Maypearl, TX

There's a small little town, just south of Arlington, Texas called Maypearl. I remember driving thru when I checked out Antique Alley a few years ago. For me, a short drive is within forty miles, so a couple weekends ago, I went back. The town is tiny, with just a small strip for the Main Street. There's not much, there, just nestled between wide open spaces.

I think we all know my love for water towers!

How I Got To Texas: Emily / Insanity Rules

It’s pretty amazing the people that we meet in life and how we get to the place we’re at. I’m pretty intrigued with hearing people’s stories and thought about how we all got to where we’re at. I’ve decided to start a series called “How I Got To Texas” which will introduce you to some of my fellow blogging friends and learn a bit about their background and how they got to the great state of Texas.

Today, meet Emily from Insanity Rules where she blogs about her family, crafting and food. Be sure to check out her blog! 

Morning y'all! I'm so excited to be guest posting here at Down Home Traveler. So I guess I better let y'all in on a little secret of mine... I'm not a native Texan. I know gasp, crys of outrage, and the lot... :) I hope y'all will still put up with me because I've come to enjoy living in the great big state of Texas. So, where do my roots lie well in a place completely opposite of Texas. You see I'm a Pacific Northwest girl. To be more exact a little town called Sequim, Washington. Now this is important it's pronounced Squim not Seequim. It's spelled weird a people are always wanting to say seequim but that's not how it's done. Trust me when I went to college I'm pretty sure I had to pronounce it a hundered times. Yikes! Where I grew up it' rains, it's green, the trees touch the sky, and it's gorgeous. I love it! So, talk about a shock when I fell in love with a Texas boy and he thought it would be great to move to wide open spaces, dust, yellow, and no Moutains!!!! Really you have got to be kidding me. I thought he was completely crazy and I may have even thought I might be crazy marrying this guy. 

 

 

You see I'm a sweater loving, hoodie wearing, jeans and a t shirt kind of girl and all of those things aren't really happening in Texas. It's hot, humid, muggy, and well even when it's over cast it can be 90 + degrees outside. Yeah for a girl who loves mud puddles, dancing in the rain, and cold weather this was a complete one eighty. So, to say moving me to Texas was a shock might be putting it mildly. There were so many strange things about moving to Dallas TX. SO, this is just a little bit of our adventure.

I met the hubs at college and well that's a completely different story and rather funny. Let's just say he says I was rude to him and rejected him the first time we met. I say he's delusional and I had homework to do. Anyway we married and moved to Texas. For a girl who has spent a lot of her life trying to tame her curls:

 

This proved a bit of a challenge. I wear my hair up a lot in the summer because it's so heavy and with the hot weather it just curls all over the place. I also wasn't use to how light it is here all the time. You see the trees in Washington block out the light after a certain time of day. I'm convinced people don't know what pitch black is here in Texas but you sure can see the stars! I've learned to love cowboy boots, thunder storms, even the hot weather some times, and of course long evenings looking at the stars and watching my kids run around. We have been here for 8 years or so maybe 9 now and we have four boys. None of which I would change. I never grew up where we had really close neighbors. We didn't live in a neighborhood where the kids can run around outside with their friends all day. My kids are thrilled.

 

You could say Texas has changed my life. All my boys were born here, we bought our first home, car, and got our dogs here. I started my blog here and it's become something I really enjoy doing. I've met many fabulous ladies who hail from the great state of Texas and others. I may miss the rain but I love the sunshine and this is my home. You should come visit sometime there are great places to eat, museums, splash parks, and so much more. I discover new things all the time that we love to do. So I know Texas is always going to have a little piece of my heart. Have a wonderful day y'all!

Texas Music June 2013 Preview

Texas summers bring Texas music.

If you really wanted to, you could attend a different show nearly everyday and possibly not pay for a ticket for any of them.

There's a ton of great shows coming up around the Dallas / Fort Worth area and you'd be a fool to miss them. That's right, a fool!

