Adventures in New Braunfels, TX (and other weekend fun)

One of the things on my Texas Bucket List has been to go tubing. This seems to be a quintessential summer event here in the Lone Star State. Even though he is Texas born and raised, the husband hadn't been either, so we were excited when his cousin invited us and his brother and sister-in-law to tube the Comal River in New Braunfels. She rented a condo right on the river, which she and her family had stayed in before. The plan was to tube the river, catch a concert, and just enjoy hanging out together. This sounded like heaven to us!

We would have traveled to New Braunfels that Friday night to join everyone, but we actually had concert tickets to see Weird Al!


Weird Al puts on an amazing show! We've seen him once before and he had the same level of energy and fun. He changed costumes for all of his songs, included props, and even performed among the audience for two numbers. Large screens showed clips of random Weird Al television references and guest appearances (as well as clips from Al TV episodes) between songs.

(This photo isn't mine! Link to article here)

His encore songs were my absolute favorite Weird Al parodies: The Saga Begins and Yoda. Joined on stage by members of the 501st legion in full stormtrooper armor (and one Darth Vader), the entire audience stood and sang along. It was a magical nerd moment. If you haven't watched the music video for The Saga Begins, stop reading this blog and watch this before continuing! Honestly, this contains the best rhyme sequence ever: "Oh my, my, this here Anakin guy ... May be Vader someday later, now he's just a small fry." We will definitely catch Weird Al if he comes to the DFW area again!


In order to get to New Braunfels at a decent time on Saturday, we had to leave home really early. As in "I don't even want to drink coffee right now because it'll make me ill" early. However, it did make taking I-35 much easier because no one else was out on the roads! Or at least, I think it did, because I slept most of the way down. The husband opted to drive to New Braunfels and leave the return trip to me. We did stop for kolaches in West, Texas. (It's a state law. You must stop for kolaches in West, Texas) While everyone has their favorite place to pick up the tasty pastries, we decided on the Czech Stop. I opted to get two kolaches to nosh on, one sweet (pumpkin and cream cheese) and one savory (sausage and kraut), then we were back on the road.


(The mural on the I-35 highway overpass giving a nod to the Czech heritage of the town)

We decided to stop once more as we hit New Braunfels because also it's also a state requirement to get gas at a Buc-ee's if you pass one on the highway. I love Buc-ee's. They're huge, have clean bathrooms, seemingly hundreds of gas pumps, and the best selection of food, drinks, and snacks you could possibly want for your road trip. There's also a sizable shopping and souvenir department. Although, I resisted the urge to buy things for my nephew, I couldn't resist the opportunity for a photo opp with Mr. Buc-ee himself!



Not long after leaving Buc-ee's, we pulled up to our condo and started unloading. The husband's cousin had rented a nice two bedroom unit on the second floor, complete with a balcony and fully-equipped kitchen. After a late homemade breakfast, we all prepared to hit the river. The husband and I didn't have our own tubes, so we decided to rent them at Texas Tubes , which was right next door to our condo. For a fairly decent price, we got two tubes and a guaranteed bus ride back.


Here we are, fresh and ready to go! (And desperately hoping that we've applied enough sunscreen!)

As we didn't want to chance losing our iPhones, we didn't take any technology with us. While it meant I couldn't take any pictures, it was probably the smartest decision we made (as will become obvious later!) It was a bit tricky coordinating tube deployment, as the rest of our group put in at the launch site on the condo property. While it wasn't particularly far upstream, the husband and I had to try and time it correctly so we didn't end up with another group of tubers. While this may not sound too difficult, here's a picture of what the river looked like in many spots:

(Again, not my photo. See here for the original)

Although the husband did get a bit ahead of the rest of us and had to get towed back by one our nieces, we eventually got situated. The husband's brother even had an extra tube which carried our cooler stocked with beer and water for the journey. While I was initially worried about the sheer amount of people on the river, it didn't make a difference. It was incredibly nice and relaxing to just lay back and float down the river. (In fact, I even had a few brief conversations with random people we bumped up against) It was hot outside, but anytime I started to get too warm, I just had to dip my hands and feet into the cool water and it was perfect.

