9 February 2012

Hi!

I hope you are having a wonderful Texas winter like we are. I haven’t written in a while due to my work on the new website layout, and a few other things. Life here moves (while not at a glacier pace) fairly slow.

The old civil defense siren just went off at noon, like it does every day. When the local’s hear it, many know it is time to stop what they are doing and break for lunch. Until we moved to Blanco the only place I saw an “Out To Lunch” sign was the Andy Griffith Show on TV. The local eateries fill with our community lining up for the “Lunch Special.” My guess is a number of folks are like us and eat at home. While we mostly dine in, we love to “Dine A La Fresco!” in our park. Who knows, sandwich of the day, pasta salad, or just cheese and all with a little vino. Oh well, got to jet, it is off to the park for a little fried chicken and beautiful weather!

Oh, by the way, bring an empty egg carton & we will give you some of our farm fresh eggs. How do they say…”We eat all we can & give away the rest!”

See you soon

9 November 2011

Don’t forget to put on your calendar our “Tour of the Night Skies.” The Blanco Chamber of Commerce, Blanco State Park, & the Hill Country Astronomical Society are sponsoring this event on Saturday evening the 19th of November. The show starts at 5:30 at the state park. Admission is just the normal fee to enter the park ($4.00 per person, almost a crime for the enjoyment you get). Due to the nature of the event all the lights will be off close to the viewing area. For your safety and ease of movement the society suggests bringing a flashlight, with the light covered in red cellophane to get around after dark. Doing this you will be able to see without disturbing the viewing ability of the star gazers. Our Chamber of Commerce is fielding all the questions regarding this event. The Chamber’s phone number is 830-833-5101 and their email is info@blancochamber.com.

This same weekend is a big “Disc Golf” Tournament in nearby Wimberley at the Circle R – Circle Hill Disc Golf Course. The link to the Texas Teams Championships is http://circularproductions.com/amateur_world_doubles_11_event.html. They host a number of tournaments each year for this fast growing sport.

So with those two things in mind, whether you stay with us or anybody else, make your reservations now. Our rooms are filling up with these events and there is at least one wedding this weekend here also. Don’t get left out!

Throw ‘um long and straight!

4 November 2011

Burrrr! Our first freeze of the season was last night. The temperature dropped to 29 degrees. With that said, it is back to the mild central Texas climate, yea! Next week is a street dance to help our local museum, & celebrate Veteran’s Day. Small town celebrations like we have for Veteran’s Day are not to be missed. The parade starts at 10 AM followed by the VFW’s “Chili & Bean Dinner.” That evening at 6 PM the Pioneer Museum will be having a BBQ, with the street dance starting at 8 PM. With the first freeze already come & gone, there should be a “bug free” day of enjoyment.

Now is the time to buy those unique Christmas gifts. Our market days are the 19th of November and the 10th of December this year. For the motorcycle enthusiast in the family On the Square is “The” place for cycle & just cool apparel. Pottery & lavender products are just across the square at Brieger Pottery. These are just a few of the delights in Blanco, come & search for all the other jewels here in our town.

See you soon

19th October

What a great beginning of autumn! With the little bit of rain our bees are filling up their winter stores. Hopefully next summer or fall we will have “Blanco County Honey” for our friends & customers! The grass is starting to return (abet in very small amounts) and the fall festivals are in full swing. We just had the 2nd annual Blanco Chamber of Commerce Golf tournament. Our Vaaler Creek Golf Club at the Rocking J subdivision was last Monday. If you have not had the pleasure this is a great track to play. It is a great combination of ease for the high handicapper and challenge for the scratch player. The 12th of November is our Veterans Day parade. There is nothing like a parade in a hill country town. With any luck we will have our tractor in the parade. Enjoy our park; you never know who will show up. Last week we had guests from France, New Jersey, and people from the “Great White North.” All of which were enjoying Blanco and the Hill country for the first time. Finally, we had the Blanco EB Franklin Memorial Open Pro Rodeo last Saturday. Our very own Grandson was the “Champion “Mutton Buster!” There is nothing like watching a bunch of little kids riding sheep bareback.

