We’re missing six here but you get the idea:

After herding into several vehicles, we arrived at our dinner destination, Cooper’s BBQ.  Order at the pit, get your fixin’s (and chopped bbq sandwich, if you are so inclined) and round up a drink.

Don’t pay for a pickle and don’t pay for beans; they are free for all next to the soda fountains.  Bread is also available against the far wall.

Pricing is pretty standard for bbq, which is not saying it is cheap but you do get quite a bit of meat.  Big winners were the Prime Rib and Pork Ribs, and apparently the coleslaw and pecan cobbler:

I would recommend steering clear of the chopped bbq (peppery but otherwise bland), the sausage (greasy and ho-hum) and the beans (there is a reason they are free).

The place is large and rightfully equipped with long picnic tables, adorned with paper towels and giant jars of jalapenos.  Not a big crowd that night; I have been a couple of times at lunch and it has been noticeably busier.

After dinner, we loaded up and drove about three feet to Billy’s Ice House, a converted drive-thru beverage barn.

This place was mostly empty except for a crowd at the bar when we got there, which made it a bit difficult to order a beer but not a serious issue.  One pool table, which was having technical difficulties, electronic darts and patio heaters.

Beer was in the $3 range, the bathrooms were large and well kept.  Due to the acoustically-challenged metal siding and cathedral ceilings, it did get very loud inside once the band started.  Most of the tables were full upon our departure.

Next, we headed to Tavern In the Gruene which was just a hop, skip and a jump away.

I wasn’t sure what to expect on this one, as the website has one lone picture of the inside and no one from the venue returned my email (ahem).  The building is composed of one main room with a bar and several side rooms.

We ended up behind the fireplace at a large table, were able to hear the music and still chat.  A good amount of people were there to hang out and/or to see Drew Kennedy.  Noise level was tolerable, bathrooms were well maintained and beer was around $3+.  Competent bartenders, which are always appreciated!

Thanks again to everyone who came out!  Great chatting with all of you!  Special thanks to the convoy drivers and, of course, the official photolady of HTF!  See yall on March 24th at Anhalt Hall!

Who ever heard of such a thing? trivia: Until the mid 1800′s, marshmallows were made using sap of the marshmallow plant.

Spinelli’s Vistro Restaurant is on main street in Boerne, closer to I-10 than the HWY 46 bridge in town.  Parking is a bit of a mystery; we parked on the street beside it.  As this is also an event venue, there might be a lot but it was dark and we didn’t see one.  Outside, the building is a mix of Hill Country rock with Alsatian woodwork.

Inside is a mix between a German beer hall and down the rabbit hole.

Here is a view from our table towards the front door:

Now, I don’t always drink wine but I do have an unnatural amount of grey hair and expect to be provided a wine list, which the hostess did not give us.  In fact, she actively skimmed over it to gather our menus and seat us.  But our waiter was efficient without being pushy and provided easy recommendations.

The menu is not extensive but has many good options.  I was under the impression the place was Italian (maybe it was the ‘vistro’ thing) but was incorrect.  I ordered the Caribbean salad, hubs got the All You Can Eat Catfish.

Mine:

His:

The grilled chicken, shrimp and pineapple were all cooked very well.  Waiter’s pick of the Honey Italian dressing was spot on.  The iceberg lettuce, however, was a big fat letdown.  What is the point of having a nicely topped salad when its bedding is crystallized water?  I would have gladly paid a couple more dollars for a nice spring mix with an ounce of nutritional value.  C’est la vie.

Catfish had a tasty breading which contributed to the flavor but did not overwhelm.  The actual fish, however, was a bit undercooked.  Edible but still a little translucent.  Potato wedges and coleslaw were predictable but good.

As previously mentioned, this place is an event venue and their attentions may be more on the catering/ hosting side.  The wine options were well crafted and laid out on the menu for pairing.

Also, it was the Friday before Christmas and they may have had a skeleton crew.

(Thanks to the website and a random blog in which I stole the decent pictures shown here.)

Lick it up fact: Lollipops were invented around the Middle Ages.

