodeo by the Numbers

1 8 55 110 423 455 75,357 2,483,193 2.1 million 2.4 million

The first Houston Fat Stock Show was held in the Democratic Convention Hall at Sam Houston in 1938. The show changed its name in 1961.

In 1990, eight members of the Economic Summit of Industrialized Nations attended a special rodeo.

Among the guests: President George H.W. Bush and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Kids ages 5 and 6, who weigh less than 55 pounds, are eligible for the crowd favorite Mutton Bustin’ race.

pounds of bacon were fried and dipped in chocolate at the 2015 rodeo. 11,000 dipped and deep-fried cookie doughs on a stick were also purchased. You can’t attend the Houston Rodeo and not purchase a deep-fried bite!

Texas high school graduates were awarded more than $7.5 million in scholarships in 2015.

In 2015, 22 lambs, 18 calves and 47 piglets were born in the Birthing Center, along with 455 eggs hatched in the poultry exhibit.

2013 attendance total exceeded the population of the city of Houston.

Average annual volunteer hours it takes to pull off the Houston Rodeo.

››››› The 2016 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs March 1 - 20.

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carnival rides ridden in 2015.

rodeohouston.com

CREDITS: All photos courtesy of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

The highest concert attendance ever was March 15, 2015 for La Arrolladora Banda El Limon and La Maquinaria Nortena in celebration of “Go Tejano Day.”

LIVING TEXAS | SAN ANTONIO

The Pearl of San Antonio Sparkles Again San Antonio’s historic Pearl a fitting home for Southerleigh’s fine food and brews

by Sara D’Spain

One of San Antonio’s most loved icons is the repurposed Pearl Brewery. It’s worth your time to spend an evening strolling through, noticing every detail of old-turned-new, like ammonium tanks repurposed as planters, or artistic walls of rusted chains.

In the spirit of preservation, Southerleigh is now serving dinner and brewing craft beer in the original building that made Pearl one of the largest breweries in Texas back in the early 1900s. To step into Southerleigh is to take a step back in time, as you can sit in the main dining hall with a view of second story brewing tanks, or the private party room housed in one of the original grain silos.

A simple bar sits center at Southerleigh, with a tarnished mirror as the backdrop to amber bottles, glassware, and around 20 different beer taps. Windows reach clear to the second story, allowing the twinkling of lit trees outside to reach in, complementing the understated beauty of raw materials within.

Less is more at this eatery when it comes to décor. However, the menu reflects every detail that goes into planning daily food options that balance impressive ingredients with a definitive comfort food vibe. Chef Jeff Balfour has a menu that changes seasonally, and sometimes daily, along with beer that recently earned awards at the Great American Beer Festival.

CREDITS: All photos courtesy of Nick Simonite

General Manager Philippe Place says one of the most unique parts of running Southerleigh is the frequent visits from former Pearl employees.

That’s given Place and Chef Balfour a strong desire to do the Pearl justice in this culinary passing of the baton.

To experience the remarkable scale of the historic brewery, wander under the original iron staircase, past storage barrels through which the new attached hotel is visible. You’ll find a hall where the Pearl’s story is depicted in simple black and white images. It begins in 1890, as the home of the then San Antonio Brewing Association. There’s Otto Koehler, who became manager in 1910, and his wife Emma, who took over after his death. It wasn’t until 1958 that the name was changed to Pearl Brewing Co., named after the San Antonio Brewing Association’s bestselling brew.

For your next visit, choose a California Common beer. Pair that with an appetizer of fried snapper throat followed by sirloin topped with shrimp butter (add a side of Gulf crab mac ‘n cheese). Finish in style with their pear tart with almond crème and chai ice cream.

136 E GRAYSON | SUITE 120 | SAN ANTONIO southerleigh.com

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LIVING TEXAS | STATEWIDE

KING RANCH

By Gabi De la Rosa

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A Modern Day Piece of Texas History

In times when Texas land has been parceled up and sold to the highest bidder, divided by families, or ravaged by oil and gas exploration, it is rare to find ranches that have remained unscathed.

King Ranch, one of the scarce exceptions, has managed to keep its land holdings intact and lives on as an oasis of pristine south Texas ranch land. The ranch, located in Kingsville, is larger than the state of Rhode Island with a staggering 825,000 acres that has remained in the family since the time of the Mexican Land Grants in the mid-1800s.

The King Ranch legacy began with Richard King, who was born in Manhattan and stowed away on a ship headed south. Ultimately, he made his way to south Texas where he fell in love with not only the land but also his bride, Henrietta. They made their life on the ranch, where seven generations of the King family eventually lived. The ranch celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2003 and this year marks 100 years since the grand Main House was completed.

Today, the working ranch is outfitted with all the modern conveniences, but you still can’t help feeling as though you are stepping into a part of history. Scanning the horizon, you will see only land that belongs to the family, but it still may be hard to grasp what a significant role the King Ranch continues to play in Texas and even across the nation.

It has a diversified agri-business to feed livestock, but also grows cotton, grains, citrus fruit and milo. King Ranch is also known internationally for Santa Gertrudis and Santa Cruz cattle, which were bred to withstand the south Texas heat and humidity while maintaining quality beef production. Quarter horses were also bred to be able to withstand extreme heat and humidity.

CREDITS: All photos courtesy of King Ranch

You can get a closer look at everything the ranch has to offer on one of its many tours. Bird watchers will be especially enamored with the ranch, not only because of its various birding tours, but also because it has been named an “Important Bird Area” and is home to critical habitat for more than 363 different species of birds.

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King Ranch is now a widely recognized brand with everything from ranching and agriculture to luggage and Ford trucks. Add King Ranch to your Texas bucket list of sights to see.

KING RANCH VISITORS CENTER | HWY 141 W | KINGSVILLE king-ranch.com

LIVING TEXAS | STATEWIDE

Thoroughly Traversing Texas Got a yen to explore the Lone Star state? Pick up a travel guide from the Texas Historical Commission.

By Hannah M. Hepfer

Curious where you can find the best antique shopping in East Texas?

Or what small Texas town once earned the title “Tomato Capital of the World?” Answers to these questions and other lesser-known facts about Texas and its history can be found in free print and mobile travel guides distributed by the Texas Historical Commission.

In January, the organization released the statewide Heritage Travel Guide — over 150 pages of historical descriptions of the state’s booming cities and sleepy towns. A large map, with markers for locations like the Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic site and the Fort McKavett State Historic site, is available in the middle of the guide.

“It’s a good option if you’re not especially sure what you’d like to tour or see,” says Teresa Caldwell, state coordinator of the Texas Heritage Trails Program at the Texas Historical Commission.

Q: What industry, along with railroads, forged

the city of Lufkin in the late 1800s?

A: Timber

Q: What was Port Aransas’ original name?

A: Mustang Island Q: What Texas museum hosts the Texas

Cowboy Poetry Gathering, which celebrates the working cowboy with poetry, stories and music?

State University

A: The Museum of the Big Bend at Sul Ross

Q: The namesake spring of this town is

believed to have gushed thousands of gallons of water before drying up in the 1920s.

A: Big Spring

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CREDITS: All images credit Texas Historical Commission

How Well Do YOU Know Texas?

Travelers can also choose from one of eight guides that focus on a unique theme pertaining to Texas history. Topics include an in-depth look at the role that Texas played in World War II to an overview of the Red River War of the late 1800s. All guides may be downloaded for quick access.

For those that want a more interactive experience, six mobile apps are available for use as self-guided tours. Newly released, the apps feature images, videos, first-person interviews, maps, and guidance on how to explore sites. Topics include the La Salle Odyssey and the Historic Bankhead Highway, among others. Two more apps will be released soon: Hispanic Texas history and Town Square Walk-Around.

“Feedback has been excellent so far,” says Caldwell. “They really make the stories come alive.” texastimetravel.com

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LIVING TEXAS | STATEWIDE

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t’s worth the journey out west for anyone interested in visiting a part of the state that not only boasts desert and tumbleweed, but also majestic mountains and a real Texas night sky up close and personal.

Getting There

Flights into Lajitas International Airport from Dallas Love Field on a Lajitas Charter Jet Service leave Dallas Love Field most Fridays at 9:00 a.m.; arriving at 10:30 a.m. Return flights leave Sunday at 3:30 p.m. At certain times of the year, you can also fly directly into Lajitas from Houston Hobby and Midland/Odessa Airports.

Luxury in the West You might not think you’ll find luxury accommodations out in the desert. However, Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa , which sits on 27,000 acres located in a rugged high desert environment, has the perfect combination of outdoor activities like horseback riding (2) and ATV tours mingled with a fair share of solitude and pampering at the resort’s spa.