We hope to see you soon!

6 October 2011

I cannot count the number of times people ask for referrals of places to eat. Here in Blanco we are fortunate to be blessed by quite a few really great places to eat. Yes we have fast food; Subway, Diary Sonic, and the treats at the gas stations/convenience stores, but let’s talk about “sit down” dining. This list is alphabetical so no one restaurant appears to be favored.

The Blanco Bowling Club – We tell people that the menu is “Country fare.” Eggs and bacon, pancakes, or biscuits n’ gravy is breakfast. They have a lunch & dinner special every day, but don’t get the big plate unless you are real hungry. Pot roast, chicken fried steak, roast beef, fried catfish/chicken will be some of the entrees offered. Generous burgers and fries are also a delight. The real attraction is the diversity of people dining there; ranchers, retirees, motorcyclists, and businessmen escaping the big city. Dine in the evening and watch as the curtain is pulled back and see the club members bowl “9 pin.”

The Deutsch Apple – These people make pastries that are so good they are almost illegal. Their apple loaves and muffins are to die for. They have a full line of pies to choose from. Apple (of course) and many other fruit pies are on their menu. However, the key lime pie is wonderful. The mornings are filled with locals drinking a number of different flavors of coffees, eating pastries, kolaches, or quiche. This is just your chance to have Texas morning with different twist.

El Charro – Original “Tex Mex” is the best way to describe this restaurant. Tucked away by the Exxon station near Blanco State Park is this little gem. Tasty tacos, great nachos, and chili rellenos that just won’t quit are their everyday fare. Should you be looking for a spicier breakfast, this is the place.

Papa Joey’s Pizzeria – People pay good money to get food this good in many major cities. Papa Joey’s just celebrated it’s 5th birthday a while back, and this is due to the great Italian menu. The pasta and their sauces are delicious, the minestrone soup is delightful, and everyone enjoys their pizzas. For me, however, the sub sandwiches are some of the best subs I have ever had.

Redbud Café – For that unique soup and sandwich this is your place. Great cookies and dessert are a nice combination with the many flavors of coffee or the out of the ordinary sodas that are offered. Saturdays the café is open late with a dinner menu and live entertainment.

Uptown Blanco – Well I told you about the dinner I had the other night in my last blog. These guys are just the best when it comes to fine dining. The breakfast buffet has your choice of pancakes (of course), omelets made to order, biscuits n gravy, wonderful cobbler, and mimosas! Dinner is everything from burgers to great steaks, fish, and other mouth watering delights. We gave a customer a 10% coupon we had for them to use one day last month. They came back and said they didn’t have the heart to use it because the food was so good.

Zocalo Eclectic Café – This is one of our newest restaurants. Imagine a country café, with a helping of sauces from Mexico and the American Southwest, and maybe a Parisian café on the Champs-Élysées, this is the place. Just as you stop in Blanco and find yourself in a rural hill country town, Zocalo takes you out of town and plops you in a world of culinary delite. Everything I have had here has taken my taste buds to flavor heaven.
Whatever you are looking for in a restaurant may not be here in Blanco, but the things that are here really are quite tasty!

Come visit us and have a bite to eat.

3 October 2011

What a great weekend. The Serve and Protect Fundraiser was a fantastic time. Our evening’s entertainment was none other than the “Kinkster” himself, Kinky Friedman. The show was a 10+, we all got to here many “kinkyisms,” tales of his adventures, and all of his songs that made him famous. One of the most special things I saw was his real interest in helping out our police department, where the proceeds were going. He chatted with the Chief and a number of the officers that were there, one on one. Kinky signed autographs for everyone, I even got him to sign a book he wrote! The best part of the evening was smoking a cigar with Kinky during a little down time before the show. He is more articulate than you can imagine, with a number of viewpoints on issues all over the world.

