Cathy Valentine discovers

Tehuacana Creek Vineyards & Winery

2008-11-30T04:38:00.000-08:00

Great central Texas winery that offers a unique assortment of local wines. We visited their winery on Saturday and sampled a bottle of Glogg - went home with a case. The Glogg is available during the holiday season.

For additional information about this Winery located midway between Dallas and Austin -

visit http://www.wacowinery.com/

they can be reached at 254-875-2375 or via car.

Received this email from them announcing:

The Glögg is coming! Saturday after Thanksgiving the 2008 Glögg will be available. We are celebrating the release with live music by the Shane Howard Band. Specific hours during Thanksgiving weekend are:Wednesday 26th: 12:00 - 6.00 PM
Thanksgiving Day: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Friday 28th: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday 29th: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM [Shane Howard Band performs at 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM]

The Glögg is our famous spiced Christmas wine. We make it from an old Swedish family recipe. It is a sweet red wine spiced with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, raisins and a splash of brandy. You do not drink it in a regular wine glass. Instead you pour it into a coffee mug and heat it up in your microwave.
Please come by and visit us on Saturday!

T. Ulf Westblom
Tehuacana Creek Vineyards and Winery
(254) 875-2375
http://www.wacowinery.com/

Waco Texas - Oct 19th 3-5

2008-10-09T04:58:00.000-07:00

Great Autumn Event - Children's Garden Fair Sunday

Carleen Bright Arboretum

9001 Bosque Blvd, Woodway Tx

Sponsored by McLennan County Master Gardeners and Carleen Bright Arboretum

Scavenger hunt
Worm composting
Making seed cards
Potting a plant to take home
Popping corn-on-the-cob
Painting rocks
Leaf rubbing plus much more

Explore Carleen Bright Arboretum - FREE EVENT

All children must be
accompanied by an adult.

Identify insects and butterflies

Bring your camera to take pictures

Lots more fun and It's FREE

Visiting Waco Tx or traveling I-35 between Dallas and Austin - stop for a fun filled afternoon

Highlights of the Fall Into Autumn winning Pork Recipes- reported by the National Pork Board

2008-10-05T05:03:00.000-07:00

Fall into Autumn with WINNING Pork Recipes - Reported to us by Contest Promoters

Earlier this year, the National Pork Board put journalists to the test with a media-only contest, Taste the Trend: Pork Recipe Challenge. They asked them to trade their pens and papers for a digital thermometer and cooking utensils to showcase their own culinary skills for the chance to win big – a trip to the 2009 Greenbrier Symposium for Professional Food Writers! After years of writing about delicious pork recipes, they wanted to see what they had up their sleeves…and boy were the National Pork Board surprised! These journalists know their pork and how to use it!

Gretchen VanEsselstyn, the editor in chief of Chile Pepper Magazine, won top honors with her deliciously decadent Double-Decker Schnitzel Sliders with Hot Pink Slaw, perfect for fall menus. We dare you to spice-up any Oktoberfest celebration with this tasty German-inspired pork slider. These are also perfect little portions for your next tailgate! Plus, you can guarantee your party will be on-trend. The Double-Decker Schnitzel Sliders with Hot Pink Slaw features BOLD Asian flavors, which VanEsselstyn says are hot now. She ensures “these chic and sassy sliders burst with sweet, sour, salty and spicy layers of crunch bliss in every bite.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!

The Grand Prize winner was the Double-Decker Schnitzel Sliders with Hot Pink Slaw recipe

Double-Decker Schnitzel Sliders with Hot Pink Slaw

Double-Decker Schnitzel Sliders- fun to say, and fun to eat. Inspired by emerging superstar chef David Chang’s trend-setting use of bold Asian flavors, playfulness and deep love for pork, these chic and sassy sliders burst with sweet, sour, salty and spicy layers of crunchy bliss in every bite.

Schnitzels
6 slices bacon, cooked, drained and chopped (fat reserved)
6 pork cutlets or 6 thin pork chops, pounded to 1/8-inch thickness
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Freshly ground pepper
1 egg
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons canola oil

Slaw
1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce (available at Asian markets)
1 cup shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage

To Serve
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce
6 small potato rolls, such as Martin’s Famous, toasted
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
12 dill pickle slices

Make the schnitzels: In a skillet over medium low heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon fat, and let rest on paper towels. When cool, chop coarsely, and set aside.

Cut a cutlet crosswise into 2 pieces, and trim to create 2 (2-inch by 2-inch) pieces. Repeat with remaining cutlets, for a total of 12 pieces. In a shallow bowl, place the flour, and season with pepper. In another shallow bowl, beat the egg, and stir in the hoisin sauce. In a third shallow bowl, place the breadcrumbs.

Prepare a small sheet tray lined with parchment. Dip a cutlet in the flour, and shake off excess. Using the opposite hand, dip the cutlet in the egg mixture. Switching back to the dry hand, dip the cutlet in the panko, and pat to be sure it is completely coated. Place the cutlet on the sheet tray, and repeat with remaining cutlets. Place tray in the refrigerator, and let sit 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the slaw: In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, hoisin, mayonnaise and chili sauce, and stir. In a large bowl, place green and red cabbage, and fold in the vinegar mixture until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cook the schnitzels: In a large nonstick skillet, combine the canola oil and 1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat, and heat until oil shimmers. Working in batches as necessary, cook the schnitzels, turning once, until crisp and golden-brown, about 5 minutes total. Drain on paper towels.