Overlooking the legendary Rio Grande River, the resort sits between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park and is just 30 minutes from Terlingua ghost town. The resort fits perfectly into the Old West cowboy charm and lifestyle of the area. It also boasts

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CREDITS: (1) iStock, (2, 4, 5) TXDOT/VisitBigBend.com, (3) Guillaume de Vaudrey

While many people drive to Lajitas and Terlingua as part of a road trip to Big Bend National Park (1), you can also fly into Midland/ Odessa Airport, which is about a four-hour drive away.

LIVING TEXAS | STATEWIDE

Hidden Luxury and an Eclectic Mix of Locals in West Texas

By Rita Cook

more modern amenities like the Agave Spa, Black Jack’s Crossing golf course, zip lining in Quiet Canyon and the Candelilla Café.

The Thirsty Goat Saloon in Lajitas serves a mean prickly pear margarita and be sure to visit the Yates Longhorn Museum in the Historic Trading Post building at Black Jack’s Crossing. You might also try your hand at a five-stand sporting clay shoot or cowboy action shooting in Stargazer Springs, the fictional town created just for this gunslinger activity. Wannabe cowboys can walk through the town shooting a single-action pistol, side-by-side shotgun or lever-action rifle just like the cowboys did years ago.

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Lajitas is an unincorporated community that was put on the map in the 1970s when the folks living there elected the town’s first goat mayor. The beer-drinking goat, Clay Henry, was a Lajitas favorite.

During his tenure, he even appeared in several movies and drank a beer with Willie Nelson. These days, Clay Moore Henry (3) is the mayor of record, a direct descendent of the first Clay Henry.

Terlingua Ghost Town Most folks who stay at Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa head into Terlingua ghost town (4), widely known for the annual world-championship Terlingua Chili Cook-off, which began in 1967 and is held every year on the first Saturday in November. The old mining town is in the perfect spot for a day trip to Big Bend National Park just 12 miles down the road. Other popular activities in the area are kayaking and horseback riding.

5

Terlingua’s limited but colorful restaurants, bars and art galleries create a local flavor. The Starlight Theatre Restaurant and Saloon (5) is the gathering place every afternoon for locals and visitors who want to enjoy authentic Tex-Mex. On weekends, bands perform at the Starlight Theatre while The Porch, in front of the Starlight, is a fun place to meet locals who spend their afternoons spinning tales for visitors.

If you’re a history buff, then the nearby ruins of the Chisos Mining Company offer good insight into the history of this formerly abandoned town. Or, stay in town and head to Terlingua’s cemetery, the site of the popular annual Day of the Dead celebrations.

lajitasgolfresort.com visitbigbend.com

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Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 25

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | STATEWIDE

Taming the Coveted Car Tiger

By Mike Kordell

Six thousand miles. Ten countries. Three weeks. One Alfa Romeo. Welcome to the life of a personal car concierge.

Austin-based Erica Plumlee and Nick van den Akker often drive weeks around Europe, hunting down some of the sexiest cars on the planet—which, it turns out, are not available in the United States.

To snag that Alfa Romeo, the 23-year-old co-owners of Dutch Safari Co. camped the whole time, surviving on gas station sandwiches and cappuccinos. After buying the car in March 2014, they sold it at auction the following October for a healthy profit. Released in the '70s, the Alfa Romeo Montreal was never offered in the United States, explained Plumlee. Back in the day, its competitors were Porsche and Ferrari, which have since skyrocketed in price. "We saw what was happening to the value of those cars, wondered why it hadn’t happened to this one yet, and got to Europe as soon as we could," added Plumlee. "It's a great example of the effort we put in and the quality of rare vehicles we find."

November 2014 saw the pair in southern Poland. Four weeks, and hundreds of miles later, they had one final crazy overnight drive to reach the port in northern Germany.

Things were going pretty smoothly until Plumlee realized her vehicle had popped a hose and had a massive oil leak. The already tight schedule to get through customs began disappearing before their eyes. Yet, after trying six different parts stores, and spending several hours on the side of the road fitting the new part, they made it on time.

As you can tell, purchasing a classic vehicle from another country can be a daunting and risky endeavor. One of the major requirements of running a business like Dutch Safari Co., which reduces the risk and simplifies the process, is easy access to a major port, explained Plumlee. "Originally, we picked Texas for convenience," she said. They then noticed an anomaly: a car culture, but with far fewer European classic cars than in northern California where they hail from.

"We just want to give people options," says Plumlee. In Dallas, she sees "every other person" driving a big four-door Jeep with lots of aftermarket upgrades. "Why not drive a Land Rover Defender 110? Half the cost, holds its value, and you won’t see another one for 150 miles."

CREDITS: (ALL) Motorcar Studi

"If you don’t know what’s out there, or how to get it, you’ll end up driving the same thing as everybody else," says Plumlee. "When you’re in the right car, even driving to the grocery store is an experience." dutchsafaricompany.com

26 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

Stylesta

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | STYLE

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter Tung, petertung.zenfolio.com

is an

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1 | VELVET TOP: Vintage Emilio Pucci, Big Bertha’s Paradise, Austin 2 | BRACELETS: Vintage, Big Bertha’s Paradise, Austin 3 | JEANS: McGuire, Abbey Rose, Westlake 4 | GLOVES: Skull Cashmere, Poly & Grace, Hill Country Galleria, Bee Cave 5 | HANDBAG: Taxidermy, Abbey Rose, Westlake 6 | SHOES: BCBG, Dillard’s, Hill Country Galleria, Bee Cave 7 | GLASSES: Eyebobs, Poly & Grace, Hill Country Galleria, Bee Cave

STYLIST: Edith Henry, edithhenry.com

individual

atement, not a carbon copy of current fashions.

This season, why not reboot some of your own favorite classic clothes by upcycling them with contemporary selections, to create a style that is all your own?

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1 | VELVET BLAZER: Vintage Pierre Cardin, Big Bertha’s Paradise, Austin 2 | SILK TIE: Vintage, Big Bertha’s Paradise, Austin 3 | JEANS: Ag, Gatsby’s, Hill Country Galleria, Bee Cave 4 | SHIRT: Robert Graham, Gatsby’s, Hill Country Galleria, Bee Cave 5 | SHOES & BELT: Johnston & Murphy, Dillard’s, Hill Country Galleria, Bee Cave 6 | SUNGLASSES: Ray-Ban, Hill Country Galleria, Bee Cave

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Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 29

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | STYLE

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter Tung, petertung.zenfolio.com

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1 | SKIRT: Vintage Missioni, Big Bertha’s Paradise, Austin 2 | NECKLACE: Vintage, Big Bertha’s Paradise, Austin 3 | SHIRT: Sanctuary, Dillard’s, Hill Country Galleria, Bee Cave 4 | LEATHER JACKET: Jakett, Poly & Grace, Hill Country Galleria, Bee Cave 5 | BOOTIES: Lucchese, Abbey Rose, Westlake 6 | GLASSES: Eyebobs, Poly & Grace, Hill Country Galleria, Bee Cave 7 | HANDBAG: Dareen Hakim, Poly & Grace, Hill Country Galleria, Bee Cave

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | STYLE

STYLIST: Edith Henry, edithhenry.com

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1 |LUCITE HANDBAG: Vintage Walborg Miami, Big Bertha’s Paradise, Austin 2 |SHOES: Prada Hot Rod Pumps, Big Bertha’s Paradise, Austin 3 |PEARLS: Vintage, Big Bertha’s Paradise, Austin 4 |JEANS: Lucky Brand, Abbey Rose, Westlake 5 |SILK & SEQUINS JACKET: Velvet, Abbey Rose, Westlake 6 |T-SHIRT: Style Stalker, Abbey Rose, Westlake

Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 31

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | STYLE

Tecovas Boots: Classic Meets Modern In Léon, Mexico, they still take the time to craft boots

by hand. Hunched over their benches in the world's oldest boot factories, the artisans use a process with over 120 steps in it. The end product is a thing of beauty, quality and skill.

And that's why it was an easy decision for Paul Hedrick to choose to have his Austin-designed Tecovas boots made in Léon, after interviewing factory owners all over the U.S. and Mexico. "We decided to work with one of the oldest and most experienced factories mostly because they respect their boot makers in a way I hadn’t seen in other places. They know that they are the heart of the business and it really shows," said Hedrick.

It's not all about tradition for Hedrick, though. Quite the reverse, in fact, as the native Texan has cut out the middleman to sell his high-quality western boots direct to the consumer.

