GET OUTTA TOWN
TOP Ten Best Small Towns in America: The Best Places to Get a Job,
Retire, Ski, Golf and Fall in Love.
1. Great Barrington, MA. Big-city smarts meets New England natural
in an art-rich mountain setting.
2. Taos, NM. Modern art, ancient history and counter-culture in the
luminous high desert.
3. Red Bank, NJ. Willie Nelson sings and Basie swings in a riverfront
town graced by Victoriana.
4. Mill Valley, CA. A Bay Area enclave that put mellow on the map keeps
its funky vibe.
5. Gig Harbor, WA. Take numerous art galleries. Add sailboats and local
wines. Stir. Enjoy.
6. Durango, CO. All aboard for mountain fun, plus classical tunes and---
gasp-Vaudeville.
7. Butler, PA. An old-time rural hub as down-to-earth as its most famous
product-the Jeep.
8. Marfa, TX. With mock couture, edgy movies and ironic motels, it's
no cow town.
9. Naples, FL. World-class music, design to die for and palm trees:
What's not to like?
10. Staunton, VA. A Shenandoah mix of Confederate relics and Elizabethan
theater.
THE NEXT TEN: Smithsonian May 2012 smithsonian.com
Get Your Kicks on Route 66 !
If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there.
Round Top, Tx. Antique Shows: April & Oct.
Stark Museum of Art: Orange, Tx.
May 1-26 Kinder, La: Coushatta Casino/Resort, 800-584-7263, Kinder, La.
Open Studio in Arkansas:
Sat. May 19 Edna, Tx: Texas Country Oaks Dance Hall, dance music by
Maifest: 137th Annual Event
May 25-27 Memorial Day Weekend: US0 Show/Dinner/Dance.
PRCA Pro-Rodeo/Frontier Days: Memorial Day Weekend.
May 25-27 Fredericksburg, Tx: Crawfish Festival. Multiple Bands for fun
May 25- 27
Ennis: National Polka Festival. Public Event. Texas Legacy
Sat. May 26
San Saba, Tx: Street Dance: Music by Bobby Flores Yellow Rose
Western Swing Band. 8 p.m. 325-372-8291.
Sat. May 26 Yukon OK: Czech Hall, 405-324-8073, 205 N. Czech Hall Rd.
Shiner Catholic Church Spring Picnic: 26th Annual Event.
Rockport Festival of Food and Wine:
Memorial Day in Music City.
Mon. May 28 Washington, DC Memorial Day Observance at the Vietnam
JUNE:
Sat. June 2 Austin, Tx: Broken Spoke, 512-442-6189, 3201 S. Lamar, Austin, Tx. Dance to Music by Bobby Flores Yellow Rose Western Swing Band. 9:30-
Grand Opening: LeMay America's Car Museum
Woodlands Food & Wine Week:
River Festival:
Annual Texas Blueberry Festival:
Western Swing Dance Band:
Tomato Fest:
Sun. June 10 Sweet Home Hall, FM 531, off Alt. 77. between Hallettsville &
Thurs. June 14 Washington, DC. In Memory Day at the Vietnam Veterans
Stonewall Peach JAMboree and Rodeo:
Sat. June 16 Wichita Falls, Tx: Western Swing Fest, 972-612-9598, Dance Music and performance by Bobby Flores Yellow Rose Western Swing Band.
Sun. June 17 Washington, DC. Father's Day Rose Remembrance at the Vietnan Veterans Memorial. 8 a.m. East Knoll and Apex.
Sun. June 17 Sweet Home Hall, FM 531, off Alt. 77. between Hallettsville &
Thurs. June 21 Wahoo, NE: Country Music Show, 402-687-4154, Solo performance on show by Bobby Flores, leader of the Yellow Rose Western Swing Band. Hope you can watch the show !
Luling Watermelon Thump:
Big Band Dance Weekend: 15th Annual Event @ Country Club Hotel.
Essence Music Fest.
Cantaloupe Food Show:
July: Craponne-sur-Arzon, France: Country Rendezvous Festival.
Oatmeal Festival:
Texas State Railroad Historical Park, Palestine, Texas
. Midway between
Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with
O Say Can You See ?