Prepare the sliders: In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise and chili sauce. Open the rolls, and lay them out on plates. Spread 1 teaspoon mayonnaise mixture on the inner bottom half of each roll. Spread 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce on the inner top half of each roll. Place a schnitzel on the bottom half of each roll, then top each with 2 pickle slices and one-sixth of the reserved cooked bacon. Cover each with a second schnitzel, then top each with 1/4 cup slaw. Place tops on rolls, and serve.

Serves 6

Recipe courtesy of Gretchen VanEsselstyn on behalf of the National Pork Board

While they received several editor contest entries, two more rose to the top of the pack. Check out these runners-up for a tasty, on-trend pork dish!
- Bacon and Peanut Butter Cookies courtesy of Raina Bien of PastryScoop.com says, “The blurring of sweet-salty flavors seen at top restaurants is strangely intoxicating. Bananas and quail, parsnip cake, olive caramel…Here’s another kind of recipe entirely: a homey cookie that’s not at all avant-garde. Bacon stars with peanut butter in a smoky treat with the perfect balance of sugar and salt.”
- Brined Pork Tenderloin with Pomegranate Glaze courtesy of Susan Selasky Mickels of the Detroit Free Press. She says, “Brining continues to be a popular technique to add moisture and flavor to foods. Pomegranate juice continues to be a darling in the food industry because of its antioxidant qualities. In this recipe, a popular technique pairs with a sweet pomegranate glaze for an easy meal that can be prepped in advance.”

Additonal recipes available from the National Pork Board

Town of Cochrane Community Mural Mosaic

2008-01-15T04:54:00.000-08:00

Traveling to Canada in the vicinty of Cochrane

Take time to take a detour and visit the Town of Cochrane Community Mural Mosaic

The Mural website. credits Ronald Sigurdson, Sandy Johnson, Maria Blackwell, Jennifer Strickland Lewis Lavoie, Phil Alain, and Paul Lavoie with creation of this impression piece of art.

Now on display for public viewing:TOWN OF COCHRANE , 101 RANCHEHOUSE RD,COCHRANE, AB CANADAOFFICE HOURS: Monday to Friday8:30 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M.

Town of Cochrane website

Jacksonville Fl buying opportunities:fill in the city-this probably applies to just about any city in the USA

2007-09-10T14:34:00.001-07:00

Competition is fierce in just about every real estate market in the country. However, buyers with good credit and the necessary funds for a down payment are being pursued by real estate builders who must unload their inventory. A great example are three condo developments in Jacksonville Fl. One-two-and three bedroom units are selling at $50,000 less than they were this time last year. For about $100K and no downpayment, buyers have a new home. Current owners of condo units can not compete with these builders. Looking for a wonderful condo in Jacksonville, Orange Park, Fleming Island - call James Angelo at 904-881-2178 or visit his website at www.locatehomesflorida.com and view his picks of Great Property Deals. As time goes on, there are bound to be more and more. And I am not talking about bankrupt or foreclosed properties.

3 Redneck Tenors-Americans Got Talent

2007-08-31T13:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, so they didn't win or even come close to doing so on Americas Got Talent. However, maybe they should have done better- they sure have the talent. Last night they appeared at Waco's Hippodrome Theatre. They were great. Fantastic voices-lulled us through an evening of wonderful music and comedy. At the end of the journey when they sang several arias, the audience to a man was on its feet.

Had they performed 3 Saturday Night Tenors at the Mudcat Saloon & Salon - YMCA during the Americas Got Talent competition they might have placed or even won Americans Got Talent. I think they choose the wrong piece to perform and that did them in.

A hilarious evening- great entertainment-will attend more of their concerts: those are the comments I heard from the audience at intermission and at the end of the evening. We loved the whole show. But I felt The Lone Prairie and TV theme Song Medley was worth the price of the ticket. So were Staying Alive, Greensleeves, well I could just go on and on. Writing, singing, orchestration, and humor made for a memorable evening. I strongly recommend you attend one of their concerts if you are lucky to have them book into a theatre near you.

visit http://www.3rednecktenors.com/ for their schedule of events. Matthew Lord, John Wilkerson, Alex Bumpas, Dinny McGuire and Lindsay Hilliard were spectacular. Kudos to Matthew Lord, the writer.

Great Opportunity to enjoy Hilton Garden Inn and American Express

2007-07-04T04:32:00.000-07:00

We received a Press Release from Hilton Garden Inn that we thought all travelers would benefit from.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., May 31, 2007 – Hilton Garden Inn®, the award winning mid-priced brand, expands its annual "Great Golf Giveaway"
promotion with new exclusive offers from American Express®, Dockers® Golf and an increased list of participating courses. From June 1 through Oct. 21, 2007, travelers can take advantage of the program by including a Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday night in their stay at any participating Hilton Garden Inn in the U.S., Canada or Mexico. Guests will receive a voucher valid for complimentary greens fees for up to two people redeemable at more than 375+ participating golf courses throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Last year nearly 13,000 golfers took advantage of the summer golf promotion and played more than 7,500 rounds of golf, courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn brand.
"We wanted to add something new to our ‘Great Golf Giveaway’ this summer and partnering with American Express and Dockers gives us the opportunity to provide our guests with a unique way to enhance their hotel stay with some great rewards," said Jim Cone, vice president – marketing for Hilton Garden Inn. "Thanks to Dockers Golf, our guests can golf in style and their money can go further with American Express when they stay at any participating Hilton Garden Inn location."