Launched in 2015, Hedrick aims to create a modern luxury brand that we can all afford—without having to wait for sales, coupons or other discounts. The initial Tecovas collection includes two men’s styles (the Cartwright and the Earl) and two women’s styles (the Jamie and the Penny), each available in three colors and ranging from $195 to $235. —Margaret Richards

CREDIT: Tecovas

tecovasboots.com

32 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

HANDMADE BOOTS SHOULDN’T COST HALF A GRAND. DISCOVER MORE AT TECOVASBOOTS.COM

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS

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| 1. PURE & CO. ORIGINAL BUTTON WRAP | Hand-knitted in eco-friendly facilities, these extremely versatile wraps can be worn five ways, dressed up or down.

Available in over 20 colors, we love the lavender. | $50 | pureandco.com | 2. CURIOSO CUFF | We’re ablaze about this bracelet with a built-in battery that lights up and changes colors. It’s a great accessory to reinvigorate and lighten your mood. | $34.95 | curiosocuff.com | 3. FOOTSAC BLANKET, ESKIMO PHUR | Snuggle in with this luxurious blanket with a built-in foot compartment. Great for those few winter months we get in Texas! | $150 | lovesac.com | 4. ROLLING TOTE | For a quick trip, this carry-on has enough room for electronics and a change of clothes. Apple is our fave color for winter. | $178 | baggallini.com | 5. MING WANG SWEATER | Enjoy being wrapped in a soft and stylish sweater, great for day or night. | $100-$400 | mingwangknits.com | 6. GOODNIGHT MOON/LIBRARY STAMP TEE | Every book lover needs to check out this line of t-shirts. From classics like Goodnight Moon to our favorite, the library stamp, these are page-turners! | $28 | outofprintclothing.com

34 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

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TEXAS LIFESTYLE | ROUGHING IT

Tradition Innovation

By Robert A. Rodriguez

GOLF GADGETS GALORE

For years, technology and how it has transformed the game of golf has been a lightning rod. Technical advances in golf equipment over the years have created passionate debate, yet other advances have been widely accepted as beneficial.

Many, including perhaps the greatest golfer of all-time, Jack Nicklaus, believe technology has become a detriment to the sport, especially when it comes to equipment. Their contention: hotter clubs that make hotter balls fly farther have changed the essence of golf from a finesse sport into a power game, and made some of the most historically challenging courses in the world obsolete.

Those favoring the ever-evolving equipment technology point to the number of beginners in the sport, and attribute this “new blood” to the hotter clubs and balls that make golf simpler and more enjoyable.

We’re not here to pick sides on this topic; instead, we’d rather showcase how technology has changed other aspects of golf for the better.

MAKING TEE TIMES

Before: Back when telephones came with curly cords, golfers would call their favorite course to set up a tee time. And, at some of the more popular courses, those wanting

36 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

the premium weekend time slots would have to be present or participate in a lottery to nab them.

Now: Calling the course for a tee time isn’t a lost art (just yet), but increasingly golfers are going to courses' websites or tee time hosting sites such as Golfnow and GolfLink to book their next round. Usually these sites also provide discounts for booking online.

SWING DATA

Before: Distances, spin rates, ball flights and other critical information related to a golf swing was often compiled by hours of range time under the watchful eye of an instructor.

N o w : Instructor s still play a huge role in determining swing data for their students, but today's toys are amazing.

Trackman is commonly found on the driving range, and accurately provides an ample amount of swing data information immediately after a player hits a shot. Golfers can also get these numbers while on the course using systems that attach to the golf club. An industry leader in this category, Arccos Golf, is a golf performance tracking system that integrates GPS shot tracking to generate comparative data, which helps golfers truly evaluate their game.

SOCIALIZING

Before: Camaraderie on the course came either via your foursome or joining a group as a single player. As a single, finding a friend for four hours of play was either a crapshoot or a jackpot.

Now: Walking on as a single is still one of the joys of the sport, as is

playing with your pals. However, golfers have also turned to the Internet to help find a playing partner. Sites like Social Putts allow golfers to connect and play with those who play on a similar skill level, enjoy the same courses they do, or share similar interests in golf and other activities.

APPAREL

Before: Golf attire was often

ridiculed, especially during the ‘70s when polyester shirts and patterned pants were the fashion s t at e m e n t o f t h e game. Golf apparel got a bit classier over the next couple of decades with subduedcolored cotton shirts with oversized sleeves and pleated pants. On Sundays, Dad could go to church and then to the golf course immediately after, only changing his shoes.

EQUIPMENT

Before: Lifelong golfers have seen equipment evolve from the wooden persimmon club head to metal, the Big Bertha phenomenon, putter face inserts, cavityback irons, the Pro V1 – the list goes on and on. As technologies came and went, a select few became trendsetters and sparked a revolution in their category.

Now: It’s tough to pinpoint what the next “game

changer” will be in golf equipment, but what is changing are the rules regarding equipment.

Starting in 2016, golf ’s governing bodies have banned players from affixing or “anchoring” the putter to their bodies, thus prohibiting the belly and broomstick putters. There’s also been some campaigning to regulate the golf ball and to set up different rules for professionals and amateurs, or bifurcation.

How golf ’s governing bodies handle these controversial topics could create the biggest transformation the game has ever seen.

for the younger set. Polyester shirts are back; only it’s now a “moisturewicking” technology at play. Most of these fashionable shirts are also offered in bold colors and with short sleeves to enhance golfers’ athletic physiques. Pleated pants are a fashion faux pas, as golfers prefer flat fronts in both solid colors and hip patterns. Another essential piece of golf apparel significantly impacted by technology: rain gear.

CREDITS: (APPAREL) Galvin Green, (ALL OTHERS) iStock

Now: The golf course has fast become a fashion runway, especially

Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 37

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | HABITAT

38 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

Front porches, walkable streets and natural features all work to engender this shared experience. We are in the business of place making.

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | HABITAT

UPCYCLING the

'Hood

By Julie Tereshchuk

For Casey Bernard and family, it was well worth waiting six years for a home in their dream neighborhood.

And it's the neighbors that Bernard loves most about their northwest Austin home. "We're on the porch, with kids playing in the street, every weekend and some week nights if homework is done," says the mother of two.

Full disclosure: Bernard's husband works for the company that built their home, PSW Real Estate, a forward-thinking Texas firm that specializes in building attractive, thoughtfully designed family homes in pockets of urban land that formerly sat idle. And the Bernards aren't alone among the PSW employees, many of which have chosen the same lifestyle. "Yes, we live in our own homes!" says Anthony Siela, a PSW Managing Member.

CREDITS: Jonathan H. Jackson

The Bernards, their co-workers and their neighbors are part of a growing trend. Texans once used to want to spread out. Now, as urban sprawl threatens to overtake us, savvy planners and developers

Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 39

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | HABITAT like PSW is looking for other ways to provide housing for the state's growing population.

And they're not just building houses, they're creating communities.

While initially some home buyers hesitate when they see a smaller yard and a different floor plan than they're accustomed to, as Casey Bernard commented: "Instead of spending time tending to a big yard or an oversized house, where everyone gathers in the kitchen anyway, we spend time inside and outside with our neighbors."

The locations of PSW communities, the density of homes in them, as well as the way homes are sited all encourage a sense of connectivity— something which is sorely lacking in many housing developments built in the recent past. "Front porches, walkable streets and natural features all work to engender this shared experience," says Diepenbrock. "We are in the business of place making."

CREDITS: Jonathan H. Jackson

The firm's work was recognized with ProBuilder Magazine's prestigious Gold Design Award for Urban Infill for PSW's half-acre, four-home site in Austin's Clarksville neighborhood, completed in 2014.

You'll find PSW communities in Dallas and San Antonio, as well as Austin. They're hoping to expand beyond Texas (initially to Seattle) in the near future. PSW chooses to build in thriving cities that are popular places to live, and looks not only for economic drivers but also cities with that elusive "quality of life" factor. If there's a vibrant urban neighborhood in close proximity to transportation, work, recreation and cultural amenities, that's where PSW wants to be.

Their communities typically range from four to 50 units, thus creating pockets of density within existing neighborhoods.

Envisioning who is going to live in their homes is an important step in the PSW design-build process. The company seeks to blend the best of 21st century environmentally-friendly technology and techniques with urban planning methods that brought us the livable, family-friendly neighborhoods of earlier times.

Buyers range from young families to empty nesters and first-time buyers to retiring professionals. One thing they all have in common: living in a popular neighborhood in energy efficient homes.

"We believe energy efficiency is as important as good design," explained Ryan Diepenbrock, who brought PSW to Texas in 2005. Good design means that these compact homes "live big"—an important factor in a state that has built its fair share of "McMansions."

Apart from expanding outside of Texas, what does the future hold for PSW? "Always pushing ourselves to be at the forefront of smart, ecofriendly urban planning and architectural design," says Diepenbrock.

If you're interested in urban communities that work, keep an eye out for PSW coming to a neighborhood near you. pswrealestate.com

40 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | HABITAT

By Nancy Miller Barton

S U PA D o o r s Incredibly green.