Schulenburg: Sengelmann Dance Hall: Bakery, Dance Hall, Restaurant, ONE-STOP place for fun, food, fun, dancing. 8 p.m. 866-389-0161. Schulenburg is approx. an hour and half from Houston: 95 miles, from Austin: 80 miles & from San Antonio: 105 miles.
Grand Ole Opry: Nashville. The Mount Everest of Country Music. Every
Nacogdoches, Texas' oldest town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visit the Durst-Taylor Home & Gardens (1835), and the Sterne-Hoya House Library & Museum (1830) offer FREE Tours. Donations are welcome. 936-560-4443. First settled by a Caddo Indian tribe whose blonde-
Ft. Worth, Texas: The Texas Civil War Museum, 817-246-2323.
Out of This World: A Shot In the Dark.
Ever since the Big Bang nearly 14 Billion years ago, the universe has been
expanding. Astronomers once believed this growth spurt would gradually
slow down, but in 1998 they discovered that distant galaxies were actually
moving away from one another faster than ever. Instead of hitting the brakes,
the universe is flooring the gas pedal. (REV It Up !)
A new project representing 23 scientific institutions is investigating this mysterious cosmic propellant, called Dark Energy. The centerpiece is the Dark
Energy Camera, which will be operational in July after it is installed in the
telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile.
The 'lens' of the 5.5-Ton camera consists of 62 digital sensors calibrated to
detect the light trails of celestial bodies moving away from Earth. Astronomers will collect data on the acceleration of 300 Million galaxies to study the
properties of dark energy-and why the universe is exceeding its speed limit.
Other unsolved cosmic mysteries: Smithsonian.com/cosmic .
Smithsonian 5-2012
Welcome to the Pleasure Dome. London, 15-21 Ganton Street. UK.
Cirque Du Soir, London: Mind-bending big top-themed night our has a Moulin Rouge atmosphere, drag queens, and in-house funfair. The night gets going at Midnight..on the dot. A showstopping mix of models, drag queens, and people with broad minds.
Thursday. Worst days to shop for air fare are Saturday and Sunday.
When angry, count to four; when very angry, swear. Mark Twain
Route 66, established on Nov. 11, 1926, was one of the nation's original
highways. Covering 2,448 miles, Route 66 has been celebrated by a hit
song and a popular 1960s TV show.
George Harrison
He who limps is still walking. Stanislaw Lee, poet
Happy Birthday Arizona: State is celebrating its 100th Birthday. 2012.
Home of the Grand Canyon. Beginning on Valentine's Day, special events
are scheduled throughout the state.
Marburger Farm, 800-947-5799, 350 dealers on 43 acres.
Where the Girls Are with the girls. 1. Art-viewing in Florence.
2. Club-hopping in Miami's South Beach. 3. Cooking in Provence.
4. Soaking up the sun in Las Vegas. 5. Shopping in New York City.
6. Spirituality in Sedona, Ariz. 7. Surfing in Bali. 8. Theatre in London.
9. Wine-sipping in Sonoma. 10. Yoga in Costa Rica.
Going on Now: The Russians Are Coming ! Now-June 30.
Home to one of the nation's most significant collections of American Western Art. In a small town, World Class Culture includes works by George Catlin, Alfred Jacob Miller, Paul Kane, W.H. Dunton, Joseph Henry Sharp and Georgia O'Keefe. 409-886-2787, 712 Green Ave. Orange, Tx. 77630.
www.starkmuseum.org
presents: Tribute to the King: Ryan Pelton as Elvis.
New Dance Floor: Larger dance floor, more seating and parking !
Navasota, Tx: Western Club, 936-825-9070, 9524 Hwy. 6 South
NASCAR:
Fri. May 18 Darlington, S.C. VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200. Speed.
6:10 p.m.
Alabama Beach Music:
May 18-20 Gulf Shores, Al. The Hangout Music Festival on five stages on
more than 20 acres of white sand and swaying palms. Performers include
Dave Matthews, Jack White, Wilco. hangoutmusicfest.com .
May 18-20 Mountain Home, Ar. Carvers, Weavers, Painters, Potters,
The Art Community is one of the state's richest resources. Studios of 25
talented artists and artisans, including the workshop of furniture maker
John Lenihan and Metal-master Bob Patrick's Hilltop Forge.