Now if you have never had the benefit of going to an event at Uptown Blanco’s courtyard, you need to go to one (or more) of the many events they host each year. For dinner had a huge slice of prime rib, stuffed lobster tail, rice and vegetable medley, with a slice of blueberry/raspberry cheesecake for dessert. Together with dinner, they were serving some local Texas wines and Blanco’s own Real Ale. Many of the photos that were taken Friday evening used Uptown’s large and beautiful koi pond and waterfall as a backdrop.

I have to pinch myself every now and then, living here in Blanco. Great people, wonderful events, and that slow paced lifestyle that make living here in the hill country just a dream.

Be cool

29 September 2011

Good Evening,

Well, just cooling out after a big weekend, & enjoying a small moment of time in the park. Enjoying a pinot, a good cigar, and the hummingbirds with this beautiful weather is just the thing to do. The weather for the next week or so will be low humidity accompanied with highs in the high 80s and lows around 60. This is just heaven here with these conditions. We are trying to rest up for the weekend to come. Tomorrow night will be an evening with Kinky Friedman, and dinner at the Uptown Blanco Courtyard.

In addition to Kinky this weekend, Blanco is host to the 41st Annual Ladies State Chili Championship of Texas. Great food, dancing & music will be here all weekend. The Old Blanco County Courthouse Gala will be the 15th of the month. There will be a “Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament for all you poker enthusiasts. All you people coming down for weddings this month remember this is the perfect time of year for a picnic at our state park, as well as all the other state parks in the area. For evening entertainment you might turn to any of our local dance halls close by. Our nightlife & events page has links to all the dancehalls in the area.

We hope to see you soon, meet us in our park!

26 September 2011

Good Evening,

What a great past number of days! The weather was perfect for outdoor enjoyment and the 7th sort of annual RalphStock. This is a reunion of sorts for old & new friends alike. Last Wednesday started it off with the “pre-pre-pre party and libations in the park with some local friends. Then Thursday was the pre-pre party with locals and long time friends from Utah. Friday, continued with the pre party festivities, more out of state compadres, & long time friends ringing in RalphStock Eve! Saturday brought about a little diversity. Half the group left to tour the local vineyards, Luckenbach, and Fredericksburg. The rest were welcoming the growing ranks of RalphStock veterans and first timers. Finally, Saturday evening came and it was time for the main event, RalphStock.

There were people from all over the country enjoying San Antonio’s Rudy’s Hand Rolled Tamales, and homemade chili. “Gerry’s Kids” a Grateful Dead tribute band provided the lion’s share of our musical entertainment. This was the finest show I have ever seen them do. The band is organized by the musical talents of Mr. Gerry Burns. Anytime you can see these guys jump on it, they are great. For those of you not familiar with the Grateful Dead’s music, it is a combination of American folk, rock and roll, and blues music. My friend Susan said she could not believe how poetic and lyrical the music was. We were blessed to see with them the talents of Brandon Aly on drums. Brandon is the Blanco High School music teacher. However, in his off time plays with Zydeco Blanco, and a little band called Edie Brickell the New Bohemians. Also, to our great enjoyment sitting in was John Inman. John is a member of The Lost Gonzo Band who backed both Michael Murphy and Jerry Jeff Walker.

Finally, Sunday we had the post party. There were very few dry eyes in the group. There were many friends of 40 to 45 years in the group. Not bad for the average age being 55. Oh well, we have the next RalphStock to look forward to.

I know this sounds like a commercial, but if you are looking for a great venue for a reunion this is the place. Nice rooms, great musicians close by, super restaurants to cater, and the, well romance of the Texas Hill Country. Make your “OwnStock” it just doesn’t get any better!