"Great Golf Giveaway" Details Include:
Stay and pay with any American Express Card and receive an American Express – branded prepaid card worth up to $50. Guests who book online, under Offer Code OPEN, and complete a two night stay over Thursday, Friday, Saturday and/or Sunday night at any Hilton Garden Inn will receive an American Express branded prepaid card worth $25, redeemable at any of the thousands of Hilton Family hotels worldwide.
Guests who stay three qualified nights and pay with any American Express Card will receive a $50 card redeemable for a future stay at any Hilton Family hotel worldwide.

375+ Courses to Choose From, Need We Say More? Since one out of eight
U.S. travelers play golf on a trip**, Hilton Garden Inn expanded the list of courses to include more than 375+ semi-private and public courses throughout the U.S. and Canada. Golfers can take advantage of the promotion either on the road or back at home. Guests have the freedom to choose. Some of the more notable courses include: PGA Golf Club at Port St. Lucie, Fla., Cog Hill Country Club Courses No. 1 and No. 3 in Lemont, Ill., The Legacy Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nev., Dancing Rabbit Golf Club, in Philadelphia, Miss., and many others. Guests must secure their tee times up to three days in advance, for up to two players per voucher. Upon check-in at the golf course, guests must show a copy of their receipt for their qualifying stay at any Hilton Garden Inn and surrender their original complimentary greens fees voucher. For a complete list of participating golf courses, and terms & conditions please visit http://www.blogger.com/www.StayHGI.com/golf.

Pointers for the Greens. As part of the promotion, guests will receive a complimentary golf tips booklet upon check-in, filled with pointers from Golf Digest instructors, including tips ranging from playing out of the rough to driving with power. The booklet also includes a trial subscription offer to Golf Digest or Golf for Women magazines as well as a discount for Dockers Golf apparel available at http://www.blogger.com/www.Dockers.com/golf, where they can find microfiber pants and mercerized polos that keep golfers cool, dry and looking great.
.
At select Hilton Garden Inn properties, instructors from Golf Digest and Golf for Women will be hosting "Inside the Ropes" events for Hilton Garden Inn guests. The events will include a mini-golf clinic, discussion of what’s hot in golf, cocktail reception, prizes, and more.
For more information or a complete list of "Inside the Ropes"
locations, check out http://www.blogger.com/www.StayHGI.com/golf.

About the "Great Golf Giveaway"
The third annual summer golf promotion is valid June 1 – Oct. 21, 2007. Guests whose stay includes a Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, from June 1 – Oct. 21, 2007, receive a voucher for a complimentary round of golf for two, valid at more than 375+ participating golf courses throughout the U.S. and Canada. Guests can choose to use their voucher during their stay at a participating course, or at a later date and location during the promotional period. Guests also will receive the complimentary golf tips booklet upon check-in written by professional golf instructors.

The "Great Golf Giveaway" promotion is part of the Hilton Garden Inn brand’s ongoing marketing strategy of encouraging its core business traveler to get the most of their stay and turn business trips into relaxing mini-vacations. To find a list of participating golf courses, click on http://www.blogger.com/www.StayHGI.com/golf.

About American Express®
American Express Company is a leading global payments, network and travel company founded in 1850. For more information, visit americanexpress.com.

About Dockers® Golf
Dockers® Golf is a stylish, performance-enhanced collection of shirts, pants, outerwear and accessories designed specifically to address the wardrobe needs of all golfers, from the everyday enthusiast to the PGA Tour Pro. The Dockers® Golf product line combines elements of San Francisco's easygoing style with classic golf sportswear, and features signature Dockers® brand performance innovations including, All Motion Comfort™ Fabric, ColorBond®, Cool Effects™, Individual Fit® Waistband, Stain Defender®, Antimicrobial Technology, No Wrinkles and UV Guard.
Dockers® Golf is worn by top PGA Pro Tour player and San Francisco Bay Area native, Arron Oberholser, winner of the 2006 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Dockers ® San Francisco, the nation's leading brand of men's casual wear, relaunched Dockers® Golf in Fall 2006 as a key component of the brand's Four Wearing Occasions product offering, focused on providing today's modern man with the perfect wardrobe for the four key wearing occasions in his life - Work, Weekend, Dress and Golf. For information on Dockers® Golf products call 1-800-DOCKERS or visit http://www.blogger.com/www.Dockers.com.

About Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn is the award-winning, mid-priced brand that continually strives to ensure today’s busy travelers have everything they need to be most productive on the road — from complimentary Wi-Fi in all guestrooms and remote printing to the hotel’s complimentary 24-hour business center to getting the perfect night’s sleep on the Garden Sleep SystemTM bed. So whether on the road for personal or business reasons, Hilton Garden Inn offers the amenities and services for travelers to work smart, eat well, stay fit and ‘sleep deep’ on the road regardless of their "personal business."

