I know, I know!  Where in the dickens is Tarpley, Texas?  Well, it’s smack dab in the middle of no where, but trust me, that’s part of the charm.  You can get to Tarply from Kerrville or Bandera on Highway 16.  You turn off Highway 16 just a mile or so north of Bandera and turn left onto FM 470.  Go about 12 miles.  You’ll cross over Williams Creek and immediately on your left will be the William’s Creek Depot.  It’s kind of an upscale convenience store – upscale in that they sell some pretty bodacious wines.  But we’ll get to the wine later. Heading south from Kerrville on 16, you go through Medina and almost to Bandera and take a right on 470. (The Kerrville-Medina route is the most scenic, but don’t attempt it at night as the road is very narrow and there are innumerable hairpin curves and steep grades.)

The first time I visited Santos Taqueria was actually an adjunct to checking out the Sandstone Cellars Winery next door.  The winery was a gem and so were the key players – Scott Haupert, Manny Solerio, and Winemaker Don Pullum.  When I visited they had not yet released their first wine – Sandstone Syrah, but they told of a really uproarious release party planned for the next November.  I made them promise to send me an update. 

 Mark and Shelly Schmidt’s Café 909, located at 909 Second Street in Marble Falls, is a Texas treasure we’d like to keep all to ourselves!  But with spectacular menu offerings, splendid service, and intimate Hill Country ambiance in the rock-walled dining room, I fear reservations for the restaurant’s 40 eats will always be a necessity. 

Roger and I recently made a quick little getaway to one of our favorite “getaway” places on the coast.  Rockport is our fishing haven, although it was way too cold for fishing and this short trip didn’t allow time for serious fishing anyway.  The purpose of the trip was that we were both suffering terribly from oyster deprivation.  Now, certainly you can get oysters in the Hill Country, but not oysters that are served to you only hours out of the water across the road!  And it was February when they're at their fat, salty best.

If you’re planning a trip to Fredericksburg this summer,  you must visit the re-located August E’s Restaurant.  Fabulous is the only word to describe both the ambiance, the menu offerings ,the wine list, and the service.

Great New Concept Wine Bar and Bistro on Houston’s famed Westheimer Curve – already home to such foodie havens as Da Marco, Indika, Colce vita, and Sorrento – can officially add a notch to its belt in the form of SoVino Wine Bar & Bistro.

It’s a really draining and highly hazardous job, of course, to have to scour the state for exciting new places to eat, drink, be merry, learn a thing or two, spend a the night or shop for foodie things, but someone has to do it!  And every now and again we come across some really stellar places.  Veritas Wine & Bistro, 830 University Drive, Suite 400, in College Station, Texas is one of those places.  If Aggieland is on your itinerary, experiencing Veritas is a must.  I would even go so far as to say, it might be worth a visit just for the purpose of eating there!  Spend the night at the venerable LaSalle Hotel, featured on our "Boutique Hotels" Section,and make it an Occasion!  I promise – reading the menu will make you salivate.  You will be tempted to scream “Bring me some of this food – right now!”  But behave, it’s a really chi-chi place.