The entire route from start to finish took about three hours. Most of the river was slow moving and lazy, but there were three points where it got a bit more exciting. The river was funneled into fast-moving one-person-at-a-time sections at the Tube Chute, Weir Falls, and Warnecke Rapids. Signs warned "weak swimmers" to go ashore and get back into the water further downstream.

Here is one family's video of the Tube Chute, the first "rapid" on our path!


We all got queued up to go and then whoosh! We were off! The husband's brother and sister-in-law went down before us at the Tube Chute. As he left the chute, the current shot him towards the shore and into a strong eddy and flipped his tube. By the time the husband and I caught up, he was standing in the water, trying to save his tube, our cooler, and the tube the cooler had been sitting in. After a bit of wrangling against the strong current to get everyone back together in one group, we were floating back down the river, minus all of our water bottles and over half of the beer. (There is a very good reason why no glass bottles are allowed on the river) I chalked it up to making our offering to the river gods.

After that excitement, continuing down the river was fairly uneventful, even passing through the next two fast-moving parts of the river. We floated by the Schlitterbahn Water Park and got to wave at the people riding some sort of crazy free-fall bungee swing. We also passed some very nice homes with huge porches that overlooked the river. I don't think I'll ever be able to afford water-front property, but I can certainly dream!

Finally, we approached the last public take-out point. There were a lot of people trying to exit and the water was deeper than we expected. The husband tried to get out first, but somehow managed to get separated from his tube and started drifting out into the river. After a bit of a panic (he's not a great swimmer), the people around us helped him get to shore safely. The river, apparently feeling cheated, did claim his favorite hat however. When I tried to get out, my tube flipped over me and my wrist got trapped. I'm slow, but fairly competent in the water (thank you State of Alaska for requiring that high school graduates be able to pass a swimming test!!), so I felt pretty calm. However, I couldn't get enough footing to be able to pull my wrist free and flip the tube back off me. Those around me helped hold the tube and finally get me free of it.

After our entire party managed to get out of the Comal River, (somewhat safely!), we loaded up and headed back to the condo to shower and rest up for a bit. The condo had a beautiful grassy area next to the river that was shaded by enormous old trees. Picnic benches and grills were provided for the guests, so hot dogs and hamburgers were cooked up while we chilled out and watched people float by.


As the evening progressed, we got "fancied up" to go see Hayes Carll perform at the famous Gruene Hall, the oldest operating dance hall in Texas. We'd visited Gruene Hall before and it's an awesome place to listen to music, drink beer, and watch people two-step like nobody's business.


The opening act was Uncle Lucius, a band that was a bit country, a bit New Orleans, a bit rock. I was really impressed with their set and actually bought their album, And You Are Me (which I have been listening to in the car non-stop since then). Here is one of my favorite songs off that album:


There's no real air conditioning in Gruene Hall (just screened porches and ceiling fans), so by the time Hayes Carll performed we had moved to wooden tables outside to get more of a breeze. We sat under string lights, relaxing, chatting a bit, and just listening to good music. By the time the concert was over, we were all tired, happy, and ready to get back to the condo. Here are a few more photos of the hall itself. I loved the old wooden floors, signed photos of musicians who had played there, and generally relaxed vibe of the place.


We woke up the next day, a bit sore and sunburned, and packed to head home. We had a nice breakfast with my husband's brother and sister-in-law, then left New Braunfels. Rather than take the interstate back home, I took Highway 281 all the way through small towns like Marble Falls, Hico, and Stephenville until I hit I-20. It was a gorgeous drive. As the husband slept, I played my new CD and watched the countryside pass by. I even noted a few places that we'll have to visit on our next Texas road trip adventure (such as the Buggy Barn Museum in Blanco!)