Venues:
The Capital Bar - Fort Worth - Sponsored by The Ranch radio station located off West 7th Street this is your "bar" locale. View the backyard patio standing, sitting from either a table or up above from the deck. Grab a cold Shiner while you're at it. The only thing you need to worry about is parking (gets a little tight in this area).

Panther Island Pavilion - Fort Worth - Catch the act on stage from either a chair (bring you're own), blanket on the green or from a tube (can also rent), kayak, canoe or paddleboard on the Trinity River. Beverages available to purchase (cannot bring your own).

Leavitt Pavilion - Arlington, TX - Outdoor stage, bring a blanket, chair, cooler, snacks, whatever tickles your fancy. If you are looking for a really good seat in front of the stage, be sure to get there early.

Here are a few of my upcoming favorites that I'm really looking forward to checking out this month:

Uncle Lucius - 06/15 at the Leavitt Pavilion
I have a good friend in Austin who recommends shows to catch their shows. He told me not to miss this one. I would trust his judgement. He's never led me astray!

Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights - 06/20 at Panther Island Pavilion
I first saw these guys open up for Grace Potter and the Nocturnals a while ago and loved them. My concert buddy and I have been looking forward to seeing them ever since!

William Clark Green - 06/26 Capital Bar
(Most Excited About)
The more I listen to this guy the more I like him. His voice is amazing, his stories and songwriting inspirations grab your attention. Give him a whirl.

A few other shows you should check out this month:
06/12 - Mickey and the Motorcars, Capital Bar
06/13 - Six Market Boulevard, Panther Island Pavilion
06/19 - Cody Canada, Capital Bar
06/27 - Thieving Birds, Panther Island Pavilion
06/29 - Jason Eady, Leavitt Pavilion

Hyatt Lost Pines - The Food

I’ve mentioned quite a bit about how beautiful and fun the outdoor atmosphere is at the Hyatt Lost Pines but I’m leaving something incredibly important out… the food (and I’m not even kidding.)

The Hyatt Lost Pines have a few dining options at their resort. I had the please of eating at the Firewheel Café and if you have the opportunity to dine there, do not pass it up!

When walking into the restaurant, as with the rest of the resort, you get the outdoors, indoors. It is especially apparent in the restaurant with large windows and special features throughout. One of the special features is the painted glass windows featuring some of the native flowers in the area (painted by a local artist). You will find yourself looking at them. They’re beautiful. Comfortable, relaxing, perfect for a solo, couple or family / group meal.

To get the most out of what was to offer (so I could share it with all of you) – I got the buffet. For $24.99, this all you can eat feast is well worth the price (if not for the dessert alone) and allows you to try a little bit of everything.

Warning: Do not judge by the amount of food that I tried (and I did go hiking prior to dinner so I’ll use that as an excuse of how I burned up an appetite).

Salad Bar – Everything is prepared. Three types of leafs, mushrooms, green peppers, tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, carrots, eggs, croutons and by all means try out the raspberry vinaigrette!

Bread and Cheese – Three types of breads, two types of cheese. I mean, you really can’t go wrong with bread and cheese.

Main Dishes and Sides
Sweet Potato Casserole – This.Was.Perfection. The absolute best sweet potato casserole I’ve ever had. Sweet, but not overly sweet and was as smooth as could be.

Meats
Grilled Salmon was well done, flaky and moist.
Grilled Chicken
Sliced Beef – We are in Texas, right? It was extremely moist and I suggest pairing it with the BBQ sauce.

Soups
Jalapeno Corn Chowder – Creamy, creamy and delicious. I’ve noticed this as a Texas staple since I’ve moved here so everyone from out-of-state must try. When in Texas, do as the Texans do.