Irresistibly gorgeous.

“I missed the plane,” explains Ian Fisher on how he

found his way to Texas from South Africa. “I was supposed to go to California.” It was 1978 and Fisher, owner and co-founder of SUPA Doors, was stuck in Miami. Now what? He saw a fellow saunter to the ticket counter wearing “a ten-gallon hat” and ask the clerk, “Y’all gon’ to Santone?” Seconds later, Fisher approached the same clerk. “What language was that man speaking?”

An afternoon spent chatting with Ian Fisher is full of laughter and lessons on life and business. Add identical twin brother Dave for double the fun. The two opened SUPA Doors, which makes an environmentally wise door, after working in building materials and lumber in both South Africa and Texas. As for the company name, try this: say “Super Doors!”

Now add a little South African twang – and you’ve got SUPA Doors.

The Fishers have done business together for 40 years and started the door company on the side. It turned out that selling interior doors for hotels, condominiums and homes was “more refreshing than the commodity stuff,” says Fisher. Working with architects and designers, there’s more chance to show “personality.”

“It’s an incredibly green product,” explains Fisher. SUPA doors are made of MDF or Medium Density Fiberboard. It’s wood, just repurposed, that would otherwise go into the landfill or fire kiln. We’re talking bark, off-cuts, pieces that aren’t used when making two-by fours, lumber or anything else. These leftovers are mixed with waxes and resins. The result: sheets of board.

SUPA Doors was the first in the United States to use MDF on stile and rail doors. (If you’re looking straight at a door, the stiles are the pieces on the side; the rails are top and bottom.) They’re perfect for painting and about one third the price of wood doors. As Fisher says, “Why cut down a tree only to paint it?”

A tour of the factory shows a clean efficient mix of assembly line and craftsmanship with doors stacked high in various stages of creation.

Chances are, when you open the door at a luxury hotel or condo in New York City, Austin or “Santone,” you’re walking through the threshold of a SUPA door.

1732 Universal City Blvd | Universal City supadoor.com

Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 41

CREDITS: (BACKGROUND) Supa Doors, (BROTHERS) Jacob Kluger

Intrigued, Fisher booked a flight to San Antonio and hasn’t looked back. “Texans are such warm, spirited people,” he says. “It’s easy to live and do business here.”

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CREDIT: Lonesome Dove ~ Gus on the Porch, Š 1988, Bill Wittliff, Courtesy of the Wittliff Collections, Texas State University

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | ON THE COVER

The

True Tale of

DUVALL

44 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

Robert

By Daniel Ramirez

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | ON THE COVER

You know my favorite part, my Hamlet, my Henry V, was Augustus McRae in Lonesome Dove ...

Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 45

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | ON THE COVER

With no director or cinematographer in sight, the man sets the scene with his very presence.

Fields stretch out past a wooden porch set against an autumn sky, with horses roaming just along the horizon; all simply because he’s talking.

He’s kind and gracious, always thinking of his guest, even in a conversation, incorporating phrases and pauses that demonstrate a fluency in “Texas Friendly.” Speaking with a silent authority and easy confidence that is hard to describe but harder to ignore, it even paints him into the scene – the sage grandfather, telling tales of how it used to be and how much things have changed.

And the West itself, all sepia-toned vistas and broken-in leather, is in his candor, his occasional swear word – never in disrespect – and an accent so weathered and filled with warmth that it’s tough to believe that the Lone Star State didn’t produce the man from native clay and breathe him into being on some piece of wild prairie land.

But, no. Robert Duvall, as tied as he is to Texas through the roles he’s played – whether for his Academy Award-winning turn in Tender Mercies, his critically hailed performance in and directing of the film, The Apostle, or his most famous role, the part of Gus McCrae in Lonesome Dove, which inexorably tethered him to the state as the larger-than-lifeTexas Ranger – is not a native Texan.

Duvall – who has played too many roles to list, dating all the way back to 1962, when he played an iconic Boo Radley to Gregory Peck’s Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird – instead hails from the myriad points of origin of a military family. San Diego, St. Louis and Annapolis all play a significant part in the rich history of Duvall’s tale, and lend the distinct air of adventure to a man whose roles have echoed through decades and who continues to contribute to the endless tapestry that is his trade.

CREDITS: (ALL) Paul Smith

And, though he’s not native to the land, like every good Texan, Duvall is a storyteller at heart.

46 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | ON THE COVER

Duvall served his country early in life, joining in the U.S. Army voluntarily, a fact which aligns well with the presumption that he is a Texan. So many legends born here, both fictional and real, do so. But it was a part of his blood and his heritage, and a natural step for the son of a decorated naval officer. But, instead of ‘going career,’ it was during this time that he discovered his aptitude for playing a part. Carving out roles in stage plays during his service, the words of friends and the urging of his family set him firmly on the path to becoming a star upon his return.

“My parents were the ones who kind of pushed me into acting,” he says. “They were a military family and it was an expedient thing to get me through school, because I wasn’t doing well at the end of the Korean War.” Of course, in the fashion of true legends, it allowed him to cross paths with other legends in the making who shared his passion for the craft. “I went to New York and I had friends, Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman and Jimmy [James] Caan, who I still keep in touch with more than anybody,” he casually explains.

The group has since shared success, both together and apart. Asked if this is what he expected, Duvall lets his humility shine. “We all dreamed,” he admits, “and you didn’t know where your dreams were going to take you, but fortunately, everything worked out.”

Duvall’s story, though well-documented, is far from finished. How does he still manage to be so prolific? His answer comes with a laugh and a simple explanation. “They offer me good parts,” he says. “When they stop offering me good parts, that’s when it ends, I guess.”

They’ve been coming for quite a long time. And that longevity is what prepared Duvall for yet another role, for which he never needed to audition – that of a sage observer.

Having been through decades of change in Hollywood, he has a unique perspective on what differs from the early days of the silver screen to the multi-million dollar productions that make their way to cinemas today.

“Everything’s more realistic now,” Duvall explains, “less staccato and more lifelike.”

From the fantasy worlds that made their way to theaters in the 1950s and '60s, the gritty realism that is pervasive in cinema today supports his point.

He uses a tried and true method he observed from one of the greatest actors of all time as proof. “[Marlon] Brando used to watch 'Candid Camera' and that’s what influenced his wonderful gifts.” It’s no wonder that acting has improved to mirror reality since then, and less a wonder that someone as quietly observant and willing to learn as Duvall has evolved alongside the craft. This dedication to an honest, reality-based portrayal of characters has served him well “You know my favorite part, my Hamlet, my Henry V, was Augustus McRae in Lonesome Dove,” Duvall says. “Yet, I loved when I played with Richard Harris in Wrestling Er nest Hemingway,” he adds, reminded of a less successful release than either his magnum opus or his cameo roles in blockbuster films. “I played a Cuban barber,” he proudly states, “and I worked as hard on that as any I ever worked. I like to try different things. So, if something comes around the corner to surprise me – a Scottish guy, a Russian, a German, whatever – I like to do different character parts that come out of me, but are still truthful.”

And, suddenly, his words and cadence begin painting that West Texas horizon and bringing the world into a soft focus as he reaches into the wisdom that the years have forged. “Somebody once said that there’s no right or wrong, there’s just truthful and

Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 47

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | ON THE COVER

that is better than what you are planning. So, there may be a few surprises left.”

He has no illusions about his entire body of work, however. Among the star-maker turns, there have been the occasional flops. Straight shooter that he is, Duval makes no apologies for taking lesser roles or roles in lesser films. “I’ve done some lousy crap,” he admits, “but like they say, ‘I’ve got to make a living,’ so I do stuff that’s not great.”

It’s another flash of the honesty that makes him so relatable.

Still, despite his resume, both brilliant and basic, he can’t resist putting his dream role out into the world. “I’ve always wanted to play Don Quixote, but that’s not going to happen,” he says. But it isn’t as though he hasn’t been close to his dream of portraying the romantic crusader. It is something even he admits. “I had heard recently that McMurtry, when he wrote Lonesome Dove, was very much influenced

by Cervantes and that whole novel.”

It is certainly a role that fills out the rest of the canvas Duvall is painting, but in the absence of that opportunity, he’s exhibiting still another trait that would lead many to believe he belongs to the Lone Star State – creating his own destiny.

CREDIT: Paul Smith

To make the connection still more coincidental, his next project would bring him back to Texas to tell a Texas tale. “We’re working on something now from Elmer Kelton, the great Texas novelist,” Duvall explains. “Hopefully, it will be a miniseries, based on Kelton's beautiful novel, T he Wolf and the Buffalo. It's about things between the whites, the blacks and the Comanche Indians; with the Buffalo Soldiers in the 1860s and '70s.”

untruthful, so I try to be as truthful and make it as lifelike as possible.”