First the similarities of these two events:

1. Loud music
2. Social awkwardness
3. Cleavage
4. Tipsy women
5. My boots

That is about it.  The company party was an obligation which involved dragging my hubs and refraining from making commentary (within earshot anyway), while tonight, I am leaving my space-heater warmed home on the range, and driving in the cold and rain to hear a band I can’t recall a single song I know.

What is my point?

You can’t force fun.  Honky tonking is good for the soul.  Support your local one today!

And now, a gratuitous picture for you visual people.

Imperfection karma claim: Martha Stewart has been hit by lightening three times.

First we ate dinner.  Loop 107 Burgers Bakery & More blends a little bit into the neighborhood but it well worth the uncertainty.

I had initial concerns due to the lack of blazing lights inside and not a single car to be seen in the parking lot.  We did show up about 45 minutes before they closed, but were welcomed.  Basic inside, with hodgepodge furniture.

In either an insight of genius or murphy’s law, I forgot my lactaid pills.  This was good and bad.  Good, because it prevented me from ordering the special like everyone else and the blueberry cream cheese fried pie.  Bad, because of the previously noted reasons.  If cheese and creamy are your nemesis also, take some pills because most menu items had some form of dairy.  Two of us had sandwiches.  The patty melt and southwestern grilled chicken breast options were very tasty.  I had the chicken; with fries, it was fulfilling and well-cooked.  Double points for crisp jalapenos with just the right heat.

And then there was the special:

Chicken fried chicken with minimal breading, homemade mac and cheese and green beans, which tasted canned but that was the table’s 2:1 preference.  Overall the food was well-constructed, clearly individually-made and delicious.  Crafted food at its simple finest.

Try to save room for one of these softies:

or

Quite possibly the best oatmeal raisin cookie I have ever nibbled!  You know what those cookies needed to taste better?  Nothing!

Swell place.  Low-key atmosphere but very accommodating service.

Next, we tooled over to 4 A’s Sports Bar.

Small and square interior with clean bathrooms and a friendly bartender, this was a perfect intermittent beer stop.  We watched the locals play pool, consumed $2 beer and haggled the TV and each other.

Finally, we moseyed on down to Kicaster Country Store. 

This place is out in the bushes but an enjoyable venue.  The inside was filled with bar patrons, i.e. people watching baseball and chatting.

Outside had the band, dance space and a better set of bathrooms.  We chose outside.

Small dance floor with tree in middle, the crowd was mostly locals and family friendly.  The band and setup need some fine tuning but the place was great for chatting amongst friends.  Cheers!  Special thanks to the drivers and official HTF photographer.  Thanks for coming out!

Seriously pointless trivia: The Playboy Bunny costume is the only non-service uniform to have been granted a U.S. Patent.

South Texas Wranglers play.  Serious dancing music so boots are a necessity.  Come on if you want to be on the bandwagon of fun!

“I saw this on tv and have no interest in figuring out if it’s true” fact:  62% of women will not enter a bar that has three motorcycles parked in front of it.

A couple of months ago, the hubs and I went to Acadiana Cafe, outside San Antonio.  I have sampled their food a few times from a festival cart (yea, fried pickles) but have not been to the bricks and mortar place in a long, long time.

Living in Louisiana for a year instilled a profound appreciation for Cajun food, although I am by NO means an expert, so bear with me.

The place is quite large and setup for flow of many people and large groups.  They serve beer, wine and margaritas; Abita was a nice touch.  Service was a little sluggish but attentive.  About six tables were occupied when we were there, so it could go either way when busy.

My order was two pistolettes stuffed with etouffee, which came with a house salad.

Yes, that is cheese on the salad.  Again, I don’t get why this is a thing now but I’m going to gloss over it.  Ultimately, I didn’t eat it anyway because those other plate items were so delicious.  First, the bread.  It is French bread, fried (!) like a beneigh so it is slightly sweet, lightly crispy on the outside and bready on the inside.  Thank goodness there were two on the plate because one was just not enough!  Delicious!  The etouffee was also tasty.  Spicy light gravy with sweet shellfish.

I also ordered a side of greens.

After splashing on generous amounts of hot peppers in vinegar,

I dug in with abandon.  Great job on these.  The bacon was an accent only, then the onions brought their flair and finally the greens were a burst of roughage, not overly cooked but soft enough to nibble.  Well paired with the pistolettes and iced tea.