Sat. May 19 Sweet Home Hall, FM 531, off Alt. 77. between Hallettsville &
Yoakum, Dance Music by The Original Moods. 8-12 p.m.
Texas Natural & Western Swing Festival: Celebrate Texas.
Sat. May 19 San Marcos, Tx: Texas History & Texas Music on Courthouse
Square. Arts, Crafts, Vendors, Food . 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Nightrider CW Band. 8 p.m.
Sat. May 19 Fort Worth, Tx: Pearl's Dance Hall, 817-624-2800, 302 W. Exchange (stockyards) Dance to Music by Bobby Flores Yellow Rose Western Swing Band. 9 p. Don't Fiddle Around: Come On Down !
May 19 Mount Pleasant, Tx: Moonlight Festival & Outhouse Races.
903-572-8567. ( Ever Moon Anymone ?)
Sat. May 19 Yukon OK: Czech Hall, 405-324-8073, 205 N. Czech Hall Rd.
(west on I-40 from OKC.) Dance to Music by Bohemian Knights Band. 8 p.
Cover: $5. Public Invited. Come On Sooners !
Sat. May 20 Anhalt Hall, 210-240-2456, off Hwy 46, between Boerne & Hwy
281, Bands: Litt'l Fishermen: 1-5 p.m. Jake Hooker & The Outsiders: 6-10 p.m. $5. admission til 4 p.m. After 4 p.m. admission: $15.
Family style pot roast dinner @ noon: $8.
Formula One:
Sun. May 21 Madrid, Spain: Spanish Grand Prix. 7 a.m. Speed.
Armed Forces Event @ Texas State Railroad Palestine Depot. 6-10 p.m.
Heritage Brass Band and large dance floor @ Copeland Center, Lakeview
Methodist Conference Center. 888-987-2461.
www.TexasStateRailroad
May 25-27 Bandera, Tx. Performances 8 p.m. nightly. Bull riding, barrel
racing, bareback riding and team roping. BBQ cook-off and golf tourney.
Children's activities include mutton bustin', calf scramble and stickhorse
races.
www.banderarodeo.com
and music all weekend. Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez ! Let the Good Times Roll !
www.Tex-Fest.com
Czech Band performs: 4:30-7:30 p.m. Multiple Bands at this event.
See and hear the bands listed on band page:
www.bettygoparty.com
Hall admission: Fri. $7. Sat. $12. Sun. $10. Kids under 12: Free
www.ennis-chamber-com
See and hear the band on band page:
www.bettygoparty.com
.
Don't Fiddle Around: Come On Down !
(west on I-40 from OKC.) Dance to Music by Bohemian Knights Band. 8 p.
Cover: $5. Public Invited. Come On Sooners !
Sat. May 26 New Orleans: Irvin Mayfield's I Club, The Iguanas Band.
May 26-27 Sat. & Sun. Shiner, Tx: KC Park: Music by local musicians 11 a.
Shiner Hobo Band: 2-4 p. Leroy's Swinging Orchestra & Chris Rybak Band
battle of bands: 4-8 p.m. Nine Hours of Free Music and dancing in AC comfort. FREE for You and Me. Sunday Dinner: 10:30 a-2 p.m. $8.
Info: 361-594-3836. Beer, Kolaches, Baked Goods, Arts, Crafts. MORE!
May 26-27 16th Annual Event. 866-729-2469. texasmaritimemuseum.org/
winefest.html .
May 26, 27, 28 Nashville, TN. Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Resort presents:
Weekend of Big Band Dancing with music by
Bobby Layne Orchestra with
vocalist Trudy DuMay.
Floating Wood Dance floor: 4000 sq. ft. Three dances, Two nights Accommodations, Welcome Reception, Dinner & Dance Exhibition, Two Breakfasts, and a group dance lesson. Cost: $685. per couple. Modified package available upon request. 877-212-6555.
See and hear Bobby Layne Orchestra on band page :
www.bettygoparty.com
Veterans Memorial. 1 p.m. Apex @ The Wall.