His truthfulness is not relegated solely to the roles he’s played. As greater differences have become apparent since those days when he first began his acting career, Duvall considers what newer truths have emerged. Culture has shifted, world views have been altered and society has continued to mature through civil unrest and technological advances that have increased the audience for media, whether television or film, ten-fold. The world of film and filmmaking has changed for the better. “Black actors, white actors, European actors, they’re just good actors, now.”

His smile is obvious as he adds, “Filmmaking’s a continuously surprising medium.”

Duvall still maintains aspirations and has never lost the dreams that powered he and his friends from start to stardom. But his journey has taught him not to map it out so carefully. “Sometimes,” he says, “when you plan something, something will come around the corner

48 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

As for where Duvall’s planning to shoot the epic tale, the lack of an answer is notably conspicuous. “That would be the place to film it,” he says when asked if the project will be filmed where it’s set.

“Up where the Comanches were,” he quips, “Not like [John Wayne classic] T he Searchers, which was done in Utah when it should have been done in Texas.”

He displays a good bit of pride for someone who isn’t ‘from these parts,’ but Duvall has an explanation for why that gets presumed.

He comes by his Texas heritage honestly, it turns out. “My mother’s parents are from New Boston, Texas, which is over near the Arkansas border,” he finally confesses. It finishes the final details on the portrait of a Texan who isn’t exactly Texan. “I just like Texas,” he happily contends. “There’s a lot of untold stories down there to be told.”

Someday, one such tale might be that of a wandering adventurer; romantically connected to a land not his own; full of honesty, humility and dreams of tomorrow; and a curious sense of belonging, despite not being a native. Call it “Don Quixote de la Rio Grande” or “The Ballad of a Foreign Texan,” if you will. But there will be no better person to play the part than Robert Duvall.

EXPLORE

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TEXAS LIFESTYLE | FEATURE

The wait is finally over. For the first time, Texas finally has a site on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Fresh Eyes on

The San Antonio Missions — including The Alamo — were officially designated a World Heritage Site in July 2015. The five missions, which together form the largest concentration of Spanish colonial missions in North America, join an elite list of global sites that meet strict criteria to be selected as a cultural treasure that is worthy of

San Antonio's Missions

By Shelley Seale

protection as a source of irreplaceable heritage. Worldwide sites include such magnificent and diverse places as the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America.

Becoming the 23rd World Heritage Site in the United States, the San Antonio Missions join other national treasures such as the Statue of

50 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | FEATURE

Liberty, Independence Hall and the Grand Canyon. It is only the third designation given in the U.S. in the last 20 years.

"The United States has a powerful and valuable history that encompasses a wide range of peoples, creeds and experiences," said Crystal Nix-Hines, U.S. ambassador and permanent representative to UNESCO. "The San Antonio Missions represent an important element of our story, and a World Heritage designation allows them to be shared not only within the U.S. but also the wider global community."

San Antonio’s Missions symbolize an era when the world was expanding, cultures were intertwining, and the global landscape was forever changed. As the largest collection of Spanish colonial architecture in the U.S., Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan, Mission Espada and Mission San Antonio de Valero (The Alamo) were built in the early 1700s to convert Native Americans to Christianity and help settle this region under the flag of Spain. They are a tangible representation of everything required for a functioning Spanish colonial mission system, all within a short trek along the San Antonio River.

“These Missions are a living example of the interchange of cultures bringing together the indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, and other influences that form South Texas today,” said Susan Snow, archeologist for San Antonio Missions National Historical Park who has been coordinating the community efforts to secure UNESCO World Heritage status since 2007. “The resulting cross-cultural exchange is the very essence of the great melting pot of the United States.”

The Alamo was the first Mission, well known in history as the site of the 1836 battle and its rallying cry of “Remember the Alamo!”

It and the other Missions played an important role in early Mexican history and in the struggle for Texas independence. They proved critical to Texas’ iconic history and heritage, shaping the San Antonio landscape with their acequias, farm fields, ranchlands, and compounds.

Indigenous people and those from around the empire of New Spain were brought together to share technologies, art and cultures.

CREDIT: San Antonio CVB

At the crossroads of Texas history for over 300 years, the Alamo must be preserved for future generations. To that effect, for the first time, the Texas Legislature has appropriated $25 million in funding for Alamo preservation projects and future redevelopment of the Alamo Plaza. This is in addition to $6.5 million that was already set aside for Alamo maintenance and repairs.

The Texas General Land Office (GLO) and the City of San Antonio are creating a new advisory committee and will be working together on a new master plan for the site, including the construction of a new museum at the Alamo. This museum is planned to tell the story of the site from indigenous times through the early 18th century building of Mission San Antonio de Valero, to its abandonment and use as a fort in the famous 1836 Battle of the Alamo.

CREDIT: (3 ABOVE) TX GLO

Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 51

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | FEATURE Music legend Phil Collins has donated a personal collection of Alamo artifacts that will be exhibited in the new museum. “Texans are deeply indebted to Phil Collins,” said Jerry Patterson, Land Commissioner when Collins donated the items in 2014. “Now these Texas treasures need a home where all can see them and study them and learn about how Texans won our liberty.”

“We won a huge victory by securing the World Heritage designation," said San Antonio Mayor Ivy R. Taylor. "A joint master planning effort will maximize our ability to create a unique and authentic destination that tells the story of San Antonio and its ultimate urbanization.”

The UNESCO World Heritage designation opens up international fundraising opportunities and is a catalyst for socio-economic change and increased tourism and spending at sites around the world that receive the designation. For San Antonio, the impact will be even more significant, as tourism is one of the city’s top five industries, providing 1 in 8 jobs and more than $12 billion annually.

CREDITS: TX GLO

By 2025, the World Heritage Site economic impact on San Antonio and Bexar County is expected to generate an additional $44 million to $105 million in economic activity, with over 1,100 newly created jobs.

“Although the Alamo is best-known for the Battle of 1836, the global community views the Alamo’s historical significance in a much broader context," said Alamo Director Becky Dinnin. "By engaging the Alamo Endowment and working in partnership with the city, we can develop a plan that honors those that sacrificed their lives at the Battle of the Alamo and the history of all the Missions collectively.”

52 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

missionsofsanantonio.org visitsanantonio.com

Happy 180th Birthday, Texas!

Celebrate the 180th anniversary of Texas Independence on March 5 and 6. Held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day on the 293-acre Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, the celebrations will feature live music, food, traditional crafts, living history presentations, historical encampments and commemorative programs as guests step back into history to experience life in Texas in 1836.

Admission fees will be waived for the three attractions: Star of the Republic Museum (collections and programs honoring history of early Texans); Independence Hall (where representatives wrote the Texas Declaration of Independence); and Barrington Living History Farm (where interpreters dress, work and farm as did the original residents of this homestead).

Admission to the grounds, on-site shuttles and parking are also free.

tpwd.texas.gov/calendar

For Reservations, Call 1-800-392-5937

An elegant retreat unlike anything else available on the Gulf Coast, The Villas at The San Luis Resort in Galveston, Texas features five 800-square-foot suites nestled in lush surroundings in a quiet corner of the resort. The Villas offer guests a private entrance with in-Villa check-in, welcome amenity, private veranda with personal hot tub, valet service and surrounds a serene pool with cabanas and daybeds. Each Villa suite boasts a king-sized bedroom with luxury bedding, separate sitting area and spa-like bathroom. Unique to The Villas, guests have the option to upgrade their travel arrangements and arrive via luxury helicopter or limousine.

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TEXAS LIFESTYLE | SIP & SAVOR

Midnight Rambler: A Contemporary Throwback to the Classics

By Jessica Newman

The Joule Hotel exudes sophistication through artistic

details. Its craft cocktail salon, Midnight Rambler, is no different.

Its basement location just adds to the atmosphere.

Chad Solomon and Christy Pope are the creative directors behind the modern establishment with mid-century influence.

They conceptualized with designers Joe Cole and Kristen Lee of TENOVERSIX to unveil their jewel in October 2014.

Every aspect of Midnight Rambler - the brass bar tops, vinyl collection, display of vintage spirits and punch bowls, antique Wurlitzer piano positioned with repurposed barstools, to name a few – were mulled over and purposefully chosen to construct the fully realized, soulful salon.

A Parisian bar inspired the custom-built, walnut barreled ceiling.

Sip at green marbled tables reminiscent of those on the streets of Paris, a vintage backgammon board refitted as a tabletop, or a Chesterfield sofa lounge adorned with nude artwork. The mix of vintage and contemporary decor was found between LA’s vintage markets and Dallas’ design district.