See you soon

18 September 2011

Good Afternoon,

For those of you who may not know, Blanco is home to a wonderful brewery. Real Ale has a number of brews that will amaze you no matter what type of beer/ale you enjoy. In the roughly eight years we have lived here in Blanco, we have watched the brewery grow by leaps & bounds. It seems the only problem the brewery has is trying to keep up with demand. The company started in a space underneath Cranberries store on our town square. It moved to the north side of town a few years later and have been in a continuous mode of expansion ever since. Their “Pale Ale” won the gold medal at last September’s 29th annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver.

My introduction to Real Ale is largely responsible for our settling here in Blanco. When we were looking at buying the motel, my wife wanted to get to know Blanco first. We happened to come up here on the last Saturday of June 2003. The first thing we did was visit the square. “On the Square” Liz Waller’s clothing & gift store was our first stop (great place). Then we poked around in Cranberries a cool little curio shop next door. After that we saw a folk band playing at the town park, caddy corner from the courthouse square. While we were enjoying the music, a nice young lady asked both of us if we would like a beer. Unbeknown to us it was the owner’s (Brad Farbstein) wife Gabriel Gregerman. Gabriel then asked us if we would like a hamburger. Our thoughts when returned home to San Antonio was”What a great place! Beer, burgers, and music every weekend, Blanco must be just this side of heaven!” What we didn’t know was this is an annual event Real Ale does here in Blanco. The last Saturday in June, since we have lived here, Real Ale hosts a customer appreciation day. This has included music, food as well as a number of their fabulous ales.

If you haven’t had a chance to visit our local brewery they are open every Friday for tours and tastings from 2pm to 5pm. As a side, while their regular brews are great, they have a number of seasonal ales that are just fabulous! The coffee porter is completely unique. It has the great taste of a full bodied brew, then a second taste of a rich cup of coffee. My choice of libations is usually a dry red wine but on our deck watching the world go by these ales go down real easy. You know I think I am going to head to the deck!

Be cool

14 September 2011

Good Morning,

I saw a Red-Bellied Woodpecker yesterday morning. It was a really beautiful bird. We also seem to have approximately a 100% increase in our hummingbirds. It seems when we had that 52° morning the color in our birds appeared to explode. You have to catch them at daybreak but they are worth it. Even with our temps rising, it is still in the low 60’s or soon to be in the 50’s at daybreak. What a wonderful way to start your day!

If you want to see the bats at the train tunnel you better hurry, they will be moving in autumn. Also, August & September the mama bats will have the young “pup” bats in tow. It is a sight to see. While you can do this in Austin (with the throngs) at the tunnel it is not unusual to be by yourself. The patio the state has built is a nice vantage point to view their evening flight.

The tunnel is one of only two train tunnels in Texas. It was built for the rail line from Comfort to Fredericksburg. Before the train line was built, it took the Gillespie County cotton farmers three months to take their cotton to Corpus Christi for sale and return. During WWII the rail line was pulled up to be reused for the war effort. Driving along the road you can still see (in places) the old train roadbed. Close to Comfort you can see the “Bridge to Nowhere,” where the line crossed the Guadalupe River. It is on private property so don’t jump the fence.

Gotta’ love this time of year!

Good Morning,

Well it wasn’t the 54° we were told, but 60° was real nice this morning. The other good news is the 100° days seem to be GONE for the year! This dry cooler weather is perfect for coffee in the morning and drinks in the evening on the deck. Now for you bird enthusiasts, I saw an owl the other morning. While it looked like a Great Grey Owl (the only photo I could find), their habitat is mainly Canada. Any clues what kind it was? It was about 1½ feet from it’s tail to it’s head, dark grey with light grey/white stripes on it, and no horn tufts. This was real cool to see a new bird here. Normally we have dove, sparrows, humming birds (I don’t know what kinds), and cardinals. We also have the occasional blue jay, road runner, and of course chicken.