June 1-3 Fri.-Sun. Amana, Iowa: Beckster Fest. Amana Colonies RV Park
& Convention Facility. (Polka til your feet fall off, they'll grow back !)
60 acres of level campground w/over 300 hookups, showers, restaurants,
laundromat, shopping, dining, bike trails, theatre and golf. Located in
NW corner of Hwy. 151 and 220. Fri. $10. Sat. $12. Sun. $10. Pass: $25.
1 a.m. Don't Fiddle Around: Come On Down !
See and hear the band on band page:
www.bettygoparty.com .
Sat. June 2 Tacoma, WA: Ray Benson's Asleep at the Wheel Western Swing
Band, six-time Grammy winner will headline the all-day event. The band
will travel from Austin for the Free for you and me ceremony and concert.
A Day to Remember ! America's Car Museum, a 3.5 acre facility is designed
to be a centerpiece for automotive history, an educational center and library.
The campus is located adjacent to the Tacoma Dome, the festivities will held
at the Haub Family Field, directly adjacent to the 165,000 sq.ft. museum.
The campus has a 3.5 acre show field, theatre, café, banquet hall and meeting facilities.
www.lemaymuseum.org
Tacoma native and recent 'The Voice' contestant, Kim Archer will open for
Asleep at the Wheel Band. Day-long grand opening festivities include go-cart
and slot-car racing, driving simulators, local food vendors and free outdoor
car show.
Sat. June 2 Yukon OK: Czech Hall, 405-324-8073, 205 N. Czech Hall Rd.
(west on I-40 from OKC.) Dance to Music by Bohemian Knights Band. 8 p.
Cover: $5. Public Invited. Come On Sooners !
Sun. June 3 Sweet Home Hall, FM 531, off Alt. 77. between Hallettsville &
Yoakum, Dance music by Red Ravens Band. Polka & Variety. 2-6 p.m.
June 4-10 wineandfoodweek.com. 713-557-5732.
Fri. June 8 Salina, KS. River Festival with music by Bobby Layne Orchestra.
402-430-9330. See and hear the Orchestra on band page:
www.bettygoparty.com
Sat. June 9 Nacogdoches, Tx: Annual Event. 936-560-5533.
Sat. June 9 Snyder, Tx: County Coliseum, 325-573-3558, Dance Music and
Performance by Bobby Flores Yellow Rose Western Swing Band.
Don't Fiddle Around: Come On Down !
www.snyderchamber.org
Sat. June 9 Jacksonville, Tx: Annual Event. 800-376-2217.
jacksonvilletexas.com
Yoakum, Dance Music by Incredible Music Makers. 2-6 p.m.
Memorial. 10 a.m. East Knoll and Apex.
June 14-16 Stonewall, Tx: Annual Event. 830-875-2735. stonewalltexas.com
Don't Fiddle Around: Come On Down !
See and hear the band on band page:
www.bettygoparty.com
Yoakum, Dance Music by Sweet Home Boys Band. Polka & Variety. 2-6 p.m.
June 21-24 Luling, Tx: Annual Event. 830-875-3214. watermelonthump.com
June 22, 23, 24 Fri. Sat. Sun. Lake Ozark, MO. Music by Bobby Layne Orchestra. 402-430-9330 for details. See and hear Bobby Layne Orchestra
on band page:
www.bettygoparty.com
July
July 6-8 New Orleans Superdome: Headlining Aretha Franklin and other top performers include Mary J. Blige, Fantasia, Stephanie Mills, Charlie Wilson
Keyshia Cole, New Orleans-born Ledisi, SWV, Dru Hill, Raheem DeVaughn,
Estelle, Vivian Green, Kindred the Family Soul, Luke James, Eric Roberson,
and The Stylistics, among others. Seminars with artists, speakers and au-
-thors will take place in the convention center.
Sat. July 14 Madison, Wi. La Fete de Marquette. Iguanas Band will perform.
July 27 Pecos, Tx: Annual Event. 432-445-2406. pecostx.com .
Amber Digby & Midnight Flyer will perform. Time & Date: TBA.
Seattle Inaugural Watershed Music Festival:
Aug. 3-5 George, Washington, @ Gorge Amphitheatre. 3-day fest has big
names on tap. Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Kix Brooks, Sara Evans, Dwight Yoakum, Uncle Kracker, Brantley Gilbert &
Thompson Square.
