LBJ Ranch Opens to Visitors
Today marks the 100th anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson's birth, an event that's been celebrated by the opening of the "Texas White House" to the public for the very first time.
Johnson's office has been restored to its 1960s look and now visitors can step into the office on the west side of the home for a look at this room that served as a power center during Johnson's administration. Ranger-led tours also include the LBJ Ranch airplane hangar where the President once held news conferences.
Also, the park is also allowing private vehicles on the ranch for the first time. You'll first need to get a vehicle permit at the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site visitor center.
We're going to do this in September because the test is only lasting through September 30. After that time, the National Park Service will evaluate how the experiment went and decide if they'll continue to allow visitors to drive. During this test period, the park will not be operating the ranger bus tours.
Labels: Hill Country
posted by Paris & John @ 4:55 PM
Austin's Batfest Moves to 1st Street Bridge
Batfest, the popular Austin festival that celebrates the city's famous bat colony, has moved this year. The festival, scheduled this upcoming weekend for Saturday from 2pm until midnight and Sunday from 2pm until 10pm, will be held on the 1st Street Bridge between Cesar Chavez and Riverside Drive.
In the past, the festival was held on Congress Avenue Bridge--now renamed the Ann Richards Bridge--which is the home of the country's largest urban bat colony. However, the traffic backup caused by the popular festival has resulted in its being moved to the next bridge over which will still provide good viewing of the 1.5 million bats when they head out at sunset.
Admission to the festival is $5 at the gate; kids 10 and under are free with an adult.
The event includes two days of live music with stages on the north and south ends of the bridge. This year's performers include Edgar Winter, Flobots, the BoDeans, and many others.
Related page: BatfestLabels: Austin, Festivals
posted by Paris & John @ 1:23 PM
Driskill Celebrates Open House on August 30
Austin's 122-year-old Driskill Hotel is is celebrating the completion of a $4 million renovation of its 189 guest rooms with A Taste of The Driskill from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 30. The event will include:
- live music
- samplings from the Driskill Grill and 1886 Café & Bakery menus
- wine tasting
- children’s activities
- ghost tours of the hotel
- exhibits of “Driskill Love Stories” and of original artwork of the iconic hotel
- a Texas Tailgate party at the Driskill Bar to celebrate opening game day for the UT Longhorns
- the Driskill Pie Bake-off as local food journalists and chefs select a winning recipe to feature on the 1886 Café & Bakery’s menu as the restaurant’s signature pie for the next year
- proclamation of “Driskill Day in Austin” at 10am
- a birthday cake honoring the 100th birthday of President Lyndon Johnson, one of many celebrity guests that graced the hotel's roster through the years. LBJ and Lady Bird had their first date at The Driskill. Over the years, he awaited the returns from all his campaigns, including historic wins on the ticket with John Kennedy and then as the presidential nominee himself, at the hotel.
Labels: Austin
posted by Paris & John @ 3:03 PM
Buying Football and Other Texas Sports Tickets?
If we all don't melt first, it will soon be football season and, as you know, that's a big subject in Texas.
We've just launched a new page on TexasTripper with links to purchase sports tickets to NFL and college games (as well as baseball, basketball, hockey, NASCAR, and even concert tickets).
Please help support TexasTripper--and find tickets for events you might think are already sold out--by checking our
Texas Sports Tickets page.
Labels: TexasTripper News
posted by Paris & John @ 7:04 AM
81008: Taylor BBQ Cookoff Set for Next Weekend
It's almost time again for the Annual Taylor International Barbeque cookoff, now in its 31st year. This year's event is scheduled for August 15 and 16, 2008 at Murphy Park in Taylor. Along with the cookoff, look for an arts and crafts show and carnival.
Gates open Saturday with judging of the meats and showmanship at noon with results announced around at 5:00 p.m.
Check out our
online photo gallery for shots from last year's event as well as a
video with photos from the very popular cookoff.
Labels: Barbecue, Festivals
posted by Paris & John @ 3:07 PM
8808: View Perseid Meteor Shower at the George Observatory
If you'll be in the Houston area next week, here's a unique chance to view the annual Perseid meteor shower. The George Observatory, a satellite facility of the Houston Museum of Natural Science that's located at Brazos Bend State Park, will be hosting an all-night meteor viewing party on its observatory deck. Held from 9 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 11 through dawn on Tuesday, Aug 12, the meteors will start to come into view about 10pm on Monday but later in the night, they'll appear more frequently.
Admission: Brazos Bend State Park will allow entrance on the evening of Aug. 11 and the morning of Aug. 12 for the meteor shower. There is a $5 per person charge to enter the park; admission is free for children under the age of 12. Don't forget to bring a lawn chair, mosquito repellant, snacks and a blanket.
Viewing through volunteer telescopes on the observatory’s observation deck is free. You can also purchase a ticket to view the night sky through the 36-inch Gueymard Telescope (photo, left) – one of the largest in the country available for public viewing; tickets will be available from 9 p.m. through midnight for $5 per person.
Location: To reach the park, take U.S. 59 South pas Sugar Land, to the Crabb River Road exit. Turn left and follow the brown signs to the park.
For more information:• call 281-242-3055
• visit the
George Observatory website
Photos courtesy Houston Museum of Natural Science
Labels: Gulf Coast
posted by Paris & John @ 12:03 PM
80508: Hacky-Sack Promotion at Kimpton's Hotel Palomar Dallas
We see a lot of hotel promotions but this just might be the most unique. Kimpton's Hotel Palomar Dallas is offering 50 percent off their best available room rate to anyone who can Hacky Sack for one minute. It's time to relive those junior high days and brush up on those “around the world kicks."
