The Science—and Luck—of the Two Upcoming Eclipses in Texas
September 27, 2023 | By Asher Elbein
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A Decade After the Tragic Explosion, the Central Texas Town of West Rebuilds Community
March 28, 2023 | By Kathleen Kaska
Fast-Growing New Braunfels Holds Onto Its German Heritage and River Recreation
December 29, 2022 | By Omar L. Gallaga
An Ode to the Native Chile Pequin, the ‘Mother of All Peppers’
September 29, 2022 | By Cat Cardenas
See Texas’ First Airplane at Midland International Airport
March 24, 2022 | By Julia Jones
How to Find Wildflowers Year-Round Across the State
February 24, 2022 | By Joe Nick Patoski
Wildflower season isn’t just a spring thing
Where to Find Tamales in Texas This Holiday Season
December 6, 2021 | By Laurel Miller
We’ve rounded up the best delivery and take-away tamales and tamale-making classes around the state so you can celebrate Christmas deliciously.
Everything You Need to Know About Texas State Historical Markers
November 24, 2021 | By Julia Jones
How Texas’ Refugee Population Has Enriched Our Culinary Community
October 28, 2021 | By Kayla Stewart
What the Heck is Pickleball?
September 22, 2021 | By Bryan C. Parker
Dreamland will host the league’s inaugural season starting in November, positioning Texas as the heart of the sport’s rapid rise.
The Cowboy Spirit Is a Way of Life for These Texas Jews
August 26, 2021 | By Dina Gachman
Editor’s Note: Horsin’ Around
August 26, 2021 | By Emily Roberts Stone
Once, when Maddie Ferguson was riding her horse at a rodeo in Bowie, she overheard a young girl exclaim to her mom, “Oh my gosh, she’s a real cowgirl!” The 18-year-old Nocona High School graduate, pictured on the cover and above with her horse, Boonie, doesn’t mind the moniker.
When It Comes to Czech Culture, Abbott Native Lauren Gerik Takes the Kolache
August 18, 2021 | By Sarah Thurmond
Wilber, Nebraska, may call itself the “Czech Capital of the U.S.,” but the queen of Czech-American culture makes her home right here in Central Texas.
9 Unusual Ice Cream Flavors to Try in Texas This Summer
August 13, 2021 | By Cynthia J. Drake
The resulting treats create buzz for these brands, and occasionally become long-standing customer favorites.
5 Small-Town Grocery Stores to Shop During Your Next Road Trip
July 26, 2021 | By Jill Coody Smits
These markets carry everything you might need for a successful stay, whether it’s in a lakeside cabin in East Texas or a rustic teepee in West Texas.
Unveiling the Stories of Black State Senators in Post-Civil War Texas
June 24, 2021 | By Michael Hurd
Roadside Oddity: The Return of Alley Oop Day and Fantasy Land in Iraan
June 2, 2021 | By John Nova Lomax
Back in the spring of 1964, West Texans in towns like Iraan were in something of an existential crisis.
How the Watermelon Queen Cultivated Appreciation for Texas Farmers
May 27, 2021 | By Heather Brand
Round Rock Native Takes City’s Soccer Club Semi-Pro
April 30, 2021 | By Bryan C. Parker
Round Rock Soccer Club, founded in 2017, launched in the United Premier Soccer League, one of many developmental soccer leagues. But after impressing the United Soccer Leagues organization, the team joins USL League Two, a semi-pro league below Major League Soccer, for the upcoming season.
24 Hours in the Life of Buc-ee’s, Texas’ Beloved Gas Station
April 29, 2021 | By Michael J. Mooney
One Travel Writer’s Journey to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine Led to One of Her Most Memorable Texas Trips
April 6, 2021 | By Cynthia J. Drake
Hitting the road from Austin to West Texas in March, my family felt excited and a little nervous—like we were pulling off some tremendous caper. My husband and I were on our way to get our first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
A Sixth-Generation Texan Searches for the Meaning of Home
March 25, 2021 | By Dina Gachman
Spontaneity Often Makes for the Best Texas Trips
December 24, 2020 | By Michael Corcoran, Pam LeBlanc, Sabrina LeBoeuf, Julia Jones
Will It Snow in Texas This Year? Let’s Examine the History
November 26, 2020 | By Julia Jones
Texas Forever … and Ever … and Ever
November 25, 2020 | By Roberto José Andrade Franco
Buzz Bissinger’s book Friday Night Lights still sells about 30,000 copies a year, making it arguably as popular now as it was when first published.