Aug. 31-Sept. 1 Bertram, Tx: Annual Event. 512-355-3682.
oatmealfestival.com .
Dallas & Houston. Quaint, Victorian, Charming; located in Piney Woods
with easy access to I-45 and U.S. 79. Antique Steam Engines, enjoy a
scenic 30 mile trip through the Piney Woods on the Texas Treasure Train.
Hotel and Bed and Breakfast accommodations nearby.
Texas Getaways for Grown-Ups: No Airport Needed.
Round Top: The Belle of Round Top Bed and Breakfast.
www.belleofroundtop.com/bedandbreakfasthome
Lake Austin Spa Resort.
www.lakeaustin.com
*Gruene: The Gruene Mansion Inn Bed and Breakfast.
www.gruenemansioninn.com
* On the banks of the Guadalupe River, this historic town is a fly-fisherman's
paradise by day and a two-stepper's dream by night. Gruene Hall, the state's
oldest continuously run dance hall: dance with the one that brung ya. This
hallowed space, which dates to 1878, has hosted the likes of Lyle Lovett,
George Strait, and Townes Van Zandt-both before and after they became
famous stars. 1243 Gruene Rd. 830-627-1992.
Liberty Opry presents: Branson-style live shows with music, comedy.
Gospel, Country western, 50s & 60s tunes, swing, old-time Rock& Roll. 1816 Sam Houston, Liberty, TX. 936-336-5830.
us, or we find it not. Ralph Waldo Emerson
See and be Scene:
In 1813 Major George Amistead asked for an American flag to be made for
Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor that 'the British would have no trouble
seeing.' On September 14, 1814, it was this flag that inspired Francis Scott
Key to pen the immortal words of “The Star-Spangled Banner ” on the back
of a letter he had in his pocket.
Welcome: Executive Chef Bardini. Culinary line: Emanuel Valasquez.
Head Baker: Sharon Burns in charge of all those made from scratch goodies !
Bakery @Sengelmann Dance Hall. 866-389-0161, Schulenburg. Kolaches, Cupcakes, Shiner Black Cake, Butter Nut Cake, Cookies & More. ( YUM !)
star in the history of the genre has performed on the stage here. The Opry
Complex includes the Opry House, Acuff Theater, Opry Museum and Opry
Plaza. The downtown Ryman Auditorium, original home of the Opry, is still
used for smaller concerts. 615-871-6779.
-headed chief was named Nacogdoches, the East Texas town was subsequent-
-ly claimed by Spain, then Mexico-and for a short time by a hearty group of
souls calling themselves 'Fredonians.'
www.texascivilwarmuseum.com
Reel and Gun Club and the Texas Game and Fish Commission.
The man-made channel connecting East Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, a 1,600-foot cut hugely popular with anglers but blamed for considerable
environmental and economic damage is in the final stages of being closed.
Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, catalyst of the pass closure push,
said the anticipated issuance of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit allowing filling of the channel. Three years ago, the Texas Legislature gave the authority and appropriated almost $6 Million to close the pass.
The plan is to build a first-rate 1,000-foot fishing pier as mitigation for the loss
of fishing opps that would come when Rollover Pass is closed.
Houston Chronicle 4-29-2012 byline: Shannon Tompkins
feature Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton in debut of Prehistoric Safari.
The unveiling of T-rex and other exhibits in the new Hall of Paleontology will
take place formally opening on June 2. It is part of an $85 Million project un-
-der construction. The exhibit will trace the march of life from 500 million-
year-old sea creatures to the appearance of early man. Every fossil skeleton
will be interacting with the others. Eerie whines and menacing thuds echo
through the football-sized chamber. Offerings will include a reconstructed
12-foot-wide jaw of an ancient shark ambushing a prehistoric elephant, and a
family of pterosaurs, each with a wingspan exceeding that of a fighter jet,
fending off an attack by a hungry T-rex.
The four-story building will house the paleo hall, which contains 1 Million c.f.
enough space to house 5 Goodyear blimps. Houston Chronicle 4-26-2012
byline: Allan Turner