The other order at the table was boudin on a bed of red beans and rice.

Being much too full to take a bite, hubs said it AMAZing.  He’s kind of new to the Cajun movement and can be a bit picky but he was a big fan.  The plate was cleared pretty quickly.  Success!

This place was very good and, quite frankly, one of your few Cajun cuisine options in the area.  Thank your lucky stars they take food seriously.

Stature fact: Louisiana is the only state that still refers to the Napoleonic Code in its state law.

Great old building with the last hundred years of rainfall recorded on the wall, courtesy of the Blanco Lions Club, although someone dropped the ball in 1999 and it rolled away…

It is set up deli style, taking orders at the counter and the staff brings items out to your table.

This system proved to be a wee bit disorganized but the place was busy so it must not be too much of an issue.  Also serving as a pub, beer is available on tap and in bottles, plenty of Real Ale, as it is brewed right there in Blanco.  I ordered the seasonal Devil’s Backbone tripel, delicious!

I ordered the special, which was a hefty black angus burger with homemade pimento cheese and bacon.  Wow.  Genius was the pimento cheese on a burger idea.

All parties were in consensus the food was delicious.  Judgments were based on the items below, which include roast beef, tortilla soup and Portobello mushroom sandwiches.  And Mexican cokes, which really, how can you do wrong?

Potato salad was trying too hard to please everyone and, therefore, didn’t knock anyone’s socks off.

The slice of chocolate cake will set you back $4.50 and is more than tasty.

It’s dense and not super sweet, with just the right amount of chocolate and awesome.  And a special thanks to my friend K.A. who always manages to find room for dessert.  For research purposes, of course!

On the way out of town, we went the wrong way and happened upon a quaint little biker bar, WB Saloon & Cycles.

Rumored to stand for “Wicked Bastard”, they had a wide selection of beer and a nice setup.  Definitely has its regulars and more likely than not, probably gets a hair rowdy as the evening goes on.  A good place to have an afternoon beer on the side of the road.

Then we did the honky pokey and turned ourselves about, back the right way towards Albert.  A lovely, relaxing drive to ‘town’.

The town of Albert has roots in 1877 and keeps going from there.  The town is named after Albert Luckenbach, who was apparently so awesome he has TWO towns with TWO legendary dance halls named after him.  A young Lyndon Baines Johnson attended school here.   The Albert Dance Hall was built in 1922.  In October 2007, the town was put up for sale and purchased in 2009.

Here is the dance hall:

This is the ice house:

This is a picture of both buildings:

The dance hall is for dancing and the ice house is for drinking.  While the dance hall serves beer inside, it is more expensive than at the ice house.  The ice house has plenty of stools, tvs and overlooks the beautiful pasture, dark but nice bathrooms and the 600 year old tree.  They take cash and cards.

The dance hall is an open set up, with windows (read: no air conditioning) and has off-floor seating only, which is nice to be out of the fray.  Cash only.  Plenty of room for dancers both good and bad, old and awkwardly young.

What a great place this is!  Two Tons of Steel was the perfect sound for the space

and were fine listening next to the stage, outside the door and over at the ice house.

I can not recommend this place enough.  Very nice, native Texas facilities that exudes a rich history of good times amongst solid people.  Everyone was very friendly and the HTF regulars all had a delightful time.  Albert is a little bit out of the way but it is well worth it!

See how happy it made us?!?

Special thanks to my photo gal, A.R. who drove her ride.  Thanks to A.S. who carted me around, and to K.A., D.S. and J.F. for making HTF what it is!

HTF will be taking a short break to get married and escape the oppressive summer heat.  See yall again in the fall!

Maybe not a coincidence? trivia:  May 26th is National Blueberry Cheesecake Day and National Sorry Day.

Luckenbach is a nice place to be when the tourists are not there so choose your timing wisely.  If you’ve never heard of Luckenbach, then thank your lucky stars you found this blog!

I have no intention of re-inventing the wheel; here is the history.

The weather was nice, the beer was cold and of my particular preference and, as usual, the McKay Brothers (with special guest Brennan Leigh) had a sound that defined the space.  Luckenbach was made for days like this and you should be sorry you missed it.