Hilton Garden Inn is part of Hilton Hotels Corporation; recognized internationally as a preeminent hospitality company. The company develops, owns, manages or franchises more than 2,800 hotels, resorts and vacation ownership properties. Its portfolio includes many of the world's best known and most highly regarded hotel brands, including Hilton®, Conrad®, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Hilton Grand VacationsTM, Homewood Suites by Hilton® and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection®.

For more information on Hilton Garden Inn locations or to find a complete list of golf courses or to book the Hilton Garden Inn "Great Golf Giveaway," please visit http://www.blogger.com/www.StayHGI.com/golf.
* According to the National Golf Foundation 2007 Survey **According to the Travel Industry Association’s Web Site # # #

Waco Texas River Sounds-Free Concerts

2007-05-27T08:36:00.000-07:00

The Bosque River meanders through much of McLennan County, and Waco Texas is its hub. Traveling through central Texas and Waco on I-35 in the coming month, you will find motel and hotel rooms available as most of Baylor University’s student population is elsewhere for the summer. I recommend that you exit the highway and stay a while in this interesting town. If possible, try to spend Thursday nights in Waco so that you can attend the River Sounds Concerts held Thursday evenings at the Bosque River Stage at McLennan Community College. These events are free.
Music begins at 8 pm.

The itinerary of schedules events:

Hank Thompson and Johnny Gimble & Texas Swing Thurs May 31st
Two Waco Legends of Western Music

Elephants the band Thurs June 7th
Jazz-Rock with R & B

The Morticians Thurs June 14th
Classic 50’s and 60’s Rock

Classie Ballou & Family Band Thurs June 21st
Bayou Blues, South and a Little Zydeco

Waco Jazz Orchestra with MCC Faculty Jazz Ensemble Thurs June 28th
A sampling of Waco’s best Small and Big Band Jazz

Visit Bosque River Stage for additional information.

Hope to see you at one or all of these foot stomping concerts.

Artistic Design by Rose -Waco Tx Artist

2007-05-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

Rose Jacobson is a local Waco artist. I call her affectionately "Grandma Rose (s)". She prefers that her work be titled "Artistic Design by Rose". This artist is proof that creativity does not wane with age. Her most recent project has been to create wall plaques using silk flowers and decoupage. She has recently begun selling her art on http://www.craigslist.com/ .

Her favorite medium is watercolors. Her home is her gallery. If she invites you to view her creations, you will be impressed with the variety of subjects she has tackled and her technical and artistic abilities. She is a world traveler and the beauty she has experienced is reflected in her art.

Her bio: Born in Waco Texas. Her interest in art began at an early age and she has been constantly drawing and painting since then. She attended Baylor University and studied Art and Music. She also studied with Robert Wade at MCC. She attended numerous workshops with local artist in Waco-Don Magid and Walter McCown as well as studying with nationally acclaimed watercolor teachers-Naomi Brotherton, Angie Banta Brown, Cece Turner, Marci Boone, Mary Barton and others.

She is a member of the Art Center of Waco, Community Artist and Students Association, Waco Art League and Central Texas Watercolor Society. Her goal is to keep learning and growing by striving for good design, composition, color and continued inspiration and enthusiasm.

The Miracle on Clay Ave, Waco Texas

2007-05-15T18:12:00.000-07:00

There are a variety of non-profit organizations located within ¼ square mile of Clay and 13th St in Waco TX. Baylor University is located to the north east on S 5th St. This is a conservative Baptist University. MCC (Metropolitan Community Church) which ministers to a diverse congregation is located a few blocks south on Clay. Planned Parenthood is located on Ross just a short two blocks to the east. Gospel Café provides free lunches Wednesday through Friday and is located on 10th St a few blocks to the northeast. Caritas, a food pantry and thrift store is located on S 15th, 3 blocks to the west. This area of Waco is known as South Waco. It is home to some of the poorest families in Waco. It is also home to a unique childcare center.

Talitha Koum Nurture Center is in the heart of this geographic area. This non-profit organization is a therapeutic nursery that serves 24 children, from infancy to six years, and their families. Talitha Koum uses a mental health therapeutic approach based on curriculum and principles proven to decrease crime and arrest rates and increase graduation rates and income levels of the children who attend the center as well as their parents. Individual donations support the center.

“Make a Memory Luncheon” held on May 10, 2007 at The Palladium, 729 Austin Ave, Waco TX honored mothers, grandmothers, daughters, and sisters, wives, friends, and benefited Talitha Koum Nurture Center. Nelwyn Reagan, Lisa Jaynes and Russell Trippet hosted the luncheon. Special sponsors were Phil Adkins, Central National Bank, Festive Occasions, First National Bank of Central Texas, Tom Stanton, and Jim Hawkins.

Morganna Harwood gave the keynote address titled “A Message for Moms”. Nan Holmes, previously of KWBU and now Executive Director of Talitha Koum recognized one of Talitha Koum’s special volunteers.

The program, which also included an audio and visual presentation, was a tribute to all Mothers and to the Talitha Koum Ministry, which is truly a Miracle on Clay Ave.
For more information, visit Talitha Koum’s website.

