Friday, December 23, 2016

WHICH BIZARRE BAZAAR?

Starting with the first Christmas we spent here, it became an annual tradition to attend the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar in Austin with our kids. That was the plan for this year as well until, at the last minute, Alexis sent us all a message saying "What do you think about trying this one instead?"

So we met up here at Casa Arandinas on Brodie, for some authentic Mexican cuisine...


and wound up here, out on Airport Blvd.


And believe you me, not one of us left empty handed!





Quilted Art
Crash is the artist who designed all the tabletops at Taco Deli
Don't get me wrong, I still love the Armadillo, and will most likely return when we no longer have a baby with us who would probably freak out at the crowds and loud music.  But, if you're looking for fun, funky, affordable gifts, with less crowds, free entry, and free parking, Blue Genie Bazaar just might be the place for you.

Calvin gets quality time with Bama and Bapa.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

THE ONLY THING BETTER

I believe I once told you that, after struggling to create a veggie garden here for several years, I decided that the only thing better than growing your own food and raising chickens yourself, is having good friends who do, and who are happy to share their excess with you! Well, I've now decided that the same thing holds true when it comes to cooking, and that the only thing better than being a decent cook is having several foodie-finatics as friends. The Clines and the Bradshaws  (AKA Outdoor Man and Woman) are those friends - the ones who introduced us to Sunday evenings at Driftwood Vineyard, who put us onto that fabulous Farm To Table dinner at Cypress Falls a few weeks back, and the ones who had us squealing "YES!" to the opportunity to act as their guinea pigs when they did a test run for a dinner party they plan to offer as one of Wimberley Civic Club's Spring Events. 



I actually met the Clines through this very blog seven or eight years ago, when they were still living on Catalina Island and researching towns in the Texas Hill Country, where they hoped to move at a future date. Now that they are here and fully immersed in everything from the Emily Ann Theater to the Chamber of Commerce, they are the ones I go to, to find out what's going on!

Following is a sampling of what will be on their tapas-style menu, in case you want to sign up for it. But I gotta warn you, tickets are gonna go fast!

Grilled Beef Over Phenomenal Mac & Cheese
Sherri's Special Bruschetta
Seared Scallops Over Pan-Asian Risotto
Daughter Bella's Roasted Red Pepper Soup
As you can see, I'd already gobbled down most of the soup before I remembered to take a photo, and the dry-rubbed and glazed elk course was inhaled with nary a thought of snapping a pic!

The evening ended with a bang when new friend Diana decided to teach us her magic napkin-folding trick.


So, I guess it's true. It's not what you know. It's who you know!
 

Monday, December 19, 2016

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

One of Santa's elves popped in for a visit today.


Must've heard that Bapa and Bama had joined Mima and Papa over here in Wimberley, and decided he needed to see it for himself.

Let the Christmas shenanigans begin!