Cooper’s Bar-B-Que – Llano

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Today, I am driving west, and I needed some food that would keep me fed for my trip.  I stopped in at Cooper’s in Llano, Texas.  From the pit, I selected the brisket and the turkey.  The trick here is that they don’t weigh your meat until you are at the inside line.  So they always over serve on the BBQ from the pit – no matter what you ask for.  That is why you see so much food at the table.  Needless to say, I didn’t need to eat for the rest of the day.

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Juan in a Million

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Today’s breakfast was on the East side of town.  Juan in a Million is a Tex-Mex Restaurant that opened in 1980 on East Cesar Chavez, and is still going strong.  I ordered from the breakfast menu and chose the Con Queso Breakfast which includes “Two eggs served any stle with queso, carne guisada, refried beans, potatoes and two flour tortillas”.  I’m pretty sure this is a healthy way to start your day…

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Rathskeller

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Today’s most excellent lunch was found at the Rathskeller Restaurant in the town of Fredericksburg.  True to its name, it is located in the basement of a stone building on the main drag through town.  My lunch today was the Jaeger Schnitzel with red beans, German potato salad, and iced tea.  It was so good that I wish I could have ordered seconds.

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Windows

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These windows in the dining room at Dave & Buster’s are most awesome.  I arrived late for lunch, and had the whole place to myself.  It is Wednesday, and that means half priced games all day.  They also have some food specials that include reduced priced entrees if you purchase a game card.  My lunch today was the Parmesan Garlic Chicken Caesar Salad and a Sour Lime Slush to drink.  Yum!

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Wild Texas Short Films

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Last night, I arrived at Stanley’s Farmhouse in Austin at sunset.  My mission was to enjoy a few short films being screened by Ben Masters.  The sun lit up the clouds in bright orange just over the trees of the farm.  I found the pavilion and pizza restaurant where the screening was taking place, and took a few photos before enjoying the films.  The most publicized film was called Pronghorn Revival, and was about relocating Pronghorns to ranches near Marfa Texas.  My favorite film of the night was called A Backcountry Recovery, and was a story about how horses and a 1,000 mile long horse trip brought meaning into the life of Ray Knell, a Green Beret and Afghanistan war veteran.  His goal was to use animals, nature, and physical activity to inspire other veterans to find help with the affects of PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  These films made for a great evening at a small piece of a working Texas ranch.

“Life is very, very short. It’s up to you to fill the book of life with beautiful and interesting chapters.” – Veteran Ray Knell

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NLand Surf Park

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Just when you thought Austin couldn’t get any cooler, along comes NLand Surf Park.  The technology involved is amazing to watch.  A company called Wavegarden has developed an underwater “snow shovel” that is pulled along the length of a 14-acre lagoon.  Near perfect waves pop up on either side of the pier allowing up to 120 surfers to enjoy the surf at their particular skill level.  The surf park has a sandy beach, a gift shop, a juice bar, a restaurant, and a nice deck to view the action.  It is located about 10 minutes from the airport and collects rainwater to fill the lagoon.  Now I just need to learn how to surf.

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