From right to left: Nelwyn Reagan, Nan Holmes, Morganna Harwood, and Pat Clemons.

Urbanquet-A Fund Raiser for Mission Waco, Waco Tx

2007-04-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

When I moved to Waco Texas from the northeast, I was shocked to learn how few safety nets existed for individuals who got sick, lost their jobs, or suffered some other catastrophe. Since then, I have became acquainted with the many non-profit sectarian and religious organizations that fill the niche that the government fills in other areas of the country.

During the past 15 years, Mission Waco has grown as a major provider of services for the poor. One of their annual fund raisers is the Urbanquet held at the Waco Texas Convention Center. Dr Juan Hernandez was the featured speaker this year. He is a mesmerizing and forceful defender of our newest "American Pioneers".

Dr. Juan Hernandez, a Texas native was the first American to serve as a cabinet member for a Mexican president. He is one of the nation's most passionate defenders of immigrant rights. He is pictured below with his staff and family:he is on the extreme right.

Additional information about Mission Waco can be found at their website.

I purchased and read his new book, "The New American Pioneers". I recommend this book to those who want informaion about immigrantion reform. Visit Dr Juan Hernandez's web site to learn about this amazing Mexican American.

Exploring Hwy 84 -Texas, Mississippi, Alabama,Florida

2007-04-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

We are really enjoying retirement; every day is Saturday. My goal is to travel somewhere about once a month. I feel real comfortable with that schedule. Lately I’ve been getting vibes from Pat, my spouse and the Recreation Events Editor, that he would like to reduce the travel a bit. I think he’d be more comfortable if we stayed home for the next six months. Well, we’ll think about it.

We just returned from our annual trek that takes us from central Texas to Jacksonville Florida. Our usual route is through Houston where we pick up I-10. Nine hundred miles later we are in Jacksonville Florida. This year we took a different route. Hurricanes Katrina, Tammy and Wilma are still having an impact on the Gulf Coast States highway system. Some of our friends recently traveled via I-10 in Louisiana and they reported that highway construction had created some impressive traffic jams. As far as I was concerned that was no big deal. I just set out to plan a new route that would allow us to savor some of the jewels of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida. Okay, Pat would not give me carte blanche to plan an open ended trip-he agreed to three days travel max to Florida and two on the return.

Out came the maps. I confess that I usually log on to Mapquest.com when I plan a trip. However, I must have a gene that is found in those that love to explore as I get excited about the prospect of digging out maps from the stash tucked away in my bedroom closet. I enjoy the challenge of pouring over maps and laying out different routes. Searching for interesting itineraries always leads me to the internet; that has sure changed that way I research things today. When I look back to 15 years ago, I am amazed at the impact that the internet has had on my life. I just love Google; searching for hotels, making reservations, laying out the itinerary. Years ago I would order and pour over AAA Tour Books. Searching via Google has replaced that ritual. Well, almost. Those good old AAA Tour Books sure come in handy. I love to compare prices on lodging; the AAA books give all this information in one compact location. I still supplement the internet with them.

We started out from Waco Texas and headed east via Hwy 7 to Crockett Tx-this eventually leads to Hwy 84. Our first full stop was in Crockett Texas (named after you know who) ; our plans were to find a good local eatery and have lunch in Crockett. We found a Mexican Restaurant that was very busy. That is rule number one when we look for a restaurant in a new city. Never stop at a restaurant unless they have lots of patrons. We learned our lesson the hard way during a trip to New Mexico last year. It was my birthday. We had spent the day touring Carlsbad Caverns. We were tired and hungry. Pat was in the mood for Mexican food. Do you see any trend yet? We drove up to this restaurant; the parking lot was deserted. We went in and looked at the menu. The prices were reasonable and the menu had Chile Rellenos-one of Pat's favorites. So, we sat down and ordered. Well, this place must have been a front for a drug smuggling outfit because they could not be making any money by selling food. In Crockett our experience was much better. The Mexican restaurant was full and the patrons appeared to be happy. We ordered and found great Tex-Mex cuisine.

Taqueria Taco Cafe; Mia Taco House

We found the square where Hwy 7, Hwy 287, Hwy 19, Hwy 21, and FM 2022 all converge. We took some pictures of the square and historical markers. We got back in the car after looking at some of the shops on the square. Our goal was to reach Natchez Mississippi before dark-Mapquest says 300 miles should take 6 ½ hours; we knew it would probably take 5 hours. We knew some short cuts (zoom, zoom,zoom).

Pat had recently visited Natchez when he and some friends rode their motorcycles to Birmingham to attend the Motorcycle Races. He was anxious to show me the town. Our first stop was the overlook on the Mississippi River with a view of a Riverboat that was docked-this was THE Riverboat were all the gambling took place. I was staying out of that place.

Next we headed for dinner. The place had character and the food was great. We had the pork barbecue.

Then off to our motel. I’m omitting any mention of our motel accommodations. Someone once said, if you can’t say anything good about something, you should say nothing at all.

In the morning we visited the Grand Village of the Natchez.

