The latest March 2009 issue of Bon Appétit magazine lists their Top 10 chili joints in the U.S. Number 9 in their Hot 10 was Tolbert’s Restaurant in Grapevine. … “Tolbert’s serves a classic bowl of Texas red, bean-free and super-thick with beef chunks.” My plan? Have some Texas chili for lunch. Let us know your favorite. Tolbert’s is at 423 S. Main; 817/421-4888; www.tolbertsrestaurant.com.

Another day. Another trip to College Station. I like it here. Attended the 2009 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track & Field Championships at Texas A&M’s fabulous new Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium within the McFerrin Athletic Center. The impressive facility’s 200 meter, 6 lane hydraulic banked oval track has the same Mondo surface used at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Large Daktronics TV screens. And state of the art timing devices. Exciting meet. Stirring performances in the women’s mile run, 3,000 meter run, pole vault, and men’s 60-meter dash and ...

For a birthday present, I treated myself to a brief, midweek, College Station road trip. Destination: Olsen Field on campus at Texas A&M for NCAA baseball between the nationally ranked #3 Aggies and #6 Cal State Fullerton Titans. What a gorgeous (80 degree), breezy late winter day! Cal State Fullerton won, 15-5, but the score was secondary to spending a pleasant evening at the ballpark. En route, I enjoyed a fantastic combo platter of barbecue (ribs, brisket, and sausage) at Southside Market in Elgin. Ya gotta try some. It’s so good. And topping it off with a double dip cone of ...

Driving back to Austin from South Texas a few Sundays ago, I decided on a whim to take the business route of US 183 through Gonzales . I hadn’t gone very far before I saw a mass of cars on my left, at the Matamoras Taco Hut, and others were still pulling in. All this activity in a small town, and on a Sunday, to boot, was intriguing. What did these diners know about this modest little restaurant that I didn’t? It was a little after noon, so I decided to give the MTH a try. The parking lot was crowded, so I parked on a shady side street. Walking back to the restaurant, I ...

When my sister and I visited my daughter at Austin College in Sherman , we took the opportunity to explore nearby McKinney and have lunch at The Pantry Restaurant , in the historic downtown area. The spacious yet cozy cafe serves a variety of sandwiches, salads, soups, and other entrees, and also has a wide selection of creamy pies. I wish I could say I sampled one, and I really should have, but the tortilla soup/salad/cornbread combo was plenty for me as was the stuffed baked potato/soup combo was for my sister. My daughter, also full from her sandwich/salad combo, ordered a slice of ...

When the Blanton Museum of Art opened its new building in Austin a few years ago, I signed on as a member. It wasn’t long before I understood the appeal of supporting the arts. Philanthropy notwithstanding, members get discounted entry to special parties and events, a nicely designed monthly newsletter, free admission to exhibits, and discounts at the very cool gift store (which opened last month, along with the Blanton Café). Now that I’m a member, I definitely go to the museum more often—it’s free, fun, and philanthropic! That’s how I found myself, ...

I’ve driven my share of Texas roads over the years, but a recent trip to visit relatives in Silsbee and Center led me down some highways and byways I hadn’t traveled before. The trip was extra special because my mother and two sisters came along and as we drove, we took in the East Texas countryside together. We debated the identities of trees and flowers (we searched for dogwood, but saw only flowering pear), noted unfamiliar scenes like tree farms and logging areas, and speculated on the origin of town names like Fred, Carmona, and Moscow. Other conversation focused on ...

May the luck of the Irish fall upon you this March. If you’re really lucky, you’ll get a chance to experience the St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Dublin , the Irish Capital of Texas. But, finding a St. Patrick’s Day celebration anywhere in the state won’t be difficult at all. Texans love to celebrate. For me, the celebration begins with this story that I tell to at least one person every St. Patrick’s Day out of respect, and in honor, of a gentle Irish man named Bob Chase of Baytown. Many, many years ago, I had just started working as a reporter for the ...

Spent a busy, fun Saturday in Dallas zipping past Reunion Tower, the American Airlines Center, and going to NorthPark Center; the Carter and Kimbell art museums in Fort Worth; and topping it off with college basketball at TCU’s Daniel-Meyer Coliseum between the Horned Frogs and Brigham Young. Hadn’t been to NorthPark (8687 N. Central Expressway–intersection of Loop 12 & US 75; www.northparkcenter.com) in ages. Ya gotta go. It made me wanna see the new Isla Fisher movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic. Captivating world-class modern art on display here (Warhol, Borofsky, ...

Hope you’ve seen the TV commercial where the residents of Cranfills Gap, Texas, visit Las Vegas. Brilliant marketing, and a hoot to boot! Though Cranfills Gap and Bosque County are certainly worthy of a visit, too, with their own redeeming merits and attractions, a few of which we featured in our December 2008 issue, including Cranfills Gap’s annual authentic Norwegian lutefisk dinner.

According to the El Paso Times, Rolling Stone, and What’s Up, the popular New York City art/punk/rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs have recorded their latest CD at Sonic Ranch Studios in Tornillo, Texas, just southeast of El Paso. A state-of-the-art facility, with both modern and vintage equipment, the 5-studio complex resides within an historic 1,700-acre pecan orchard/residential ranch by the Rio Grande that includes a beautiful Spanish hacienda. This lovely Southwestern retreat is gaining favor with, and word-of-mouth buzz from, many musicians and bands, and developing a growing ...

Valentine’s Day Is on its way And thus here goes This poem It’s silly, I’m aware, But I’d love for you to share Those romantic Texas spots if you know ‘em. Where, in Texas, would you find the most romantic setting for the perfect “I love you”? Remember, our diversity is what makes us special, so non-traditional settings are welcome, too!