Once we got back to Denton, neither one of us felt like being productive. So, we ended the day by heading down to the Square and eating at Burger LSA. Although I did get a bit sunburned in the places where my clothing rubbed off my sunscreen, the husband got the worst of it.


(OUCH!)

Even though there were a few tense moments there (as my brother-in-law says, the final score was River 0, brothers 2), we had an excellent weekend. We're already looking forward to the future family excursions! I don't know if we'll go tubing again, but we'll certainly be more prepared the next time.

Restaurant/Bar Review: Drunken Donkey (Denton, TX)

Back in late June, the husband and I met another couple for drinks at the Drunken Donkey in Lewisville, TX. We were looking for a place that was midway between our homes that had a decent beer selection, and honestly, who could resist trying out a place with that name?

A great time was had by all, so the husband and I were incredibly happy to hear that a Drunken Donkey opened up in here in Denton. It moved into the building previously occupied by the Pourhouse, (an establishment with a great location, but pretty mediocre food and service.) Unbeknownst to us, our first time eating here was during their "soft" opening. The food was great and our waitress was very friendly, but the kitchen was pretty slow. They were apparently still figuring things out, because we have been back multiple times since then and have not had any more problems.



The Drunken Donkey refers to themselves as a "craft bar and scratch kitchen." Their beer list is quite impressive. I am always very pleased to find local brews on tap (my absolute favorite beer to get right now is Audacity's Mesquite Chili Ale!!), however they offer a variety of beers from all over the world. The husband and I usually try a new beer each time.



The food served at the Drunken Donkey is truly a step above your standard pub or sports bar fare. We have gotten the Donkey Balls before (snicker), but we are positively addicted to the Bacon Thingies. They stuff a jalapeno with chicken and cheese, wrap it in bacon, then fry the entire morsel and cover it in hot sauce. The husband is not generally a fan of jalapenos or hot sauce, but he requests these every time we visit.



All of the entrees I've ordered have been really tasty, but I was particularly impressed with the Reuben Sandwich. The corned beef soaked and cooked in Chainbreaker White IPA was phenomenal and it was paired with a very good sauerkraut and "boom boom" sauce.



The atmosphere of Drunken Donkey is pretty "sports ball." There are enormous flat-screen televisions everywhere and it can get pretty noisy. However, I have a special place in my heart for an establishment that holds an event called "Craft and Comics," where you can watch superhero films in the big theater room and drink craft beer!! We have yet been able to catch one of these, but I'm keeping my eye out.

While it has been a challenge to want to eat outside (summer in Texas is not kind), the Drunken Donkey's patio is worth it. Overlooking Unicorn Lake (strangely not a natural lake nor filled with Unicorns), diners have a great view at sunset.



Whether you sit inside or out on the patio, the waitstaff at Drunken Donkey are incredibly friendly and on top of things. We often have other servers stop by to say hello and see if we need anything. The husband and I always have a really good experience when we visit. The last time, we even brought some card games and just hung out for a bit, relaxing.

Final Verdict: The husband I would definitely recommend the Drunken Donkey! Great beer, food, service, and location. I hope you can check it out!

Desk Set Weekend

Desk Set is one of my top-10 favorite classic films! Released in 1957, the movie stars Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Hepburn plays Bunny Watson, the incredibly smart and witty head of a broadcasting network's Reference Department. Tracy plays Richard Sumner, the man secretly hired to install an "electronic brain" (aka computer)in their office. Once the gossip gets out about Sumner's purpose, everyone is convinced that they're going to be replaced by a machine.

As to be expected, the chemistry between Hepburn and Tracy is delightful and their banter throughout the film is snappy and funny. This movie speaks to me on many levels (the dialog, the clothing, the insanely monsterous EMERAC, and the best office Christmas party you'll ever see). However, I am a librarian by profession, and so there is a connection for me there as well. Not only is Bunny Watson the Reference Librarian I dream of becoming, but it's very interesting to see how the struggle to adopt and adapt to technology hasn't changed much in the last 60 years.

