THE WONDERS OF WONDER WORLD

Little Goobs came over for another sleepover this weekend. So, of course, I felt another Christmas Adventure was in order. This time we took him over to the college town of San Marcos -- the same town where we took him on his first real adventure a good while back, the glass bottom boats. This time we were headed for Wonder World Cave and Adventure Park, home of the Holiday Express!

My first impression left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed. In fact, it reminded me a lot of that movie Adventureland, where the teenagers are working at a derelict amusement park that had seen better days. For one thing, the Holiday Express isn't really a train. It's just several carts hooked together, and there are no tracks. Also, the animal park it drives you through is pret-ty tiny! Then there was the gift shop, which had definitely seen better days.

However, once I started looking at it all through Calvin's eyes, I realized it was just about perfect for him. For one thing, he's not a fan of crowds, long waits, and loud noise. Not a problem here! He's still at the age where you don't even have to put any money in the video game for him to be happy.

And, even Papa and I got pretty excited when we realized our "train" was headed straight for that waterfall you saw above!

Careful on the right, you just might get wet like Calvin did!

Papa was a bit sad that we didn't buy any of the food packets for the animals, but I think Calvin was quite content to let them poke their heads through the bars and pester everyone else, instead of him. Those guys were aggressive, and likely to steal the whole bag right out of your hand if you weren't careful!

Best of all, coming back through the tunnel it was Papa John who got all wet! 

All in all, I think Calvin had a wonderful time. Plus, I think it was only about $6 each for John and I, and Calvin, being only 3 yrs. old, got in free! How's that for a bargain? We will definitely be coming back when he's a bit older, to do the cavern part of the tour.

FRIENDSGIVING: PART II

Wednesday afternoon, after we finished our tour of the Georgetown square, the guys headed off to check out Zodi'x Cigar Lounge , which was right near our hotel. It has a members-only room hidden behind a bookcase, but they let these out-of-towners in with the purchase of 25-dollars-worth of cigars, and gave them a free beer. Talk about happy boys! Meanwhile, Paula and I opted to check out the hike & bike trail behind our hotel.

Feeling self-righteous about all the steps we had got in that day, we then treated ourselves to afternoon tea, and a little sumthin' sweet to share, back at the hotel. Yummy!

One reason this adventure morphed from a day trip into an overnighter was that, not only would all the fun shops be closed on Thursday,  the main restaurant we wanted to try there would be too. If you live anywhere near the Texas Hill Country, you are probably familiar with Monument Cafe in Georgetown (the peach fried pies!), but did you know they've also opened a Mexican restaurant called El Monumento? So that's where we headed for dinner.

I had an amazing Torta Cubana (not Mexican, I know) but after seeing, and hearing, Paula's reaction to the Chile Relleno she'd read rave reviews about, I wished I'd said...

"I'll have what she's having!"

Back at the hotel we enjoyed spending some time around the patio fire pit, reminiscing about the many fun adventures we've had together in the last 40-some-odd years, before heading off to bed.

On Thanksgiving day we had reservations at Gumbo's, in a gorgeous old building on the town square.

 

There were several different main course options, but we all went with the beef tenderloin. Good choice!

Goat Cheese Salad and Melt-In-Your-Mouth Rolls

The Cajun Cornbread Dressing Was To Die For

We ended our Friendsgiving adventure at the movie theater, also right next to our hotel, seeing a really fun movie (one of our favorite things to do together) called Knives Out. Does it get any better?

Why yes, it does! Ordinarily I'm pretty sad when we part, knowing it could be months before we see each other in person again, although the daily texting really helps. This time, however, I had something special to look forward to --  Little Goobs coming over for a sleepover and a Mimi-Papa-Christmas Adventure. Yes, he did head straight for his "Explorer" outfit as soon as he heard me say that word, but this time I managed to convince him that it wasn't really necessary...

FRIENDSGIVING: PART I

Our BFFs have one son, and he always spends Thanksgiving day with his wife's big family, then has a second celebration with Paula and Tim a day or two later. Last year, since both our kids were going to be with their in-laws as well, we decided to meet the Sanford's for lunch at the beautiful Hyatt Lost Pines Resort in Bastrop, which is just about midway between our home and theirs. We had so much fun that we decided to do the same thing again this year. 

