Traveling

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Fredericksburg Public Library – isn’t it a peach? Coincidentally, they are rather famous for their peaches, but we were a bit early for harvest, sigh.

Main Street is lined with charming buildings, many of them erected with Austin stone, which I LOVE. The original settlement, as you might have guessed from the name, was German, and named after King Frederick of Prussia (where my Sohn ancestors hail from). In keeping with this heritage, we noshed on some uber-tasty German cuisine at the aptly named Old German Bakery and Restaurant. We were not disappointed!

I don’t know if it is actually true, but this look, to my eye, is quintessentially Southern.

And on to the namesake town of one of the best country songs, EVER, Luckenbach, Texas. Juniper made acquaintance with one of the very few actual residents.

Oh boy, if ever I decide to return to truly greener pastures, I am high tailing it to Texas Hill Country. I never expected to be so smitten with this rolling, rollicking landscape, but boy howdy is it something, with every manner of flower and tree growing with abandon. Beautiful!

The San Antonio River Walk – my first glimpse since I was a babe of four.

Star jasmine, which took a bit of coaxing to grow in pots on our Portland patio positively thrives here, winding wildly amongst trees to massive hedges, some fifty feet in length. The scent and memory was positively intoxicating.

Tower of Life

Fine adobe and Guadalupe niche at La Villita

The wind can be whipping wildly and the streets crowded and cacophonous, but descend the stairs to the River Walk and all is calm, lush, and contemplative.

Torch of Friendship

Remember the Alamo has NO basement.

Emily Morgan Hotel

Travis Park United Methodist Church

More River Walking

Bexar County Courthouse

San Fernando Cathedral

It’s a year-round fiesta inside Mi Tierra. So cheerful!

We enjoyed  muy delicioso hot chocolate and pastries and service as sweet and wondrous as the decor.

Photo-bomb!

He makes my heart SO happy.

We didn’t try the Miller Bar-B-Q, but the building sure was fine.

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Our Marfa digs: El Cosmico

Is it glamping if the toilet is 100 feet away?

Fab BBQ and beautiful art at Convenience West

E A S T

As they fly…

Must have: yellow rose of Texas

We enjoyed the best margaritas of our trip and super service at the Hotel Paisano. The eats weren’t too shabby, either.

Non-vacation related, but SUPER important – ask for your beverages without a straw, even though they might give you one anyway. The United States uses 500 million straws PER DAY, enough to fill Yankee Stadium nine times every year. Say whaaat? If you’re feeling even more bold, try giving up single-use plastics altogether, as they are the largest source of debris in the ocean. The hubster and I avoid as much plastic packaging as possible, and bring our own cups, carryout containers, and utensils to restaurants that use plastic or styrofoam (we keep them in the car with our shopping baskets). It’s so easy to do! It’s also a great way to be remembered by your server. You’re the people who bring a container for PIE! You want the coconut, right?

So long, Marfa!

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Got up and out before the sun to get a jump on this year’s road trip south to Texas! We stopped at my favorite Las Vegas and filled ourselves with happy at Charlie’s Spic and Span. The breakfast burrito for the hubster and stuffed sopapilla (Stuffy) for me. Egads, peeps, they know how to do breakfast RIGHT.

We spent our first night in Roswell and made ourselves comfortable with a little Fixer Upper and a tour of buildings past. Just in case you were wondering, there was no contact with extra-terrestrials. Sad face.

Side tracked in Carlsbad…

Cloud wave

Guadalupe Peak – the highest point in Texas at 8,749 feet.

This used to be ocean…

Favorite Traveling Companions

Wind blown ear tips, so cute!

Van Horn

Marfa, our first destination in Texas. One old association, James Dean, on whom I had a very serious high school crush and bedroom walls plastered with his image. He filmed Giant, along with Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson, on a nearby ranch, waaay back in the day. One new association, about which I have read countless times, the Prada Marfa art installation by Elmgreen and Dragset.

I made my dress and like the crooked reflection of my legs in the plexiglass. If you look carefully, you can see the hubster patiently waiting for me to get the shot. The man is a gem of gems.

Drone, scanning the landscape for interlopers. Marfa is some sixty miles from the border, yet, according to the Patrolman we met on our travels, still sees a fairly steady number of migrants. I have mixed feelings about this. Of course, I would love for everyone to arrive via the proper channels, but one of my own kin arrived illegally via a barrel hidden on a steamship, desperate for a better life. It makes it harder to find fault.

More Marfa tomorrow!

Santa Fe

In celebration of the twenty-seven magical years since our first date (!!!) as well as the first road trip we ever took together, we spent the weekend in Santa Fe. Our first stop, of course, was La Choza, and then a stroll up the tracks to the Railyard on a sleepy Friday afternoon.

How’s that for a mural?!

First ever mansard roof sighting in Santa Fe. Fancy!

Hummingbird – which reminds me of one of my favorite books, The Hummingbird’s Daughter, which I first saw in Santa Fe.

A picture of a thousand words if ever there was.

Sweet nappers…

Juniper Beulah, tin roof style.

Enjoyed our anniversary dinner at La Boca – the grilled arugula salad one magical mess o’ lettuces, New Mexico grown pistachios, fennel, and golden raisins. The jamon iberico and Cava weren’t too shabby, either.

Not pictured, but most worthy of note, our dear friends Michael and Mary were in town (YAY!) and we met for a wildly wonderful lunch at Loyal Hound. Mac and Cheese with green chile and fried chicken and waffles the height of yumminess.

Also, I would be seriously remiss if I didn’t encourage the devouring of a carne adovada burrito at Tecolote. If they ask, get the bakery basket – you’ll overload on carbs, but will enjoy every morsel.

We never tire of adobe.

The Plaza, cheerfully lit.

First Presbyterian Church, 150 years old and ever so lovely.

Back at the Railyard for the hullaballoo of the Farmer’s and Winter markets. We enjoyed all manner of goodness (chiles, tarts, tortillas, jerkys, jams!) and friendly vibes.

 

Apropos…

Love this sky…

and this fabulous neon Zia. Eeek!

Sunday morning, we awoke to much, much needed snow, the whole of Santa Fe, and our route homeward beautifully blanketed.

The Treasures:

Turquoise Zia t-shirt from Marcy Street Cards + positively intoxicating sweet sage bundle from a kindly street vendor + Heidi’s Raspberry Red Chile Ginger jam + Santa Fe Spirits Atapino – a sip of the scent of New Mexico + pinon plantwater purchased at the fabulous Red River MercantileCasa Blanca Red Chile beef jerky – for lovers of dry, not at all sweet jerky, like me! + Zia pinon kola – the best kola EVER and an even better mission + An exquisitely crafted brooch bought at the Winter Market + Deeelicious chile powder, smoky and mild + Coyote America from my favorite Santa Fe book shop, Collected Works + Look closely, a tiny Raven (my spirit animal!) fetish from Keshi, carved by Calvert Bowannie + Beautiful woven table mat from the Five & Dime on the Plaza. Oh, Santa Fe, your fine purveyors and makers, my heart overflows…

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Say hello to our intrepid traveler! She was sooo very good, everywhere we went – restaurants, wine tastings, parks, book stores, hotels and homes, jaunts high and low. Juniper Beulah, our world champion of sweet adorableness, making friends and melting hearts. Good girl!

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