Baked Potato Bar
I think this may have been the first time I’ve seen this at a buffet (or maybe I just don’t frequent enough buffets). Regular baked potato or a sweet baked potato with all the fixings. I didn’t have enough room to try this but I’m going to take a guess and say it was pretty tasty. When is a loaded baked potato not savory? … Exactly.

Dessert
Don’t judge.
I have a sweet tooth and well, I have a sweet tooth. To be honest, I’m pretty sure I tried almost all of these. I mean, a girl can taste right (plus don’t forget I went hiking prior to dinner). Plus, all the desserts were in the “Mini” version, so it’s ok, right?!

Red velvet whoopie pie, pecan pie tart, lemon square, fresh whip cream, apple cobbler, brownies, lemon tarts and my favorite, the maple panna cotta. It tasted like maple pudding consistency but not an overwhelming maple flavor with fresh whip cream and a blackberry on top.

If dinner isn’t enough for you, each night in the large fire pits outside, you can enjoy s'mores, an outdoor favorite. (I obviously had to pass.)

Other Dining Options:
Stories Fine Dining – Elegant dining.
Old Bucks Place – Next to the pool, enjoy some fresh BBQ.
Shellers Barrelhouse Bar – Rustic, Austin inspired atmosphere. (Go here for nightlife.)
Major Neighbors Grill – Take the golf experience inside at the clubhouse.
McCade’s Emporium and Ice Cream Saloon – General Store feel, breakfast, candy and ice cream treats.

Note: For extra savings, be sure to check in with FourSquare. I believe I got a free beverage at McCade’s with my first check-in. Don’t pass it up!

Related Posts: 
Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa
Exploring Nature at the Hyatt Lost Pines
Comfort & Beauty - Room Overview
Most Historic Small Town In Texas


Disclaimer: I was not compensated but did receive a complimentary meal at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa in return for this post. All photos and opinions are 100% my own.

How I Got To Texas: My Story

It’s pretty amazing the people that we meet in life and how we get to the place we’re at. I’m pretty intrigued with hearing people’s stories and thought about how we all got to where we’re at. I’ve decided to start a series called “How I Got To Texas” which will introduce you to some of my fellow blogging friends and learn a bit about their background and how they got to the great state of Texas.

Back in sixth grade, I tried to convince one of my friends that we were going to move to Texas together when we “grew up” and write country songs. She didn’t go for it and the dream quickly dissipated. Never would I have thought how it would all pan out (minus writing the country songs – at least not yet.)


My Story

My story actually starts back in 2006. One of my good friends (Heather) graduated college a semester early and moved to Texas in January 2006. That May, as a graduation gift to myself I had planned a trip visiting friends throughout the country and Texas was on the itinerary. A week after I saw Heather at our college graduation, we met up again in Texas. I hated it. I said I would never move here. It was busy, over populated and it was busy.

Mama always said, “Never say never!”

Fast Forward  – October 2007

I had wanted to move out of Vermont for, well, a really long time. I grew up there, went to college there and then was working there for a year and a half after graduation. I just wanted to try something different. Where to go? Heather happened to be getting married (in Texas) in October of 2007 and I took another opportunity to make a multi-stop trip. On the way to her wedding, I took a detour to Colorado/Wyoming to visit another friend from college. I found myself driving all over Colorado and Wyoming for three to four days and realized, as much as I loved the landscape, I didn’t know a soul.

Then I arrive in Texas, ready to have the time of my life at this wedding, because, well, I wasn’t going to see these people again. Let’s make the most of it. (It’s probably a good idea to just start laughing about this now.) Everyone knew I was thinking about moving and everyone had a plan – to get Diana to Texas. First, it started with Heather’s dad and sister. Then it progressed to a few other friends. To make a long story short, by the end of the weekend, I had pretty much made my decision… I was headed to Texas.

In March of 2008, I packed up my belongings, filled my car, said my “see-ya-laters” and left Vermont on a very cold morning. I think it was about -10 Fahrenheit. Pit stops and must see destinations were made along the way (NYC, Philadelphia, Louisville and Graceland). Then on St. Patrick’s Day, after driving hours through tornado weather in East Texas, I had arrived.