6 Pumpkin Recipes to Try Now
November 13, 2020 | By June Naylor
Sure, pumpkin pie is tasty, but let’s not limit the bright-orange gourd to a brief appearance at the Thanksgiving table. As these Texas chefs and creators from top restaurants and tourist destinations prove with their innovative recipes, pumpkin can be spicy, savory, crunchy, and deep-fried, too.
Due to a Massive Fire, Greenberg Smoked Turkeys Cancels Remaining 2020 Orders
November 9, 2020 | By Melissa Gaskill
On Friday, Nov. 6, employees at Greenberg Smoked Turkeys in Tyler were spending the busy day fulfilling orders for the company’s famed Thanksgiving turkeys. That night, an explosion in one of the freezer facilities caused a fire and brought the busiest time of year to a halt.
An Austin Walking Tour Sheds Light on America’s First Serial Killer
October 16, 2020 | By Laurel Miller
Miles is a former high school history teacher and the owner of Walking Tours of Austin, which specializes in local history. Miles launched his Murder Walk in April 2019, using his considerable storytelling abilities to relay the gruesome story of America’s first serial killer. Known in the press as the “Midnight Assassin” or “Servant Girl Annihilator” (the latter a nickname coined by the author O. Henry, who lived in Austin at the time), the killer took the lives of four Black servant women, one of the servant’s daughters, a Black man, and two white socialites, using axes and knives to hack and stab his victims before lobotomizing most of them with a steel rod.
ACL Fest through the Eyes of a Cinematographer—The Viewpoint We’re All Getting This Year
October 8, 2020 | By Bryan C. Parker
What we would give to feel streams of sweat running down our cheeks beneath a brutal October sun at ACL Fest.
What Do We Really Know About Bonnie and Clyde and Their Legacy in Dallas?
September 24, 2020 | By
How One Woman Took a European Road Trip in Texas
September 14, 2020 | By Kimya Kavehkar
Pasadena resident Debbie Trainor wasn’t able to visit Italy this summer like she had planned. Even though COVID-19 made international travel unlikely this year, she still wanted to take a fun, safe trip with European flair. “There’s just so much to see in this big world,” she says. “I’ve got to do something.” That’s when she got the idea to take a trip around Texas visiting cities with European names. Among the cities she planned to visit were Moscow, Paris, Dublin, Berlin, and Vienna.
Luby’s Long Goodbye
September 11, 2020 | By Jill Coody Smits
If you grew up in Texas, you’ve probably eaten at Luby’s. And if you’ve eaten at Luby’s, your feelings about the restaurant may run surprisingly deep. While it’s been decades since I stepped inside one, my nostalgia for square fish, church clothes, and green Jell-O has been in overdrive since hearing the 73-year old Houston-based cafeteria chain is closing multiple locations and heading toward liquidation.
How 3 Companies Are Putting Ranch Water in a Can
September 5, 2020 | By June Naylor
It’s nearly impossible to escape spiked seltzers. Everyone from frat boys to their moms are devoted to brands like White Claw, Truly, and Bon & Viv, which offer low-calorie, fruity, and bubbly malt beverages in a can. It’s caused such a stir, that big beer companies like Natural Light, Corona, and Bud Light have released their own lines of spiked seltzer. Now three companies have given the trend a Texas twist with canned ranch water.
Austin’s Weird Homes Tour Goes Virtual This Weekend
September 3, 2020 | By Sarah Thurmond
Growing up in Brownsville, Autumn Circé loved animals. She loved animals so much, she was invited to shadow zookeepers at Gladys Porter Zoo when she was in middle school.
How Curandero Don Pedro Jaramillo Became a South Texas Legend
August 27, 2020 | By Wes Ferguson
The burial shrine for saintly South Texan Don Pedro Jaramillo sits beside a dusty farm-to-market road in the brush country near Falfurrias, about 60 miles southwest of Corpus Christi.