We then took a short detour and traveled about 50 miles on the Natchez Trace Parkway. The U.S. Dept of the Interior maintains this 444 mile national treasure that transverses Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi. You can obtain more information about the Parkway at(www.nps.gov/natr) and the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail (www.nps.gov/natt)

Our next objective was to reach Dothan Alabama. We traveled via Hwy 84. Mapquest preferred I-10 but we were taking the scenic route-avoiding any traffic. Estimated time for the 500 miles was about 8 hours. It took every minute. We were happy to finally get to Dothan. After checking in at the motel we headed for the Cracker Barrel. I rate the Cracker Barrel as my favorite restaurant. This Brooklyn Gal sure loves their Southern cuisine. They have first rate service, low fat milk for my coffee, and plenty of vegetables. I’m sure Dothan has sightseeing attractions; we just never found them. Maybe we were just getting tired and we were ready to be in Jacksonville. Early to bed and Early to Rise; we were on the road by 8 am and arrived at our final destination in 4 hours.

Jacksonville Florida is a great city to visit and live in. We stayed for a month. I think I really pushed Pat at little too far this time. We saw a lot and when we finally started home we decided to take the fast route via I-10. The roads going west were great and we kept going until we were really tired. We were lucky and found a wonderful motel in Slidell Louisiana; it was right across the street from a Cracker Barrel. We drove around awhile before we found the motel and we were intrigued with the community. There were some interesting and quaint shopping areas. I’m willing to stop again and stay a few days so that we can explore the city. The next time we drive to Jacksonville, we are staying in Slidell instead of Baton Rouge (which is where we usually stay).

Our final day on the road went very smoothly. We bypassed Houston by taking Hwy 105 West out of Beaumont- this runs into Hwy 6 which took us through Aggie land in Bryan College Station and then directly to Waco. We were sure glad to get home. I’ll share our experiences and pictures of the Jacksonville Zoo at a later date.

We all enjoy jumping on a highway and getting to our final destination as quickly as possible. I try to remind myself that the journey is more important than arriving at the destination. This trip we tried to live that axiom.

Our route from Waco TX to Jacksonville Fl.
Took Hwy 77 south, Hwy 7 east to Crockett, Hwy 7 east towards Nacogdoches, Hwy 59 north to Hwy 84, Hwy 84 east to Natchez Mississippi, Hwy 84 east to Enterprise, Hwy 12 east to Dothan, Hwy 231 south to me 10 east, last stop Jacksonville Florida.

We know there was a more direct route to Nacogdoches from Waco, but we wanted to visit Crockett.

FYI: If your final goal is the greater Jacksonville Florida area, visit James Angelo's web site for information about real estate in that area.

Would you like to share your favorite eateries and sightseeing destinations in the cities we passed through? I would love to receive your thoughts on places we missed during our journey. Click here to contact us. I’ll post some of those that I receive. I am looking forward to receiving your tasty tidbits. Please use "Exploring Hwy 84 -Texas, Mississippi, Alabama,Florida" as your title.

Sundance and Sundry Experiences

2007-04-13T17:35:00.000-07:00

You’d think that we travel and visit Park City during the 3rd week in January to see the movies at Sundance. Well, guess again. A journal of my experiences will shed a light on my true motives.

We arrive late Saturday afternoon- the film fest has been in full swing for several days. Pat and I check into the Park Regency- love this place. This is only our second year visiting Park City during the festival but if things go like they did last year I’ll go home with lots of memories and a stash of goodies.

We are sharing a one bedroom condo for the first two days with my brother-in-law Dirk and my sister-in-law Gloria. We sleep on the convertible. Boy does that suck. Wish Pat would agree to sleep on the floor. Why can’t anyone put a decent mattress in a convertible sofa? Joe Cillo and Mary Buttaro, the other Forallevents.com representatives are staying next door. I could ask them to let me sleep on their sofa and Pat could sleep on the one in Dirk’s apt- the sofas are comfortable- the convertibles suck! Guess I said that already.

We get up early and Dirk and Pat head for the slopes. Pat is the Recreation Events Editor and the recreation he is exploring is the ski slopes of all nearby ski areas. What a job! He is taking the Canon Power Shot SD550 with him to capture the beauty of the slopes. Last year he discovered that this is the prime time to sky at Park City -because everyone is at the movies. The slopes are deserted. The slopes have fresh snow. The lift lines are none existent. Park City provides free transportation via a fantastic bus system. Sundance Film has discount coupons available for the three area ski resorts. The temperature on the slopes is moderate. Pat has a pat assignment.

Joe is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of Forallevents.com. He heads off to the make connections at the competing film festivals-Slam Dance and Park City Film Music Fest. We meet up that afternoon and review the movies for those Fests; we pick 5-6 movies we want to see.

Gloria and I get a ride to Main Street. We begin our daily trek up and down the street. We are going to visit every store; look at all the goods. We usually start our adventure at the Kimble Art Center. HP Snapshot Chalet is located downstairs. They create a personalized Festival photo book and have daily HP drawings for cameras and printers. We visit the Volkswagen exhibit for free shirts and other bobbles. We sign up to test drive the Tourage-a fantastic off road vehicle. Volkswagen has designed a special challenging course to demonstrate the off road capabilities of their Tourage. This experience turns out to be one of the most exciting things we do during our visit to Park City.