The atmosphere is elevated by the music. Three times a week, live DJs play vinyl. “Music is in our DNA,” says Pope who explains that the concept of Midnight Rambler was inspired by Rock N’ Soul, “classics and B-side gems.” She adds, “Design, music, and what you’re drinking must connect to have a fully living, breathing space.”

Cocktails are the finishing touch of the holistic experience that is Midnight Rambler. Open a leather-bound menu to choose among original “aromatic” or “sour-based” cocktails, house-made sodas, shots or punches. The “neo-classical” beverages, as the creators remark “take classical structures and re-imagine them with modern twists.” A favorite is the Silvertone, inspired by the classic Gibson cocktail and re-vamped with Texas mineral water, house-pickled onions with native sage and grapefruit, and a 60s guitar name reference. Drink it with gin or vodka.

1530 MAIN STREET | DALLAS midnightramblerbar.com

54 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

CREDIT: Midnight Rambler

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | SIP & SAVOR

Whole Hog Dining at CBD Provisions

By Jessica Newman

CBD Provisions is a contemporary restaurant with a nod to Texas food and culture. As part of the Joule hotel, CBD refines its historic building location with a modern ambience. Exposed brick walls are juxtaposed with a pristine, stainless steel, open kitchen concept. Likewise, the dining area’s salvaged wood floors are balanced by leather cushioned, metal framed chairs. Rustic wood and clean lines make the modern Texas brasserie a social “It” place to dine.

Then there's Executive Chef Richard Blankenship’s approach to modern Texas cuisine. With Blankenship at the helm, every classic has a fresh new spin. On a recent Friday night, guests could order a butcher’s steak updated with kohlrabi cheddar cheese and a chipotle chimichurri. Whole shrimp and grits were polished off with a barbeque-tasting chili sauce and kefir cream. Seasonal ingredients and the chef ’s imagination combine into a new genre of Texas comfort food.

CBD takes the increasingly popular snout-to-tail approach in its cooking, literally using the entire pig. But, it is broader than that. It's also about the team's mindset in using every part of a food product.

Why? For sustainability and flavor, explains Blankenship. “We'd rather be the guys buying the off-cuts and lesser known bits. The act of turning something ordinary into something sublime is a greater feat.”

Delve into CBD’s famous family-style Berkshire Pig Head Carnitas, eyes and ears intact. The dish's popularity comes not from its visual impact (striking as it is), but because of its salivating flavor. “In creating dishes, flavor comes first for us, and it also trumps all the other characteristics of a great dish," says Blankenship. "To me, there's nothing more disappointing than for my tongue to be left out after my eyes have been tantalized.”

CBD doesn’t play it safe. The cuisine urges diners to rethink classics by making the unusual fashionable.

1530 MAIN STREET | DALLAS cbdprovisions.com

CREDIT: CBD Provisions

Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 55

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | SIP & SAVOR

Buenos Aires Café Upcycling Argentina in Austin

By Shelley Seale

The mother/daughter team behind Buenos Aires Café, Chef Reina Morris and Paola Guerrero Smith, opened the restaurant in 2005 with the goal of bringing a piece of their homeland, Argentina, to Austin with authentic cuisine, flavors and culture — yet with a typically Texas flair.

“My mother wanted a simple, beautiful little place,” Smith says. “You could go in, have a good experience and get a little bit of what Argentina is all about.” The duo and their team created a menu with items such as Pastel de Papas (an Argentine-style shepherd's pie), Mixta Ensaladas and the delectable empanadas they have become known for, just as Austin’s dining scene began to truly take off. Other house specialties include Milanesa a la Napolitana using certified Angus beef cutlets, a lemon-poached grilled octopus, and a variety of dishes de la parilla — from the grill — including rib-eye, tenderloin, quail and short ribs.

The chefs hand-pick their own vegetables and fruits, serve only naturallyraised, hormone-free and certified organic meats, and never use trans fat oils. Their salad greens are organic and dressed with signature dressings prepared on-site daily. The team also makes giving back to the community a part of their mission. They recycle everything and compost all food and paper waste.

Buenos Aires Café became a dining pioneer in the East Austin restaurant scene when they opened their East Sixth Street location in 2009. (A second location opened in Bee Cave in 2010.) The circa-1930s Eastside building was a tortilla factory once upon a time, before becoming home to several restaurants through the years. The building was in pretty bad shape when Morris and Smith took over; they renovated the entire kitchen from the ground up, and restored the rest of the site with recycled materials – a project that former architect Smith quite enjoyed.

“It adds a lot of character,” she says of using salvaged and reclaimed materials. “I love mixing in the old stuff with the new.”

This year, Smith discovered a 1940s house in the east Austin neighborhood that was being demolished. She bought the wood and used it in the restaurant. To commemorate the 10th anniversary, Buenos Aires Café's repurposed building received a new exterior paint job and mural by local artist Andrea McArdle.

Smith says they plan to bring truer Argentine dishes to the menu. “We had to play it safe to introduce our cuisine, but the cuisine and eating culture is diverse in Austin today. People are ready for more.”

1201 E SIXTH ST | AUSTIN buenosairescafe.com CREDIT: (FOOD) Courtney Pierce, (EXTERIOR & BAR) Sarah Doliver

56 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | JET SETTER

Arise in

Arizona:

Push the Reset Button in Sedona & Phoenix

By Marika Flatt

Golfers at the Hilton Sedona Resort are treated to spectacular vistas.

58 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

3

3

CREDITS: (Main photo & 1) Hilton Sedona Resort, (2) Pink Jeep Tours Sedona, (3) Indian Gardens

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | JET SETTER

I

t’s a new year and a new you. Ready to arise, literally and figuratively, in your mind, body and spirit? Want to push the reset button, rejuvenate and ready yourself for 2016? Southwest Airlines offers easy non­stop flights from all major markets in Texas into Phoenix and the winter months are prime time to jet away to the desert. Think highs in the 70s and lows in the 60s. Head north about an hour and half to start rising in Sedona.

Located on the Red Rock Scenic Byway, the Hilton Sedona Resort (1) at Bell Rock has renovated and now offers a classy lobby (if you’re lucky, you might be offered a free chair massage), along with their 219 guest rooms (140 of which are suites with a separate bedroom, dual­-sectioned bathroom, living room and mini kitchen with dining table).

Guests can enjoy tasty dinners on the patio of their restaurant, The Grille at ShadowRock (try Stronghold, an Arizona wine). Amenities include access to the large fitness center, the Eforea spa and three outdoor pools. | hiltonsedonaresort.com

2

See Sedona on a Pink Jeep Tour (2). Choose from six tours (the Broken Arrow tour is their most popular) and climb aboard the famous pink jeep for some mountain fun. Your certified and skilled driver will drive across breathtakingly steep red rocks to give you the best views of Sedona. This popular tourist activity is like an amusement park ride with amazing views. | pinkjeeptourssedona.com The Indian Gardens Café and Market (3), which was once an old filling station and is now known as an artisanal way station, provides provisions for people going up into the canyon for day trips. You can find fun high­end snacks, delicious pasta salad and an ample selection of Arizona wines and craft beers for a picnic lunch in a beautiful setting.

Enjoy a fresh sandwich (maybe a Ferrari, caprese salad on ciabatta) paired with a draft beer (such as the Knotty Pine lager) and enjoy dining in the garden out back under a canopy of trees. | indiangardens.com

1 Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 59

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | JET SETTER Experience the best nature has to offer with the Water To Wine kayak tour along the Verde River. Take a one hour ducky kayak (a blow-up kayak that gets its name from how easy it is to spin) trip on a scenic stretch of the river, featuring mostly calm waters you’ll need to paddle through with a few fun chutes. The water­based trip ends close to a gravel path which you take up through the vineyards to the Tuscan farmhouse at Alcantara Vineyards for your wine tasting. The tasting room overlooks the vineyards and the rolling hills beyond. | sedonaadventuretours.com

4

Head from the signature red rocks of Sedona to the bustling city of Phoenix.

5

Crowned the “Jewel of the Desert,” the Biltmore was erected entirely of “Biltmore Block,” a variation on a textile block first used by Wright to construct private homes. The pre­cast blocks were made from desert sand on­site and created in 34 different geometric patterns inspired by the trunk of a palm tree.

6

Six million blocks were used to construct the 39-acre wagon wheel­shaped property. Today guests enjoy eight pools (5), the open Squaw Peak Lawn and six restaurants and lounges, including Frank & Albert’s (6) known for its comfort food (start with fresh guacamole and move to the risotto).

The resort’s 740 guest accommodations range from rooms in the vintage main building and renovated rooms that overlook Paradise Pool to more private villas and cottages. The hotel’s spa, which offers an extensive menu of desert-themed natural healing treatments and restorative therapies, is next to the pool so you can spend a

60 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

7

››››› The Arizona Biltmore is featured in the book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die.