 
But then, just a couple of days before Thanksgiving, my hubby casually commented "You know, Georgetown is also midway between us and the Sanfords." Next thing we knew, not only did we have reservations for Thanksgiving lunch in Georgetown, we also had rooms at the lovely Sheraton conference center, and plans to head up there a day ahead, when all the fun shops on the square would actually be open. Turns out, conference centers don't have any conferences going on during the holidays, so not only were we offered a great rate for our rooms, we practically had the place to ourselves!

We met them just in time for lunch at 600 Degrees Pizzaria, then the guys and gals split up to wander the square.  We'd only been in one or two shops when we came upon this place.

Craft Beer and Outfitters in one location? Weird, huh? No, brilliant! When I peered through the window, guess what I found?

Our hubbies! Happy as could be, and in no hurry for us to finish up our shopping.

Can you imagine a better place than this...

in which to watch your all-time favorite Christmas movie every year?

Apparently poppies are a big deal in Georgetown, since we saw them mentioned everywhere, and on everything.

It seems they host a poppy festival here every year, so that must mean there are poppy fields around here somewhere, right? I was so sad that we were never in France when the poppies were in bloom. Wouldn't it be a hoot to discover they've been blooming right here, in my own backyard, all this time?

to be continued...

MY FRENCH GIFT TO YOU

Two of our kiddos just returned from an amazing journey that began in Barcelona and ended in Paris,  with a leisurely road trip up through Provence in between. They are now basking in the giddy afterglow, pouring over photos, telling stories, trying out recipes, etc. I remember that period well, after we did our Viking River Cruise through Provence. Paris was gorgeous, but Provence? Well, it was so much more than a bunch of famous landmarks to have your photo taken in front of. It's about a certain way of living -- the way we were hoping to live here in the Texas Hill Country, and our reason for choosing this as our forever home.

After that trip I was even more obsessed with that way of life, and may have gone a bit bonkers in my efforts to hold onto that glow. I read books set in Provence, bought French cookbooks, poured over all the photos we took and wrote blog posts about it all.

Even the pages in my art journals around that time were all about Provence!

Then, just as the afterglow was beginning to fade, I discovered a blog called My French Corner. It's not specifically about Provence, but it is about the French way of life -- about how they eat and shop and cook, what they think about exercise and skin care and clothes, how they decorate and celebrate, etc. It's actually written by an American teacher whose sister married a Frenchman and went to live there permanently. The teacher then began spending her summers there and fell madly in love with the French way of life. When she had shared all that she had learned, she stopped writing the blog. But, it is still out there, just waiting for you to stumble upon it as I did, start from the very beginning and work your way through to the end.

 
 Bon Voyage!
 

ACCIDENTAL FRENCH TOURISTS IN OHIO

Just got back from Middletown, Ohio -- setting for the Hillbilly Elegy book and where Ron Howard is now shooting the film version. We were there to visit Hubby's big bro and his family, and on our first day there, the guys did what they always do. They got up early and headed out in search of the manliest, greasiest breakfast they could find, and we wives didn't dare interfere. It's a tradition! Sister-in-law Priscilla is not a morning person, so by the time she was up and moving, the guys were back and ready to head out for a day in Cincinnati. First stop? Findlay Market, reminiscent of the wonderful covered markets you might find in Paris and Provence.

Mike and Prisi were leaning towards grabbing some yummy sausages or salads and going outside to eat, but Hubby and I wheedled a bit and convinced them to try the cute cafe we'd spotted across the street, so we could sit in air conditioned comfort. Turned out to be our best decision of the day!

Apparently Jean Robert has other larger, fancier restaurants around town, but this little cafe specializes in delicious French omelettes, salads and sandwiches made on wonderful French bread -- just what you might crave after a morning shopping at the market!

Then we were off to the Taft Museum of Art, where they just happened to be hosting an exhibit called L'Affichomania -- The Passion for French Posters!

Our last stop before heading off to meet the kids for dinner was at my favorite little gift shop/bakery from our last visit there, French Rendez-Vous. Priscilla had called ahead to reserve some fresh-out-of-the-oven chocolate and almond croissants for our breakfast the next day, and we bought a couple of yummy macarons to munch on while we wandered the rooms filled with French antiques and tablecloths from Provence.

The most amazing thing about the day? We did not even plan this French-themed day. It just happened!