MUFFY, WILDFLOWERS, AND WINE!: Waco and Austin

Texans love to fly flags!  We wondered what was on the flagpole BEFORE the war,
but loved seeing support for Ukraine

 Waco was a halfway point between Dallas and Austin.  Some of my friends watch The Food Network when they want some mindless TV.  Me?  I’m an HGTV gal.  So seeing the JoAnna Gaines Silo complex held a mild interest for me.  Oh!  I’m so over it!!  This was definitely Buffy and Muffy-want-to-be territory!!  There was a line to enter her bakery and the Magnolia store was just the Target section on Texas-steroids.  There was a courtyard with small shiplap “tiny houses” around it for their vendors.  I realized I  was completely “over it” when we came upon a men’s clothing store and a woman’s clothing store that prominently carried his khaki  “signature” vest and her flippy little white sundresses.  All you saw were dozens of Muffies being followed around by bored husbands carrying Magnolia shopping bags!!  We did go to Harp Enterprises, the featured woodworker, and buy a garland for Emily’s new dining room table (if it ever arrives!), but that was it.

 

Shiplap Heaven?



Our friends Laurie and Sean get credit for helping make our trip to Austin a success.  We texted them several times and asked for recommendations and they were always spot on.

We saw the Tesla giga-plant when we were driving in.  It is near the airport and looks like an Amazon warehouse on steroids.  I liked that he had a wall of windows for his workers.  Of course, we got turned back by the security guard but found a couple of overlooks to take pictures.




Sean guided us to a great BBQ place in downtown Austin: Coopers Old Time Pit BBQ.  It was enough for 2 meals and we felt like we had eaten true Texas BBQ.  Unfortunately, the brewery both Clay and Sean recommended (Jester Kings) is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.


We saw NO scooters in Dallas, but Austin had scooters, mini bikes, and large electric bikes

We decided to use our 2nd day in Austin to get off the interstates and ride out into the Hill Country where there was a wine trail near Fredricksburg.  (We had been to the quaint German town on a previous trip so only waved to the kitschy shops, and besides I still was full of kitsch from visiting the silos!)  Laurie suggested the Wild Seeds Farms as both a winery and a “cool” stop. (When she texted it to us, we plugged it in, and we were 7 minutes away.  Damn, she's good!) The field of wildflowers (Texas Bluebells we had been seeing on the interstate) was magnificent and the shop yielded some unique gifts and a tasting room with good wines and a fun pourer that reminded Dave of Allie Wassum!  Laurie texted a “wino friend” and she suggested William Christophers for a wine and food pairing.  We had to talk our way into a reservation, but they accommodated us after we pleaded  “we drove here all the way from NC and tried calling several times”.  The food and wine were outstanding, and after 10 pours and terrific but small plates, Deb was blitzed (ask Diane about the sloppy text I sent her!).  Their wine selection was extensive, even including a Rousanne, Italian, and multiple varietals and blends.  We will definitely save back a bottle to share with Laurie and Sean when they return from Washington State!!



I wanted the live edge tables... the iron grapevine legs were special!

We were content to stay in and eat our leftover BBQ and sober up after that!!  And watching the swirl of tornadoes thankfully east and north of us, could sober us up fairly quickly.  We definitely dodged that bullet and actually had great weather.

I began a list of odd and funny signs which I’ll publish at the end, but the best one so far was a car we followed for several miles that had a “soaped” sign in the back window:  “Toast the bride!  Venmo drink $$ to…..”



We are also delighted by Texas’ live oaks, smaller versions of our Isle of Palm favorites.  I was so glad we drove out into the hill country for the interstates from Dallas to Austin give the impression that Texas is a huge suburb with all-look-the-same strip malls and Prime Outlets.  Though somehow Dave has a knack for using the charging stations at the Outlet Malls early in the day before the stores open!! lol

 


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