Category Archives: Travel

July 4th Fun

The July 4th weekend has to be one of my favorites! Anytime to take off work, focus on time with loved ones, relaxation and being thankful for our freedom is what life is all about! Although, I didn’t go anywhere or do anything super extravagant this weekend, I still had the opportunity to bask in what Arlington and Fort Worth have to offer! Sometimes we just need to relax in the place that we call home (or in my case, my Texas home).

Thursday: Arlington Texas hosts “Light Up Arlington” at Leavitt Pavillion. There are a ton of activities for children, local vendors and food tents. The real kick is the live music on the pavilion followed by the firework show up above. Grab a chair, bring a cooler and some snacks and be ready to start your relaxing Independence Day weekend. Kicker: Just down the road, the Rangers ballpark also has fireworks! Whether you are watching from your car in the traffic that follows or you’re lucky enough to find a spot to watch both – you’re in for a treat!

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Friday: Whoohooo! Day off from work! The day started early (and hot) with attending the Arlington Independence Day Parade. Get ready – this is a long one! Bring sunscreen and a chair (and if you want to get a good spot, get there early). You will see everything at this parade. High schools, bands, politicians, local organizations, cultural groups, even Elvis’ on motorcycles!
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Friday evening consisted of fireworks in Fort Worth. Talk about a great show but be prepared for a huge crowd. Plan ahead, pick a good spot. This year there were two spots – The Botanical Gardens and Panther Island Pavilion. From where I was, I was able to see both (and forgot my phone). They spaced them about 5-10 minutes apart but were absolutely awesome. Advice – come early and please do not park on the side of the highways (those people are crazy). Find a safe spot!

Saturday: When thinking Fort Worth, I’m pretty sure Oyster Bar isn’t on top of your list but I checked out this little hot spot to start off my evening. As soon as I got out of my car, I could smell seafood – brought back memories of vacations in Maine as a kid. Shrimp salad sandwich – so big that I could barely take a decent bite. The Seafood Gumbo is also a thumbs up!
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As mentioned, we are in Fort Worth, am I right?! Fort Worth is the greatest place to experience live music so it’s only natural that it’s incorporated into the weekend! I swung over to Shipping and Receiving in Southside Fort Worth. With a slight breeze in the air and the sun completely set, the temperature was just about perfect for an outdoor show and Hayes Carll always delivers! The fact that we weren’t packed in like sardines was even better. I’ve come to really enjoy this venue. If you haven’t had the chance, swing on by!
Independence Day, Texas, Fort Worth, Shipping and Receiving, Hayes Carll, Texas Country How was everyone’s weekend? I’d love to hear about your travels, stay-cations, food, live music experiences!

The Power of the Grill

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Every year at the Texas Steak Cookoff & Wine Festival one of my favorite things to check out are the grills. How awesome is it to get out of your car and your first inhale is the smell of delicious food being cooked on a grill?! They come in all shapes, sizes, colors and even decoration. They’re fun, entertaining and they’re there for more than just the cooking – they’re the star of the show! Here are a few of my favorites from this years event!

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Today I’m linking up with Communal Global, The Jenny Evolution, Photography Essentials and Create With Joy for {Wordless Wednesday}.

11th Annual Texas Steak Cookoff & Wine Festival

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Disclaimer: I was not paid for this blog post, however I did receive tickets to this event in exchange for this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

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Texas is one of those places where you know you can eat well. Chili, Tex-Mex, chicken fried steaks, fried chicken, crawfish and BBQ, just to name a few. Sometimes, it’s best to just keep it simple with a good ole grilled steak! There’s a ton of events celebrating all of these foods (and more) but there’s one that everyone should attend at least once!

Every year, I can’t wait until the third Saturday in May. I’m booked – I have plans – I can’t wait! To me, it’s one of the greatest events in Texas – Texas Steak Cookoff and Wine Festival. This year was my fifth year to attend and I love it just as much as I did the first year I attended!

About an hour and a half outside of Fort Worth, the Annual Texas Steak Cookoff and Wine Festival is held in Hico. A small town with lots of character and Texas charm, this is the place where you’ll want to be. The drive alone is worth it, viewing breathtaking Texas scenery throughout the prize of the Texas Hill Country. The endless fields, beautiful sunsets – they get me every time.

The Steak Cookoff and Wine Festival is actually split into three events / categories:

2014 Cookoff Schedule

Hors d’oeurves Competition
Kicking off the day at 11am (and throughout the day), mingle with your backyard chefs. The chefs are all friendly folks, they love this event as much as you do, if not more. Although the backyard chefs submit their delicacies early, there’s much to find throughout the day. These folks love to cook!

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Steak Cookoff
The cookoff actually lasts all day but the prize of it all is the steak dinner. A 12-ounce Nolan Ryan ribeye, salad, baked potato and beverage top off the day. Throughout the day, you’re often walking around, meeting the backyard chefs, checking out their grills and tasting some of their food. This provides a great opportunity to figure out who you’d like to cook your steak. They cook it how you like, pick a team and go with it! You can’t go wrong!

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Wine Tasting
Besides the steak itself, this is my favorite. Texas Wines! In the past year or so this has really become an interest of mine. Wine tastings are the perfect time to sample around and find what you like. It’s a social event, great with friends (or to meet new ones). The highlight of this year for me was Red Caboose. Last year, I found a bottle that I loved however I’ve been searching for a year and only found it again at this event. Not only can you taste but you can buy by the bottle. (It’s great to purchase a bottle for your steak dinner at the end of the day!)

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So Much To Do
This is an all day event, we come hungry and leave stuffed. (If you don’t, I’m going to question your choices!). There’s plenty of shopping, antiques, live music, a fiddling competition (the kids were AMAZING) and you can even pick up a game of corn hole or washers if you’re lucky. Walking into town, it’s like being home. Heck, we’ve even brought chairs and found a spot in the shade and just hung out!

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If I were to attend one Texas event – this would be it! Don’t cut yourself short by missing out next year! Spend this summer practicing to win the prize next year at the cook-off!

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For more information:
Texas Steak Cookoff & Wine Festival
Hico, Texas
3rd Saturday in May (Annually)