Fast Forward – 2013

Traveling and exploring new places have apparently always been something that I’ve enjoyed, although not necessarily something that I knew I was keeping up with as a hobby. I started my blog as a way to show my family everything I doing and then it’s evolved into something a little bigger and I’m glad I get to share my experiences with all of you.

Texas, especially in the last year, has really grown a special place in my heart. Although, Vermont will always be my number one, Texas is a close second. There’s just something about it, the rural country, the cowboy boots, the music, the Western lifestyle, the fact that there’s something going on all the time or that this place is so big and there’s every type of landscape. Luckenbach, Gruene, dancehalls, Texas Rangers baseball and those old windmills in the fields just do it for me.

I’m now familiar with BBQ, Mexican menu’s, and making sweet tea. (Although, I typically stick to enchiladas on the menu's and I've been reminded that I am a Yankee and I need a Texan to tell me what good BBQ is.) I enjoy eating stuffed jalapeños and can make some pretty good chicken enchiladas. I’ve got two stepping down and could dance all night if I had a good partner. I own cowboy boots and I’m not scared to throw around a good “y’all” or “right quick” every now and again. I like to think it’s a great blend of the North and the South.

I’m not entirely sure where life is going to bring me but I’m glad that life brought me to Texas.

Vermont Adventures with Riley

Last month, I traveled back home to Vermont for a few days to catch up with family, friends and spend some quality time with my favorite person, my niece. Each time I go home, I spend some quality time with my brother doing something outdoor oriented, sometimes shooting guns (attempting to hit a target), canoeing, snowshoeing or going for a drive. This time around, we went canoeing and fishing and hiking.

Canoeing and Fishing

Vermont is beautiful. The mountains are rich and you will find tons of lakes and ponds tucked around, just waiting to be explored. We came across a few of them, in desolate areas. I swear, my brother knows every nook and cranny in Vermont. The man doesn't get lost.

Needless to say, we didn't catch any fish, on a lake that is. We ended up catching a few trout in a brook that we went to later. I did get my legs extremely sun burnt. The views were amazing. My rowing skills were not. The oars were taken away, apparently there was too much laughing and not enough "straight" rowing. Makes me laugh just thinking about it.


Hiking

I should've learned my lesson snowshoeing. Vermont had a ton of snow this winter, I think the most they've seen in a few years so it wasn't surprising that there were still a few snowpatches at the top of the mountain where we went to hike. We started off on the northern most part of the Long Trail in Richford, Vermont. The thing is, when you hike with my brother, you may start off on a trail but I guarantee that you won't stay on it. You will eventually come back onto the trail but again, you may not end on it. We started on the trail, went off the train, came back on only to get back off, found it again and eventually cut through the woods to get back to the main road to where we parked the truck. Again - the man doesn't get lost.

Tons of moose trackings and rubbings on the trees, and a few views peaking out of the trees. As exhausting as it was to hike with someone who seems to still have energy to run up the mountain after hiking for three hours, it was well worth it!

Volkwagen Car Rally

While I was visiting Fredericksburg in April, there happened to be a Volkswagen convention in town. There's literally a different event every weekend year round in Fredericksburg. (Check out their calendar. It's packed!) It was like walking into the 1970's seeing all these cars. I think the best way to describe this is to let the photo's speak for themselves. There were one to two hundred cars around, a great variety.

Here ya go!

Growing up, I use to want a bug - I thought they were so cute. Now, if I had to pick I'd go for the Thing.

This dune buggy - I'd love to take for an off road drive!

I have no idea what this is (below), but it really reminds me of the Bat-mobile.

Texas Tuesday link up with Amanda from Princess of the Panhandle and Crystal from Masons Mama. This is a chance for any blogger to participate in a post on the greatness of Texas! There's so much to explore!