We hit the Leaf Lounge in the afternoon for free wine. Krups provides fantastic free coffee at the Kimble Art Center and at the Rabbit Hole. We hope to stop at the Stella Artois Patio to enjoy Belgium hospitality-it was open to everyone last year-this year you must have Sundance Festival Credentials to get in-guess we lose out. The Delta Air Lines Sky Lodge is open to the public on only two days- we will not get to enjoy it- doesn’t work with our schedule.

Monday morning we move into our own apartment. We sleep great that night. We meet out next door neighbors. They love to ski. Mr. and Mrs. Castberg are extremely hospitable. We find out that Eileen Castberg sells real estate in Ramona California. They are good neighbors for the rest of the week. They introduce us to Captain Morgan’s Coconut Flavored Rum-Pat has promised to get me some. It is the best Rum I’ve ever tasted. Captain Morgan-I’ll take a case.

Movie and other highlights:

Cuba Gooding Jr. starred in “What Love Is”- he was great; movie was good; we had some good laughs. Mars Callahan, Matthew Lillard, Tamala Jones and Gina Gershon all did great jobs. Film World Premiere was Jan 24th a Harry O’s

Bill Sebastian’s “Midlothia”- Park City Music Film Festival- Recommend this one. Loved the score, the directing, and the script.

Bill Sebastian

Exhuming Jefferson: http://www.exhumingjefferson.com/ While waiting to get in to see “What Love Is”, we met Mr. Jefferson. His message is: Are we living the legacy?

On a bus ride we meet Carla Marie Rugg. She is an artist and designer; she did the production design for “Four Sheets to the Wind”- an award winning film.

Carla Marie Rugg ===============Pat, Dirk, Gloria and Cathy snow mobiling

Dirk and Pat go skiing Monday. Dirk and Pat again go skiing Tuesday. Dirk falls on Tuesday afternoon and hurts his hip. That ends skiing for Dirk. Pat hits the slopes one more day. On Thursday all six of us go to the Volkswagen’s Tent and are driven to their road course. The guys each get behind the wheel of their respective vehicle. They are in heaven. I just sit in the back and hold on. This is really fun. Hope they offer this again next year.

On Friday morning we are picked up by a local company selling snow mobile rides.We pay for an hour- get 45 minutes on the mobile. The guide races through the course; the ride is too rough and much too fast. This is my first and last time on a snow mobile. Pat and I own a motorcycle. I would not trade the motorcycle for a snow mobile.

Gloria and I saw five movies during the week. “Midlothia” was the only Park City Music Film Festival movie we saw. “What Love Is” was an independent movie that was not entered in any of the film festivals. All the others were entered in Slam Dance. “ Crime Fiction" was directed by Will Slocombe ; “Crashing” was written and directed by Gary Walkow; “Lola” was directed by Mathew Ross; “Die Besucher” (The Visitor) was Directed, produced and written by Ulrike Molsen. They were all at least 3 star movies.

“Midlothia” was my favorite. “Crashing” and “Die Besucher” tied for second.

Hope to see you next year in Park City. We did not eat on Main Street very often; however, I do recommend that you stop for a meal at the Wasatch Brew Pub, 250 Main St across the street from Slam Dance.

The food is great, the prices are reasonable and the portions generous.

See you next year; I’ll be walking up and down Main Street hopefully loaded down with lots of loot.

FYI: “Midlothia” is getting some good press and is scheduled to be shown at three film festivals.
Newport Beach Film Festival April 23, 2007
Indianapolis International Film Festival April 27th and 28th, 2007
Big Island Film Festival May 17, 2007

Make time to see Midlothia if you are lucky enough to be in those areas during the screenings.

Bluebonnets and Wild Flower Fever in Texas

2007-04-12T16:19:00.000-07:00

Bluebonnets

Prairie Sunset in San Antonio

Bluebonnet fever is running high in Central Texas. If you are lucky enough to drive through Central Texas in March and April you will see lakes of bluebonnets along the roadways and in the meadows throughout the hill country and Central Texas. Many families have spring rituals of Sunday car rides to enjoy this Texas treasure. These rituals may go the way of the Edsel with gas at about $3.00 per gallon. This year I am using the Internet to view the pictures posted of Bluebonnet sightings.

I had the opportunity to drive between Waco and Dallas and Fort Worth since the middle of March. The bluebonnets are spectacular this year along I-35E and I-35W. We drove to Lake Waco this week and were overwhelmed with the sightings. Jack Maguire, the historian, is quoted as saying that “bluebonnets are to Texas as the rose is to England, the tulip is to Holland and the cherry blossom is to Japan.”

Visiting Central Texas this spring or summer, include these places in your itinerary:

The Wildflower Center in Texas : Phone 512-292-4100 for the best sites to view bluebonnets

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center www.wildflower.org

Burnet Bluebonnet Festival www.burnetchamber.org

Wildseed Farms www.wildseedfarms.com

For fantastic pictures visit http://www.dannyburk.com/texas%20landscapes.htm

www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/bluebonnets.html

www.photohouston.com/texas-wildflowers-photos/pictures-of-texas-wildflowers.html

Explore the internet for bloggers who are posting their own pictures. The wildflowers of Texas are just a click away.