According to Tracie Houston, Area Director of Sales and Marketing for Hotel Palomar Dallas, “The entire hotel is eager to witness the Hacky Sack skills of our guests. The world record holder for consecutive kicks is eight hours, fifty minutes and forty two seconds, and who knows, maybe we’ll reach a new world record in Dallas.”
How It Works: Upon arrival, you will be allowed one practice round. Anyone who achieves this formidable “feat” will score half-off every night of their stay!
Dates: The Hacky Sack rate will be available through December 31, 2008, and reservations must be secured by September 30, 2008. There is a seven-night maximum stay and black-out dates do apply. The rate is not applicable for existing reservations and cannot be combined with a group or other offers.
About the Hotel: Hotel Palomar Dallas is located in the heart of Dallas’ thriving Park Cities neighborhood, at 5300 East Mockingbird Lane. A member of the San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Hotel Palomar Dallas originally opening in 1967 as a Hilton Inn and was completely transformed by award-winning designer Cheryl Rowley, reopening as the Hotel Palomar Dallas in 2006. This eco and pet-friendly hotel has been named to the coveted 2007 Conde Nast Traveler’s ‘Hot List.’ The hotel has also been awarded the Four Diamond rating by AAA Travel and has been named the Best Boutique Hotel in Dallas by CitySearch.
For more information:• call (214) 520-7969
• visit
www.hotelpalomar-dallas.com
Photo courtesy Hotel Palomar DallasLabels: Dallas
posted by Paris & John @ 4:30 PM
Balcones Canyonlands Refuge Part of Three-Nation Focus on Monarchs
Last month, Canada, the United States and Mexico joined together to work on the North American Monarch Conservation Plan that outlines a collaborative agenda of nearly 60 specific actions including education about the monarch butterfly. Five national wildlife refuges including one in Texas are part of the trilateral Monarch Butterfly Sister Protected Area Network.
At the
Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge near Austin, work started back in 2000 to tag monarchs when they came through central Texas. The refuge has also worked to educate children in grades 3-5 with its "Going Buggy" program. In the past year, the refuge has invited school science labs to let monarchs emerge in schools by providing chrysalis from caterpillars attracted to the milkweed planted in flowerbeds around the new refuge headquarters.
The milkweed has attracted monarchs by the score, according to Balcones Canyonlands Refuge Manager Deborah Holle. “We didn't really appreciate how much people are fascinated by monarchs. We have had a tremendous response to 'Going Buggy'.”
October's National Wildlife Refuge WeekDuring this year's National Wildlife Refuge Week, the refuge will invite people to watch butterflies at their leisure in a tent set up for the celebration October 11. Kids and families will be able to look at butterflies - including monarchs - to their hearts' content and, in the process, and learn to distinguish monarchs from other butterflies.
Labels: Hill Country
posted by Paris & John @ 9:47 AM
Emergency Management Team Activated
In advance of Tropical Storm Edouard, we've received word that the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management State Operations Center has activated the Texas Forest Service Lone Star State Incident Management Team (LSSIMT). The team was mobilized Monday to the Texas Forest Service headquarters in College Station; they have the responsibility of support and possible evacuation of the University of Texas Medical Branch on Galveston Island, plus the distribution of basic commodities such as food, water and ice throughout the impacted area. The addition of the LSSIMT brings the total number of state IMT’s to five for Tropical Storm Edouard response. Four TFS-led Regional All-Hazard Incident Management teams have mobilized and will work in a coordinated effort with the LSSIMT.
“The highly trained individuals on these teams are also very dedicated,” said Paul Hannemann, LSSIMT incident commander. “Many team members have just returned from Hurricane Dolly response and others are committed to firefighting teams throughout the state, but their expertise, experience and dedication to serving the citizens of Texas will have them grabbing their gear and showing up here tonight.”
For the latest storm track:
• visit
http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200805.htmlLabels: Gulf Coast
posted by Paris & John @ 8:49 PM
Texas Prepares for Edouard
Tropical Storm Edouard is churning up the Gulf with its sights probably on the upper Texas coast tomorrow. With memories of Hurricane Dolly still fresh in the minds of Texans, we're all hoping that Edouard will bring some rain and cooler temperatures but no damage in its path.
If you're flying through Houston, be sure to check with your airline for an update. Continental Airlines has issued word that passengers ticketed for travel through August 6 to or from certain airports in the region will be allowed a one-time date or time change to their flights without penalty for rescheduled travel originating by August 13.
Labels: Gulf Coast
posted by Paris & John @ 4:48 PM
South Padre Open for Business
The lights are back on across South Padre Island after Hurricane Dolly. Many businesses are open across the island although not all accommodations so be sure to call before heading down to the island. Today's
Austin American-Statesman has an excellent article by Helen Anders about
what's open on South Padre Island. If you've made a visit to the island since Hurricane Dolly or you're a resident, be sure to drop us a line and share your experience about what visitors can expect!
You'll also find more details at:
•
http://www.spiemergency.com/•
http://www.townspi.com/•
http://www.spichamber.com/Labels: Gulf Coast, Hurricane Dolly
posted by Paris & John @ 10:26 AM
South Padre's Ladies Kingfish Tournament to be Held As Planned Aug. 8-10
In spite of damage the island sustained from Hurricane Dolly, the Ladies Kingfish Tournament (LKT) will be held as scheduled Aug. 8-10. Registration and the awards ceremony have been moved to Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark but otherwise it's business as usual for the event which will includes bay and offshore categories. For more details on next weekend's tournament, see the
South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce website.
Labels: Gulf Coast, Hurricane Dolly
posted by Paris & John @ 10:17 AM
Fredericksburg