Couldn’t completely avoid being a tourist though.  The official photographer of HTF made us take a picture by the bathrooms.  Aromatic!

Most importantly, however, was the glimpse into my, and possibly your own, future.  And I can honestly say, I really, really like what I see:

Cheers!

Just be careful of those roads…

Thanks to driver A.S., photographer A.R. and participant D.H.!

Crazy, wasteful fact: A shampoo containing real beer was marketed in the 1970s under the brand name Body On Tap. (Thanks Mental Floss)

I can’t say I’ve spent much time there but recently I spent the night at a lovely bed and breakfast and even more recently, to a trip Out Back.  As in, behind The Country Mart to the Out Back Beer Garden.

Magically, every Tuesday and Friday, a door to a secret garden opens to reveal a beauty of a place.

Come inside!

Theres a bar with ice-cold beer, plenty of seating,

and, via the meat counter from the country mart, meat:

Its meat you buy yourself and cook yourself!  Right there on a big grill thing!  What fun!  Now, before you get all gung-ho and start throwing your meat around, be humble in the face of Regulars.

These guys are serious.  Minor seasonings are provided but they showed up with baggies of concoctions and potions so intimidating I tried to not make eye contact.  And of course, being not much of a cook and certainly no kind of griller, I waited until they were done and for the cover of darkness.

Since I like mine rare, I get SUPER antsy about overcooking so I threw the slab on there, a couple of minutes each side.  And by each side, I mean all four of them.

Back in the garden, we drank beer and were promptly provided the side orders, which that night were potatoes, green beans and iceberg lettuce salad with ranch.  These are $1.50 each, and quite frankly, you get what you pay for.

The atmosphere is friendly and low-key.  While the card-playing group spend a good 45 minutes trying to figure out if they knew us (maybe they did and maybe they didn’t…), we ending up chatting with some friendly folks who are in the prisoner recovery business.

This would be a great place to take a group of friends or non-Texans for a taste of rural living.  Bring your koozie and something camo if you got it.

Driving good to know trivia: 42 counties in Texas are larger, in area, than Rhode Island.

“Kendalia Halle was built in 1903 by the Nicholas Syring Musical Club, as a place to perform and entertain the small community.  Years ago the small portion to the right of the stage was fenced off with chicken wire. This is where the non-paying customers would sit and watch while not being allowed to dance.   The paying customers would use this part of the hall to bed down their children while they continued to dance. Dances would begin during the day and last until the next morning, with everyone bringing food to share with one another.  The oak tree out front was used to chain unruly customers if they were fighting or causing problems. They were usually released after they had sobered up.  The red fir wood used to build the dance hall was shipped from Oregon by railroad to Boerne, Texas. It was then brought to the site by horse drawn wagons.”

Kendalia Halle usually hosts dances and live music on Saturday evenings once a month.  At the regular events, free Bar-B-Q is provided with the normal cost of admission.  Be fairly warned this means a brisket and sausage taco with sauce, not a plate of meat with sides.

The sausage was the better of the two but both were quite good.  Also available are onions, which were sweet and tasty.  I tried the homemade green sauce on one taco and it was serious, delicious heat! BBQ is served in a separate building to the left:

Parking is in the back in a grassy area but most people, including ourselves, parking on the street.  There is one set of plumbing bathrooms and a couple of port-o-potties, which are apparently “not bad”.  These are located by the front gate.

The building itself is homey in its simplicity and definitely one of my favorite places yet.  It was open and airy, yet intimate and a source of community pride.  Windows were propped open to catch the breeze although there seems to be duct work for air conditioning.

Tables are easily reservable, just call a couple of days ahead and talk to Judi.  Get there before 8 and your table will be saved.  Beer was a little expensive at $3 each but they were always cold.

Acoustics were great, Billy Mata sounded perfect and the dancers were whirling around the dance floor.

This place was classic Texas honky tonk.  Dead animals mounted on the walls, good music, cold beer and people happy to see each other.  In addition, we saw the most interesting mount yet and had a brush with a celebrity look-alike.  Yea!

Thanks to photographer AND driver A.R. and always willing participates, K.A. and J.G.!

It killed the Romans, and now its killing me fact:  At least one cash machine in the Vatican has a language option as Latin.