How to Make the Best Brisket at Home According to Hutchins BBQ
July 24, 2020 | By Peter Warren
Although the temperatures outside might be nearly equal to those of a post oak-filled pit, summer is still the preferred time of year to hone the barbecue craft—the COVID-19 pandemic has only served as encouragement to give it a shot. Hutchins BBQ, a DFW staple since the 1990s, has simple tips for the home pit master.
My Favorite Texas Trip: To Grandmother’s House We Go
July 22, 2020 | By Amanda Ogle
Seeing that orange “W” logo about a mile before the Colorado River not only meant that we were eating at Whataburger for lunch, but that my grandma was there to meet us and drive me on to South Texas. I looked forward to spending time with my grandma every summer, as our laughs usually started when we got in her truck for the second leg of my trip.
Weatherford Shifts Annual Parker County Peach Festival to Parker County Peach Week
July 3, 2020 | By Amanda Ogle
This year’s festival was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, but that doesn’t mean the city will stop celebrating its summer bounty. Instead of a one-day affair, Weatherford is hosting an entire week of smaller celebrations from July 11 to 18.
The Texas Book Festival Goes Online for Its 25th Anniversary
June 25, 2020 | By Sabrina LeBoeuf
For its 25th anniversary, the Texas Book Festival will not be taking over the Texas Capitol. Instead, it’s asking readers to curl up with a good book and festival programming from the comfort and safety of their own homes.
The decision to make the festival virtual is due to rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Texas. However, to make up for the loss of bookworm-to-bookworm interaction, the celebration is being extended to a 16-day digital program starting on October 31.
A Texas-Themed Book Club Connects Readers Virtually
June 12, 2020 | By Gabrielle Pharms
The Big Texas Read, a virtual book club, aims to bring discourse back to reading while paying homage nationally acclaimed and burgeoning writers with Texas roots.
“Plogging” Might Be the Next Outdoorsy Trend in Texas
June 5, 2020 | By Amanda Ogle
“Plogging” has been gaining popularity in the U.S. within the last few years. The term comes from the Swedish word plocka upp, meaning “pick up,” and “jogging.” Plogging isn’t limited to jogging—people can plog while walking, hiking, cycling, and kayaking. Cities such as Galveston, Dallas, Austin, and Houston have already seen organized plogging events over the last couple of years.
Try These 5 Texas Rosés This Summer
May 13, 2020 | By Jill Coody Smits
From frosé to brosé to “rosé all day,” pink wine has moved from fad to favorite among summertime libations. It’s only right—given the light, refreshing wine pairs perfectly with Texas heat—that our state’s vintners are producing rosés that any oenophile would be proud to pour.
Lone Star Launches Its First-Ever Seasonal Beer
April 24, 2020 | By Jill Coody Smits
“It’s not ideal to launch Rio Jade in a global pandemic,” says Emily Hoyle, Lone Star’s brand manager. “But if we can bring something positive to Texans and give them something to look forward to, then our day is made.”
5 Ways to Watch Texas Zoo Animals at Home
April 15, 2020 | By Amanda Ogle
While Texans remain at home, zoos, aquariums, and wildlife sanctuaries are creating and sharing educational videos and virtual entertainment. Many also offer remote learning opportunities for teachers and parents to use with their students, akin to taking a field trip from the couch.
Small-Town Dispatches: Tyler, an Empty Town in Bloom, Looks Ahead to Better Days
April 9, 2020 | By Jill Coody Smits
In the East Texas town of Tyler, spring is usually a hopping time. Flowers bloom spectacularly throughout the historic district. The annual Azalea and Spring Flower Trail lures thousands of visitors who come to experience the area’s beautiful gardens, elegant homes, local eateries, and quaint brick streets.
Step Up Your Kitchen Game with These Texas Cookbooks
April 8, 2020 | By Amanda Ogle
While it’s more important than ever to support local restaurants, this is also an opportune time to improve your skills in the kitchen. These five cookbooks are by Texans, for Texans, and explore a wide range of cuisine, from barbecue to Tex-Mex to Southern. Not only do these books break down the recipes, they include tips, techniques, and suggested tools, so even beginners can create culinary masterpieces.