“Brooster the Rooster” adopted us a little over a month ago. He made his home under the deck for a few weeks. Then one day we got a phone call, Brooster had gotten into the neighbor’s yard. Due to their electric dog fence Brooster couldn’t get out. By the time we saved him most of his tail feathers were bit off. Then he decided to perch outside room 114. After a few days of that I realized I needed to (with much trepidation) catch him & put him the backyard with our chickens. I thought I would have to chase and or trap him to put him with the other chickens. Much to my surprise he let me pick him up and carry him to the coop. After meeting our girls Brooster has been happy, or “the Cock of the Walk” if you will, ever since. I will tell you another time of the party we had on the deck when a white hen adopted us. Ahh, only in Blanco!

Be Cool,

Blanco Ralph

4th September 2011

Good Morning,

I woke up this morning & enjoyed a cool crisp northern breeze. To sit outside with this low humidity (30% apx.), those golden rays of morning sun, and warm cup of coffee, it is just wonderful. 281 is still quiet, everyone is still tucked in their beds enjoying their Sunday morning rest. Tomorrow & Tuesday the lows are in the mid 50’s with highs in the low 90’s. Even though there is no respite from the drought, tropical storm Lee is sucking cool temps from the north. If this is any indication of days to come, bring it on! Ahhh, this life in the Hill Country, it is better than I deserve.

Be Cool,

Blanco Ralph

1st September 2011

Hi,

Friday the 30th of September one of the Hill Country’s true treasures will be here in Blanco. Kinky Friedman will be performing at Uptown Blanco on this evening. There are many adjectives that I have seen used to describe the “Kinkster.” The word I use is “Renaissance Man.” Here is man who is a successful musician, writer of best selling mystery novels, Salsa brand with the proceeds going to Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, entrepreneur with his popular brand of cigars, and politician to name a few. He will be the guest of honor at Blanco’s Serve & Protect banquet to raise funds for our town’s police department.

Kinky will be joining guests at 6 pm for dinner, conversation, photos, and with Kinky anything else is possible. Uptown Blanco, a beautiful facility, who is known around Blanco and by many throughout the State, will be a wonderful location for this event. From 6 pm to 8 pm dinner will be served. You will have the opportunity to buy tickets to have dinner with this man of many faces. How many people can talk about “smoking illegal Cuban Cigars, eradicating marijuana, and Monica Lewinski” all in the same breath. To top this off having a wonderful meal with a fine Texas wine or possibly a glass of Blanco’s own Real Ale.

The second half of the evening will be music and musings by Kinky himself. Who knows what to expect, song favorites, political musings, & satirical comments just to name a few. Please come & support our Blanco Chamber of Commerce in a delightful evening benefiting the Blanco Police Department. Proceeds will help upgrade equipment for some of our newer officers & upgrade equipment. Tickets can be purchased at the Chamber office and Uptown Blanco. See you there!

Be Cool,

Blanco Ralph

23rd August, 2011

Hi,

My name is Ralph, and my wife and I own the Blanco County Inn. Our love of the Texas Hill Country brought us to Blanco. We took over ownership of the Blanco County Inn the day after Thanksgiving 2003. The property, under three names; The Lester Courts, The Mobley Motel, and The Blanco County Inn, celebrates 80 years of continual service providing lodging to the hill country. The Blanco County Inn is our retirement project, and not being people with hotel/motel backgrounds we have put our personal spin on the property.

The goal of this blog is to let our friends and future friends know what is going on close by to Blanco, in Blanco, and to acquaint you all with our neighbors here in Blanco. Hopefully, a few times a week I will publish a new “tidbit” about things that might be of interest. Should there be anything you want to know about, email me at info@blancocountyinn.com and I will get to it shortly. Remember, if I don’t know the answer, maybe I will just make one up! Come by for a libation, cigar, or just to sit around in the park out front and enjoy the “Hill Country Vibe” that we have here in Blanco.

Oh, by the way be sure to listen to our 1st entry in our Blanco County Inn Jingle Contest. It is the work of Anna & Echoe Burkhart, a mother/daughter songwriting team, here in Blanco. Do not blame them for my hokey little video I put with it. I just wanted to have fun.

Be Cool,

Blanco Ralph