Adventures in and Around Fort Worth

(One of my favorite trips from Fort Worth) M onahans Sand Hills . Balmoreah's Natural Spring . Davis Mountains . McDonald Observatory . Historic working cattle ranches. State Parks . We pass all of this on our way into our Trinitarian food and fun Mecca: Fort Davis, Alpine and Marfa. Due to my passion for this raw and simple part of Texas I will write in parts so you don’t fall asleep on your computer screen. I could keep an entire blog just about West Texas. PART I: The Drive Out There T he speed limit is 80 m.p.h. and the sky is as vast as the vaqueros’ vocations that have worked this land for more than 150 years. A smile always crosses my face as I leave the complications of society and the city life behind me. The drive from the Midland/Odessa airport to our destination is roughly 150 miles west and rich with undulating landscape, history and even bigger skies. I don’t know what it is about the desert, but the drive from Odessa to our Fort Davis/Marfa/Alpine destination ha...

We decided to break away from our usual breakfast place this weekend and went to Jazz Café. I hadn’t been in years and forgot how good it was.   This place is really popular for lunch, but you must try the breakfast if you haven't already. I went with the S.O.B. eggs, which reminds me of migas (but better). The eggs are scrambled with tons of cheese and tortilla strips.  The fresh cilantro, tomatoes and onions I sprinkled over the top gave it an extra kick. The S.O.B. comes with black beans, sour cream, fresh pico, and two flour tortillas. And I hear some of the ingredients come from the owner’s garden at home. My husband got the ham and cheese omelet. His exact words: “I don’t say this often, but this was the best omelet I’ve ever had.” He liked the “soft” on the inside and “crispy” on the outside eggs, the big chunky and salty ham, and the generous portion of cheese. His plate came with homemade biscuits. Of course I stole one. It was very sweet and delicious like...

View of the Trinity Trails 3.31.11 Fort Worth has the most beautiful backyard (aka the Trinity Trails ), but it took me 20 years to discover it. For high school graduation I got an awesome mountain bike, which I used to ride around in neighborhoods and through parks. One day I decided to go outside of my comfort zone, which was Overton Park and Foster Park, and head out into the wide open. I was amazed. Fort Worth had a huge backyard that I had never seen, or even heard of. I felt like a little kid ready to explore the unknown.  "Should I head east or west?" I asked myself before my first journey. East would probably take me to familiar territory so I felt most comfortable with that decision. I ended up behind my favorite Starbucks on University Drive. A little further I ended up by Forest Park. When I got home I realized I had a lot more territory to cover so this was going to take the whole summer. I bought some biking shorts and a CamelBak to make it official. V...

A few people stand at the coffee bar ordering multiple shots of something hot, dark and delicious. They look satisfied as the owner explains what they’re drinking. Then they try another. More people walk in to do the same. They don’t take a seat, rather they just stand at the bar consuming multiple shots of coffee and talking with the baristas/owners behind the bar. “That’s our business model; it’s to teach and help people learn about coffee,” Avoca co-owner Jimmy Story said. “We want people to know what they’re drinking and where it comes from.” Some of us have to work, so I take a seat. This place is cool. It has a peaceful, friendly and local feeling about it. Maybe that’s because it IS friendly, local and peaceful. It is open with high ceilings, concrete floors and sliding glass garage-like doors that I assume they will roll open on a beautiful day. The music is not cacophonous either.  Story and his coffee companion, Garold LaRue, opened Avoca March 17 on Magnolia just acr...

E vents at this venue are always a good time. I'm always impressed with the art and the turnout. Here is a peek at the evening. All art and music was from local artists. Artist Nancy Lamb getting her photo taken from over head. Her paintings  are behind her.  A peek at Cindi Holt's Big Bend series.  Dennis Blagg Daniel Blagg Oh Whitney and the Assisted Livers * This band is fantastic. I love hearing them play. Keep checking their website to see when they will be in Fort Worth next. They play somewhat often here because two members of the band are from here.  The band's sound according to their website: " Listening to   Oh Whitney is like taking a ride through a wormhole. In one song, they harken back to the hard-hitting style of Led Zeppelin, speak to the likes of Wilco and The Black Keys, and still resonate a distinct sound all their own. In another tune, the band will subtly draw you into an elegiac acoustic number reminiscent of ...

At my age (29) it is so difficult to get a group of girls together, so I've organized a brunch at Bistro Louise this Sunday with six of my good friends. And yes, I started rounding them up weeks ago to make sure it happened. Why did I choose such an expensive place? Because it's worth every penny of the $27.95 they charge for the extravagant buffet. Here's why: I went there a few weeks ago for the first time and it was the best brunch experience I've had in Fort Worth. I say "experience" because it's also about atmosphere and your convivial cohorts. You start with the exotic and fresh, imported farm cheeses and hors d'oeuvres. After a plate of the rich and creamy cheese I felt like Meg Ryan in the movie French Kiss (it wasn't pretty). It truly was memorable because that cheese was so good. And the hors d'oeuvres include things like mushroom tarts, shrimp tostadas, asparagus ham and cheese strudels, spinach galettes and more. I managed to...

Favorite Fort Worth Runs Getting Hitched in Marfa