The Greening of Jacksonville Florida

2007-04-12T05:40:00.000-07:00

We had the opportunity to visit Jacksonville Florida during the spring of 2007. We attended the Jacksonville Home and Patio Show held at the Prime Osborn Convention Center. A major theme of this show was introducing green friendly products to the Jacksonville population. We learned a lot about Jacksonville during this stay and about Jacksonville’s commitment to joining other communities in using Green technology.

James Angelo, wrote an article about this subject and I am including a summary of that article here: For the full article please visit : http://www.locatehomesflorida.com/news-article.asp?Id=3050707&blogPostID=223&label=&link=&relatedId=

Jacksonville Florida has seen an impressive population and building growth in the past 20 years. Visitors come to Jacksonville Fl because of the temperate climate, the growing economy, the beaches, the vibrant arts and culture scene and to enjoy a park system that is the largest in the nation. They stay for those reasons; they desire the quality of life available in this Northeast Florida city.

The population has grown nearly 80 percent since 1970 with an additional 60 percent increase projected by 2030. Jacksonville is faced with providing services to that growing population. Jacksonville has seen 33,000 housing starts since 2000.

The Mayor’s Growth Management Task Force has studied the need to plan for providing the new roads, electrical power, water and waste disposal that this growth requires. They recognize that the community is faced with a crisis because of the need to provide for these services. Jacksonville must address this issue because with the projected growth the community will find that water and electricity are finite resources. The Mayor’s Growth Management Task Force issued a report last year that supports the need to incorporate Green Friendly building practices in planning for the continued growth of Jacksonville.

Many communities have spearheaded the use of Green Friendly practices to reduce the demand on their resources. Jacksonville builders and homeowners are joining that battle. Incorporating building standards such as Energy Star, Florida Water Star, and Florida Green Building Coalition green home certification accomplishes that objective. The best news for homeowners is that using these practices not only saves them money in the long run but also benefits the community and the planet.

Last year JEA and the Northeast Florida Builders Association announced new standards for those homes labeled “Green Built Homes”. The homes are required to be Energy Star, and Florida Water Star. Energy Star homes use at least 15 percent less power than homes built to regular code; Florida Water Star homes conserve millions of gallons of water a year. They must also meet the standards set by FGBC Homes (Florida Green Building Coalition Homes) which are even more energy saving.

In March 2007 at the Jacksonville Home and Patio Show at the Prime Osborn Convention Center, a JEA Extreme Green Home was built that demonstrated energy efficient products and practices. The JEA Extreme Green Home offered information about products and practices that make a home “Green”. Today home owners can choose energy efficient appliances and technologies, exterior landscaping and irrigation, water saving devices, and green building materials. Homeowners were given the opportunity to see the value of incorporating these practices in the building and remodeling of Jacksonville homes.

The good news for homebuyers is that many local builders are constructing homes using Green Friendly products and construction processes. While Jacksonville builders are meeting the challenge, homeowners must demand these products when building new homes.

For additional information about “Green Friendly” building practices and products explore these websites:
http://www.jea.com/community/conservcenter/programs/greenbuilt.asp
http://www.energy.gov/forconsumers.htm

We hope that in the future Jacksonville Florida as well as other communities in Florida will compete with California as the “Green” friendliest areas in the United States. We recommend that you attend your communities’ Home and Patio Show. You will be astonished with the wealth of material offered that deals with “Green Friendly” products and technologies.

Visit www.locatehomesflorida.com to locate properties for sale in the Greater Jacksonville Florida area, Northeast Florida, Ponte Vedra, Saint Augustine, and The Beaches. Investors and home buyers can locate property that meet their business plans using the resources of this website. James Angelo, the owner of this website, is one of the top Jacksonville Florida real estate agents; he is highly recommended by the top movers and shakers in Jacksonvile; he would love to assist you in locating property that meet your needs.

Visiting the Denver Zoo

2007-03-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Our visit to Denver gave us an excuse to visit the Denver Zoo. The weather was perfect; low humidity and temperatures in the 60s. Some people have a fetish for shopping, others for the theatre. Mine are zoos. If there is a zoo in any town I visit, I feel incomplete if I don't visit it.

The Denver Zoo is definitely impressive. It is situated across the street from one of Denver's jewels, their Museum of Nature and Science. We took our lunch and bottled water and were amazed that we were allowed to bring food and drinks into the zoo.

We are members of our hometown zoo and received a discount on our admission as well as a senior citizen discount. The zoo opened at 10 and closed at 4; that gave us ample time to see most of the attractions. The zoo will increase it's hours of operation from 9-5 for April to September.

The zoo was exceptionally clean. We were impressed with the layout of the zoo and the variety of animals on exhibit. The zoo is home to nearly 4,000 animals that represent over 700 species. The highlights for us were the Tropical Discovery, the Primate Panorama, the Great Apes, the Northern Shores and the hoofed animals. The Bear Mountain was also impressive.

Children of all ages will enjoy the train ride and the carousel. The train ride was not opened during our visit. The zoo has undertaken extensive renovations which has necessitated closing off some of the exhibits. Other sections of the zoo are only opened during warmer weather. While this did disappoint us. we had more than enough to do so that we felt we got our monies worth. Our recommendation for your visit to Denver is to take the time and visit their zoo. The Denver Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is dedicated to global wildlife conservation.

To learn more about the Denver Zoo visit click here: www.denverzoo.org