Suffice to say, when I saw that Abilene's Historic Paramount Theater had Desk Set on their 2015 film series I gave a little shriek of glee! Coordinating the weekend with friends that live in Abilene, this quickly turned into an "Event." First of all, my girlfriend and I decided that our group had to dress appropriately. So we both started looking around for 1950s inspired outfits. It took me a while to piece mine together (I ordered the skirt online, but couldn't find a top I liked for weeks) while my girlfriend found a period-looking dress pattern and made hers.


On the big day, we decided to eat downtown at the lovely Abi Haus! We'd eaten here before and were very impressed with the food and service. It's a small venue, so we made sure to get there as soon as they opened.


Myself and the husband!


My girlfriend and her husband!


As a table, we decided to share the Farmer's Plate (fruit, bread, cheese, and honey) and the fried mushrooms. The fruit actually had a little bit of salt sprinkled on top, so when you mixed it with the honey it was amazing!


Abi Haus prides themselves on their pre-Prohibition drink menu, so I decided to forgo beer with my meal and went with the ABI Mule instead.


For my entree, I decided on the nightly lamb special. It was cooked perfectly and the curry-spiced carrots/mango pico de gallo complemented it nicely.


After dinner, we headed straight to the Paramount Theater to buy our tickets and get good seats. This is such a beautiful place to watch films! The building was originally built in 1930, remodeled in 1986, and is reminiscent of a completely different time in history.


Squee! Vintage movie poster!


Here we are in our full finery! (I'm sensing some Wonder Woman cosplay in my future) You can also see the beautiful tile work that lines the front entry and the ticket counter.


The interior of the Paramount is a feast for the eyes: luscious dark hues with gold accents, intricate moldings and light fixtures, a night-time sky filled with stars and clouds that drift by as you watch.


During the intermission, my girlfriend and I went up into the balcony to get a better view. The facade framing the stage always reminds me of a set from Romeo & Juliet.


Here are some more small details that just amazed me.


Desk Set was even better on the big screen! There was a scene towards the end of the film where I had never noticed Hepburn's delighted clapping and laughing at EMERAC's technical difficulties.


If you are anywhere near Abilene, I highly recommend visiting the Paramount! (Even if you're not close by, I would still recommend a road trip!) Here's the rest of their 2015 season. We may have to come back for December to see White Christmas. I sense another costume event!

Afterwards, we went out for coffee (and beer!) at Mezamiz Coffee House. Although I do truly love Abilene, sometimes it seems like the town rolls up its streets at night. Although it was 11:00 on a Saturday night, business was so slow they were closing an hour early. So, we drank our beverages quickly and headed home.


Before we left town the next day, we had to have breakfast at the Hernandez Bakery. This has become a tradition whenever we visit Abilene as they have some of the best tacos I have ever eaten. This time I got the barbacoa and the chicharron, the latter being spicy enough that I had to forgo the salsa.


And then, it was time to head back home. It was an amazing weekend filled with good friends, food, and fun!

Food Excursions in Austin, TX

So, the husband and I were in Austin several months ago for a conference. I love visiting Austin! Lots of quirky people to meet, places to visit, and food to enjoy! We were able to stay downtown near the convention center, which always makes life great. We could walk everywhere. Our hotel was lovely ... and I immediately spotted a photo opportunity!


These were sitting right in front of the convention center.


I love how one can take something as functional as a bike rack and make it into artwork! If you're not familiar with Austin, the bat motif ties back in with the Congress Avenue Bridge and the million-plus bats that live underneath it. While we didn't head down to the bridge for this trip, it is very impressive to watch them all emerge at nightfall!

The first place we decided to eat at was Frank.


We've eaten here before and love the atmosphere!