CREDITS: (Statue, 4, 5, 6) Arizona Biltmore, (7) Hot Air Expeditions, (8) Musical Instrument Museum

The Arizona Biltmore (4), one of the country’s iconic luxury hotels, was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s unique architectural style and opened in 1929, right in the middle of America’s Golden Age. At the time, there was a fascination with the wild west and this Grand Dame hotel captivated its visitors, going on to become a tourist mecca for the rich and famous. (Marilyn Monroe had a favorite pool and the Reagans honeymooned there.)

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | JET SETTER whole day enjoying them both, and even lunch by the expansive pool. (The Spa Biltmore massage + Effective Boost Facial is a perfect combo.) | arizonabiltmore.com Arise before the sun and get a degree from the college of hot air knowledge. Hot Air Expeditions (7) gives riders a thrill from start to finish. After you’re picked up at the hotel by the shuttle, the driver is told where you’ll depart (it depends on the wind direction, speed and stability). This aerial tour of the Sonoran Desert provides magnificent vistas of desert terrain and towering mountain ranges.

Each balloon’s wicker basket holds 12­20 passengers and even if you have a fear of heights, you won’t be affected because of the sensation of floating. After an exciting landing, you’re welcomed back to ground zero with a catered champagne brunch. | hotairexpeditions.com The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) (8) was founded by the former CEO of Target, Bob Ulrich, to share his love of music (he wasn’t even a musician). Visitors to the museum love that its collections are arranged by geography, providing a lesson in culture, history, sociology and geography all in one.

The museum also has a performance hall (not a bad seat in the place) which hosts performers from around the globe, including Texas’ own Lyle Lovett. Paired with the museum’s Café Allegro, it makes for a great date night.

The museum is currently home to a collection of about 15,000 instruments. Don’t miss the Artist Gallery, which hosts instruments from well knowns ranging from Elvis Presley and John Lennon to Carlos Santana and Taylor Swift, or the hands­o n Experience Gallery where guests can make music with ukuleles, gongs, and even a theremin (the electronic instrument you’ll hear making the spooky sounds on movie soundtracks). You might only need an hour but know that the average visitation time is three hour s, 38 minutes! | mim.org

Learn the intriguing story behind the Arizona Biltmore's iconic Sprite statues on one of the resort's behind-thescenes history tours.

8

›››› Walt Disney was a huge fan of Sedona and even wanted to build the first Disneyland among the red mountains of Sedona. He reputedly modeled a few of his rides and characters on mountains, flora and fauna of the area.

Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 61

& Mokara

Omni La Mansion del Rio

by the numbers

By Leeza Dennis and Marika Flatt

62 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | ROAD TRIP Sister hotels situated on San Antonio’s historic River Walk (also known as Paseo del Río), Omni La Mansion del Rio and Mokara stare at each other from across the river but are as different as sisters can be. La Mansion was built in the 1800s and is true to Spanish design and architecture aesthetic (think red Spanish tiles throughout the property). Mokara is Omni’s only luxury boutique hotel. The upscale hotel is in a building that was once a saddlery, hence the little saddle featured in the lobby, where the fireplace and couches will make you feel like you’ve stepped into someone’s living room.

Let’s take a look at these two San Antonio sisters, by the numbers...

8

It’s an easy 8 miles from the San Antonio International Airport to the Omni La Mansion del Rio and Mokara; or they’re easily accessible by car for a road trip from anywhere in Texas.

Omni La Mansion Del Rio

112

The address on College Street where the Omni La Mansion Del Rio sits and where history comes alive. It is walking distance to the Alamo, El Mercado, La Villita District, Spanish Governor’s Palace, San Antonio Convention Center and other well-known landmarks. Highlights at La Mansion include Las Canarias restaurant (we loved the empanadas and the shrimp and grits), Friday mariachis poolside, movies for the kids and El Colegio bar for the adults.

The year four brothers from the Society of St. Mary came together to build the structure that would become the Omni La Mansion del Rio. First, however, it was St. Mary’s Boys’ School, then a college. The Texas Historical Commission and the San Antonio Conservation Society have designated La Mansion del Rio as a historical treasure.

1968 338 1718

The year the former boys’ school and college was converted into La Mansion del Rio. Despite the renovation, it has maintained its Spanish Colonial architecture style, which lends a fable-like aesthetic to the property.

La Mansion del Rio includes 338 guest rooms, 28 junior suites, 10 master suites and one presidential suite.

The year the Yanaguana Indians founded San Antonio and brought their tradition of “worry dolls” with them. It is said the dolls can make your worries disappear. That is why every night at La Mansion del Rio, housekeepers place a handpainted box of colorful worry dolls on each guest’s pillow, along with a note instructing them to place the dolls under their pillow for a worry-free sleep and the welcoming of a new day.

Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 63

CREDIT: (BOTH) Omni La Mansion Del Rio

1852

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | ROAD TRIP

4,000

Omni La Mansion del Rio has one of the largest collections of Mexican folk art in the nation. The 4,000-piece collection is added to daily. | omnihotels.com/hotels/san-antonio-la-mansion-del-rio

steam room and dry sauna. Spa services, for both men and women, include facials, massages (try the therapeutic massage), aromatherapy, pedicures - all using ingredients native to Texas. A nice touch during the massage: a lotus flower under the face rest.

On the rooftop, enjoy the heated outdoor pool with a view of the city, and the Rooftop Cafe serving healthy snacks.

Mokara

4

The number of stars Forbes gave Mokara Hotel & Spa, an oasis of calm situated on the bustling historic River Walk. Mokara, named for a rare orchid with healing properties, promises “exceptional incl uded,” and lives up to that promise, providing award-winning and highly-personalized service.

Heading out for a walk around town in the morning, we were asked if we’d like to take along a cup of coffee or water. And, on day two of our visit, we received a courtesy call to make sure our visit was meeting our expectations.

99 CREDIT: (BOTH) Mokara

guest rooms that are both expansive and airy, ranging from 425 to 600 square feet. Each room features 12-foot ceilings, a marble bath, and a stylish steel four-poster bed. A minimalist color palette of creamy white and warm tones of brown and silvery green create an intimate, yet sophisticated, sense of comfort.

17,000

square feet of Mokara’s popular second floor spa, featuring 18 treatment rooms, relaxation lounges, whirlpool facing a lighted wall, eucalyptus

64 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

27

The number of amenities at Mokara, including: nightly turndown service with sleep masks, lavender spray, and daily wellness tips; in-room safes; jacuzzi tubs; complimentary champagne for Friday and Saturday guest arrivals, and a top-floor fitness center featuring infused water and sanitized headphones.

72

The varieties of high-end tequila at Mokara’s Ostra restaurant, ranging from $7-$125 per glass, making Ostra famous for their Tequila Madness menu. There’s also a generous selection of vintage wines from around the world to pair with your entree. (Mokara is known for their seafood selections.)

Guests can dine inside with Ostra’s indigo blue accents or on the outside patio, just steps off the River Walk. (Positively divine in cool weather with heated lamps to keep you warm.)

3

The number of courses in your perfect Ostra dinner. Start with a crusty, pan-fried crab cake. Then, move on to the redfish served over mashed polenta with spinach and sun-dried tomato.

Finish up with their chocolate mousse cake. | omnihotels.com/hotels/san-antonio-mokara

Ad. summer camp grades 2-12

register today!

www.thepines.org

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | REVIEWS

The Rare Art of

Great Customer Service

By Samantha Cook

Mokara Hotel, featured in this issue's Road Trip, promises “exceptional included.”

Some say exceptional customer service is a dying art.

You certainly know when you receive sub-par customer service but do you tip or, at the very least, recognize great customer service?

Our favorite ways of shining the spotlight on this dying art include a kind word to the person or his/her manager, a Yelp review, or a social media shout-out on the likes of Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

And now, drum roll please, here are a few standout examples of exceptional customer service we found in Texas and beyond.

The French Room, Adolphus Hotel, Dallas The valet (who knew my name when I stepped out of the car on my way to dinner) welcomed me, asked me where I was headed, and then recommended the crab cakes (an excellent recommendation, by the way). Our waiter, Carlos, who has worked at the restaurant for decades, was genuine and classy (think vintage Hollywood movie). He made sure we had every little thing we needed, gave welcome recommendations and took photos of us and with us.

The Westin Galleria Dallas & Westin Austin Downtown At this lifestyle branded hotel chain, the gyms offer cold lavender-infused towels, straight out of the cooler, for post-workout bliss. We also love that the Westin Austin Downtown has towels and cold water bottles by the front door for runners heading out for a jog around Lady Bird Lake.

The Peach Basket, Fredericksburg This family owned (since 1977) health food store has a small kitchen/café in the back that fixes grab-and-go organic meals.

