Thursday, September 29, 2016

Hurry!

 
 

The Fall Antiques Week Ends on Sunday!

Texas History Carved on Leather
Marshall Smith, Craftsman at Rafter S Leather in Round Top

Only a few days remain for the Fall AntiqueWeekend.  Big Red Barn and Marburger Farms close at 4pm on Saturday.  Most of the Warrenton show sites will continue to be open on Sunday.  Check our Fall 2016 calendar for specifics.  Even after some shows close on Saturday, the fields in Warrenton will be busy.  Even on Sunday, the earlier the better, you'll find dealers selling right up until they load their trucks.


Olle Hotel in Flatonia

There is still time!

Its not too late to jump in the car and head for the shows.  You have plenty of time! Some of the lodging operators do have rooms available.  Our friends at the charming Olle Hotel in Flatonia let us know they have rooms available Friday and Saturday night. 


 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas Store field in Round Top





Nothing But Sunshine!

Last week's stormy weather has given way to nothing but sunshine.  No rain in sight for the remaining days. 
Afternoons will be warm, with cool mornings in the low 60's.  Zero percent chance of rain forecast through Sunday.

Perfect shopping weather!! 

 

 

 

Cotton wagon at Bombshell Betty at the Merry Christmas Store

High Cotton

There is something about fall decorating, pumpkins, mums, colorful dried corn.  This fall its all about cotton.  Wreaths, stems, in arrangements and buckets.  Bombshell Betty (aka Jodi Douglas) has a wonderful wagonload of real cotton branches (some still have the roots!) and the possibilities are endless.  Visit Bombshellbettyshop.com online or at her booth at The Merry Christmas Store.

Cotton and winter greens
Not all cotton is "real".  Some of the stems for sale online are faux cotton, which also gives a great effect.  You can use a few stems to embellish a wreath or planter of winter evergreens, or fill a bucket with just cotton.  I have a maple sap bucket I picked up in Warrenton years ago.  I have filled it with many different things over the years, but this year its going to be cotton stems, red berries and cedar branches.  It will look great hanging by my front door.


  

Two Funky Cousins in Warrenton

Shopping from the Road


Can't help but shop from the car window everywhere we drive during AntiqueWeekend.  From Burton to Carmine, to Round Top and Warrenton, and SH237 through Oldenburg and into La Grange, show sites and vendors line the highway. 




Flown the Coop in Burton

Don't Miss

Arbor Antiques, Round Top Hill and Chelsea's Meadow, three great show sites located on SH237 near Round Top.  They have organized themselves with officers directing traffic at the highway and crossing people safely from one side to the other.  Each has a wide variety of vendors make them unique shows.  They have great parking and food vendors.  Pandora De Balthazar holds court at Arbor, with her signature linens and air conditioned tent.  New, and impossible to miss, is the huge Paul Michael venue on SH237 near Round Top Hill.  They have amazing items and four independent vendors selling there, too!

Matt White's Recycling the Past has a new venue at SH237 and SH290, and his famous Round Top Ball Room on SH1291 is now home to the nearly ready Flop Houzes, creative lodging in repurposed containers.

Show Spotlight: Blue Hills

You cannot miss the signature witches hats of Blue Hills show site on SH237.  Wonderful long timber buildings with metal roofs are filled with beautifully staged antiques and collectibles.  You'll find Swedish modern furniture, French country, repurposed items at Reclaimed Relics, and vintage western wear for children.  The buildings are arranged around gravel courtyards some with parking, others just walk areas.  Methodist Men serve barbeque in the main courtyard with a covered patio area and an open plaza cooled by a lovely fountain.  I ran into a friend who had picked up a lovely orange vanilla scented candle in a mercury glass container.  The outdoor areas have lots of outdoor furniture and metal garden art.  Parking is located in the rear of the show site, in addition to some parking near the vendor area. 




FOOD REPORT: 

Round Top: Bodega at the RT triangle is selling box lunch.  Our taste testers sampled chicken salad and tuna salad and gave them huge thumbs up.  The pasta salad is delish, too.  At the Farmhouse booth they are selling what will surely become legendary fried pies, worth the stop!  Stubs Brick oven pizza at Round Top Vintage Market, very good, and fairly fast..they used really fresh ingredients and the taste was great.  Covered seating area. 
At La Bahia you'll find excellent barbeque sandwiches, bbq plates, baked potatoes.  There are also great baked goods for dessert and dew berry jelly to take home as a gift.
Warrenton:  Country Chic Catering returns again (yay!) at Dillards field, they are on a raised deck with covered area, hand washing station provided (how nice!) bbq baked potatoes are amazing.  Self serve tea and lemonade means you can mix your own Arnold Palmer.   Of course Royers at Zapp Hall is fantastic (love the shrimp BLT) and Lone Star BBQ in Warrenton smells so good it will pull you over and make you eat!  Vicki Davis at Texas Rose near Florida Chapel Road on SH237 has great chicken salad, pimento cheese, green salad, giant cookies, all delish. 

Neighborhood restaurants:
On the square in Fayetteville its Joes and Orsaks, in Rutersville on SH 237, The Oaks serves the best bb back ribs, in Round Top, of course Royers if you are lucky enough to have reservations, Los Patrones serves great Mexican food and margaritas, and newcomers are Teagues Tavern and Bistro Napoletana.  End up in Carmine and try JW's Steakhouse, real angus beef and a great wine list.