While they do offer veggie options, I just don't think you can truly enjoy this place unless you're a meat eater! Even my drink, the "Red Headed Stranger," had bacon!


We started out with the Canadian Waffle Poutine. If it's covered in brown gravy, it's a hit for my husband!


I decided on the Smokey Baloney (they had me at "Sriracha aoli!") and my husband had some tasty creation which we have since forgotten the name of (bad, bad blogger!) Suffice to say, if you like sausage and beer, you should certainly make a detour to Frank.


For dinner that night, we tried to get into Moonshine, a promising-looking place right behind the convention center. However, we were told it was an hour or more wait. (A common hazard of convention traffic, I'm afraid) We decided to walk around and see what we could find instead. This turned out to work very well in our favor, because we ended up at the Russian House intead!


I knew we were going to be in good hands when we walked in the front door and had the option to dress up in Russian attire and get our picture taken with a stuffed bear named Misha! I couldn't convince the husband to don a fur hat, so we headed back through the bar area to the smaller enclosed dining room.


As soon as we sat down, the waitress asked if we wanted complementary shots of vodka. Is there any other answer to this question but YES? And not just vodka, but bread, salt, and pickled vegetables as well. It was a very Old World way to start our meal!


We decided to split the Ukrainian Salo to start. According to the menu it's not just a "national dish," but a "national philosophy" of salted pork belly!


For the main course, the husband decided to try the Chicken Tabaka which was marinated in a garlic and wine sauce. I'm always partial to dumplings, so I ordered the Manty which were stuffed with very tasty lamb.


They had several pages of vodka to choose from, including an amazing assortment of infused and flavored options. I was very tempted by vodka infusions such as red currant, rosemary, birch, or lavender, I decided to take the waitress's suggestions on a very nice, straight Russian vodka.

We walked back to our hotel and hung out in the bar for a bit before heading to bed.


With conference programs, our next big meal was dinner. As this was going to be our last night in Austin, we knew we really wanted to get into Moonshine. Another set of friends was also looking for a good place to eat, so we decided to try it together. We were able to get make a reservation and the husband and I hung out on the porch until our entire group met up.


While he had a nice local beer, I went straight for the Old Fashioned. We had a little more time, so I also decided to try the Ruby Slipper Martini (vodka, grapefruit juice, grenadine, and champagne. It was nice, but the Old Fashioned was my favorite of the two.


Our friends arrived and we soon were seated. As soon as I saw that they had something called "Warm Bacon Dip," we knew that we were going to get this for the table. It was incredible!


I have a thing about Chicken Fried Steak. Of the many foods I have adopted since I moved to the South, this has been my favorite. If I see it on any menu, I'm going to try it out. To top off the meal, I decided to pick the green chile cheddar grits as my side! (This is another Southern concept I've grown to like: savory grits!)


Sticking true to his brown gravy roots, the husband decided to get the Texas Akaushi Beef Meatloaf with mashed potatoes. It was quite savory and I loved how it was served in a small pan!


All and all, it was a great evening of food and laughter! (And I may have had another Old Fashioned before we left)

The conference drew to a close and we left for home early the next day. Before we left Austin, however, there was one more place we had to go. In Texas, barbecue is a way of life! I own the book, "Follow the Smoke," which highlights some of the best barbecue places in the state. If you're in Austin, I must strongly suggest going to The County Line.


There are two locations in Austin and we ate at the Lake one. Our table had a gorgeous view of the water as well.


When you go, spend the extra bit of cash for their homemade bread. You won't regret it. I could live on this bread alone!


The barbecue is truly amazing! We have a pact between us to visit The County Line any time we're in Austin.


It you happen to visit the "facilities," you will be treated to a audio-recording of "Learnin' to Talk Like a Cowboy" which is pretty funny. (Conveniently, you can also buy a copy before you leave!)

After lunch, we finally said goodbye to Austin and headed north, but I can't wait for our next opportunity to head back!