They source from local farms as much as possible. They also ask their customers what they want to see from the kitchen and take those suggestions to heart. The owner doesn’t know until he comes in each morning what the chefs are preparing for the day; when he finds out, he posts it on Facebook.

California Market, Carmel, Calif.

This restaurant puts binoculars at each table on the outdoor patio so diners can enjoy a close up look at the Pacific Ocean.

The breathtaking views, together with their delicious food and local wine and beer all combine for a top-notch meal. (See more in the Jet Setter article, Summer 2015 issue.)

66 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | REVIEWS

No Baggage A Minimalist’s Tale of Love and Wandering

By Marika Flatt

It’s surely an unusual love story. Austin writer Clara Bensen met Jeff Wilson (aka Professor Dumpster, but that’s another story) on OKCupid.

After a few dates, Wilson invited Bensen to join him on a three-week trip from Istanbul to London. She agreed to embark on this adventure with a guy she’d just met, which would leave in a few weeks and require she quit her job. But the real kicker was…they would travel with no luggage.

Bensen had a small purse, Jeff shoved a few items into his pockets and off they went!

Their story was published in a Salon.com article (“The Craziest OKCupid Date Ever”) that went viral, and has now been turned into Bensen’s first book, No Baggage (Running Press, January 2016).

One dress, three weeks, eight countries— zero baggage.

Bensen wore a simple green dress for three weeks; they had no reservations ahead of time; couchsurfed through the journey; and, somehow, this psychological experiment worked.

“This was the rhythm of travel—exhausting marathons of movement punctuated by surprising moments of calm where time slowed and there was nowhere to be except right here, floating eyes-closed,” writes Bensen.

Haven’t we all had those trips where it’s constant rushing around, getting to the next location, only to forget to enjoy the journey? Bensen’s desire for her debut book is to inspire others to get outside their comfort zone and stretch themselves, to whatever degree is appropriate. She’s not insisting everyone head off into the great unknown with someone they just met, however, she shares this experience in No Baggage: “I was amazed at how my senses sharpened when I wasn’t worried about watching my bags, or checking into a reservation on time, or hitting beats on a carefully planned itinerary.”

Bensen and Wilson recently wrapped up their fifth No Baggage trip to Japan. (Other trips have taken the intrepid pair to Peru, Ecuador and Turkey.) Clearly their OKCupid match was wildly successful as the Austin-based couple has been together for almost three years.

Bensen’s advice to other travelers is simple: “Scale your adventure to what you’re comfortable with.”

Editor’s note: Flatt fully embraces Bensen’s sense of adventure. Read about her hot air ballooning, riding adventure jeeps and wine kayaking in our Jet Setter Arizona feature. clarabensen.com

Winter 2016 | texaslifestylemagazine.com 67

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | REVIEWS

...Revive the Funk

By Autumn Rhea Carpenter

When 67-year-old Earnest Tarkington,

founding drummer of The Relatives, was 6 years old, he watched “Soul Train” in his mother’s kitchen while playing the pots and pans with tree limbs. When he bought his first drum set at age 10, his siblings complained about the noise. Meanwhile, singers Reverend Gean West and his brother Tommie were growing up as Dallas gospel royalty, hosting traveling musicians such as Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls and the Staple Sisters. (Reverend Tommie recalls climbing a tree to watch Sam Cooke strum a guitar while sitting on his family’s front porch.)

By 1970, the West brothers, along with Tarkington, formed The Relatives—a combination of traditional gospel, psychedelic funk and soul—and soon realized that churches were not ready for their sound. The group split, and the band members played with other groups and started their own churches. In the 1980s, Billie Buck was at a garage sale in Fort Worth when she discovered a copy of The Relative’s single “Don’t Let Me Fall” and shared it with her son, Mike, owner of Antone’s Record Shop. Buck played the record for his friend, Noel Waggener. A decade later, Waggener and Charisse Kelly located Gean and The Relative’s reunion journey began.

In 2013, “Electric Word,” a collection of 10 funky gospel songs with a nod to Sly and the Family Stone and Jimi Hendrix, was released where Tony Corbitt (‘Corby’) first played organ and later bass. “Our

68 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

audiences are mostly young people, and it's a joy to spread our message of love to a whole new generation,” said 68-year-old West at the time of the album’s release.

Gean died in February 2015. “We feel him every time we perform,” said Tarkington. “His role was to keep us in line and to make sure we did our homework to get our harmonies perfect.”

Today, a trio of young musicians backs The Relatives: guitarist Zach Ernst, drummer Matt Strmiska and bassist Scott Nelson. Tenor Cedric West, Gene’s son, also joined the group. After a 40-year absence, the 63-year-old original guitarist, songwriter and Cedric’s uncle, Charles Ray “Gypsy” Mitchell has rejoined the band. Corby and Tyron Edwards sing vocals.

The band’s lead single “Can’t Feel Nothin’” was released in November and their latest album “Goodbye World” releases in January.

“Gean loved the new songs, and I know he is pleased with everything as he looks on from the Heavenly Choir,” said Tarkington.

therelativesgospel.com

CREDIT: (ALL) The Relatives

THE RELATIVES

The Spanish Colonial Arts Society

THE SPANISH COLONIAL ARTS SOCIETY PRESENTS

Las Cruces Spanish Market Saturday, February 20, 2016 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Sunday, February 21, 2016

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505.982.2226

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

TEXAS LIFESTYLE | WEB EXTRAS

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Find these stories and more at texaslifestylemagazine.com.

Tips to Rejuvenate Your Home Get a master class in how to decorate for the home you truly want from blogger and style maven, Anne Sage. With design tips for every room, she’ll go beneath the stylized surface to help you decorate for the life you truly want.

Austin Vintage Meets Dallas Modern

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Learn how a Dallas-Austin collaboration between old college friends is now bringing the Distillery’s fabulous vintage jewelry collection to the modern aesthetic of fashion-forward Mill No. 3, an upscale boutique in Dallas’ Turtle Creek shopping and dining wonderland.

Nestled by the River Walk, San Antonio’s Briscoe Western Art Museum is a must-see! And it’s not only about the world-class galleries. With fun, community events like the Briscoe Blast (which celebrates the National Day of the Cowboy) and its Li’l Partners program designed for young children and families, be sure to check it out.

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South Side Rising

Now that the cooler weather is finally here, what cocktails are going to hit the spot? Find out from the creative mixologists at Dallas’ Cook Hall what intriguing new flavors and ingredients they’re launching with their revamped specialty cocktail menu.

70 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

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TEXAS LIFESTYLE | A BETTER TEXAN

Who I Am: As told to E.A. Shumate

Chef Vijay Sadhu

Nothing makes happier than being in the kitchen. The Indian-born chef, who previously worked with Stephan Pyles at Samar and appeared on the Food Network's “Cutthroat Kitchen,” took the helm of Cook Hall, the American gastropub inside Dallas’ W Hotel, in 2015. You won’t find anything fussy or complicated on Chef Sadhu's new Southern comfort menu, but you will find big flavors.

My interest in cooking started when I was a kid in India, hanging out in the kitchen with our

cook. I went to culinary school in Australia and I’ve worked all over the globe - New York, California, D.C., Thailand, Bangkok and Malaysia. I had my own restaurant in Wisconsin. But I love the South.

You don’t have to be a Southern guy to make good Southern food. I love being here in Texas. It’s given me so much … the experience of working with great chefs and all the wonderful flavors here.

This is my first hotel restaurant experience, but we’re treating it as a freestanding restaurant that just happens to be attached to a hotel. The [hotel management company] gave me the freedom to create a new menu. Before starting the process, I traveled through the South – Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina – learning about comfort foods.

Even in simple food, you need to understand the flavor profile and how it feels when it hits your palate. Making the perfect dish means creating a marriage between the right four or five ingredients.

When I’m in the kitchen, I’m like a kid, playing

with flavors and ingredients. When I’m not in the kitchen, I’m like a fish out of water but I do go to Barnes & Noble sometimes to read cookbooks by chefs like Chef Sean Brock (his food is simple good Southern cooking from his mother’s recipes); [Gordon] Ramsey (I love the way he works, so disciplined); and Tony Bourdain.

I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They’re so simple. I

want to add one to the menu, fried with a scoop of ice cream and French fries. I want to bring the kid out of the adult guest in my restaurant.

2440 VICTORY PARK LANE | DALLAS | at the W Hotel cookhalldallas.com

72 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016

CREDIT: Clint Brewer

Whatever you do,

put your love, focus and passion into it. That’s what makes a great chef. If you put love into your cooking, it will come out good. I make simple food with big, bold flavors and quality products. When guests leave my restaurant, I am most satisfied when they feel happy.

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4 Texas Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2016