Weekend Road Tripper

Rudy's BBQ & the Fried Pie Co. & Restaurant

Weekend Road Tripper — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:33:26 GMT

This past Saturday, RJ had to check on a job for work in Gainesville so I decided to tag along and we could make a day of it. Got the morning off right with a stop at Rudy's BBQ for breakfast tacos. We were on I35 and visited the Rudy's in Denton on 35@Teasley Road. We love going there- or to ANY Rudy's and getting their breakfast taco's. I know I've written about them before but they deserve second ...and third....mentions!

We got a tray of them and picked chorizo & egg, sausage & egg and the pièce de résistance - brisket & egg. They now throw a few containers of Rudy's salsa on there- spicy & hot. It was good but I like their 'sause' much better.

We stuffed our faces and went on our merry way to Gainesville. RJ did his thing and it was still early so we decided why not travel on up to Winstar Casino and throw some money away....which we did. We played for about an hour, lost as much as we cared too and figured it was time to hit the road.

Rudy's BBQ http://rudys.com/
520South IH-35 E
Denton, TX 76205
Phone (940) 484-RUDY

Coming back into to Texas from Oklahoma on I35, there is a very nice WWII memorial at the Texas Welcome Rest Stop. This one honors the 103rd Infantry Division headed by Maj. Gen. Charles Haffner and Maj. Gen. Anthony "Nuts' McAuliffe. (For any of you that watched "Jericho", when Skeet Ulrich's character uttered "Nuts" at the end of one episode, that was based on McAuliffe's reply when surrounded by Germans demanding his surrender. His response: “Nuts.”)

The memorial lists the name of all the men who died during this theater of operations from 1944-45 and gives a little history of the events. It's worthwhile to stop and look.

From there, we went back to Gainesville. We'd seen a sign on the freeway for the Fried Pie Co. & Restaurant on the downtown square....fried pies....who could resist! We found it fairly easily. It's located on the southwest corner of the square. It was still open (although they flipped the 'open' sign over shortly after we got there).

Inside is a quaint, back-in-time place with old-fashioned looking tables and booths. We found a booth that was right across from the counter with all the fried pies and thought that was a good place to contemplate what flavors we'd take home!

In the meantime, we ordered some lunch - a couple of sandwiches.I got homemade pimento cheese on white toast and RJ went with a grilled ham and cheese on wheat toast.

Both had potato chips on the side and were quite adequate....not great but certainly good and the meals fit right in with the atmosphere.

When we were done, we both selected apricot pies to take home. Had them late Saturday night with glasses of old milk and I must say, they were divine. The sack they were in weighed at least a pound and they were stuffed full of filling with lots of pieces of real fruit- not the gooey mess that you get with store brand fried pies. The folks at the Fried Pie Co. & Restaurant know how to make a mean pie! I hope we'll be going back up that way again soon!

Fried Pie Co. & Restaurant
202 W Main St, Gainesville, TX
Tel: (940) 665-7641

From Sweeney Todd, Patti Lupone singing
"The Worst Pies in London"

Parker County Peach Festival

Weekend Road Tripper — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:20:16 GMT

After we left Estella's in Arlington last Saturday, we started driving west. We kind of had a destination of my old house where I grew up, but somehow managed to skip that and by complete (and surprising) accident, we ended up in Parker County! I asked RJ if we came across Weatherford, could we go to the Farmer's Market and grab some peaches.

Sure enough, we saw signs for a turnoff from whatever backroad we were on for Weatherford. I haven't been there in years. When I was little, we'd drive over often. We'd go for the peaches and other produce and also make a stop at a little bakery just west of the square where they made the best cheese bread I've ever had.

We were coming into town from the south side. Things really had changed, of course They have all sorts of new shopping areas and as we drove heading north on Main Street, we spotted signs that said "Shuttle" with arrows pointing ahead. Well, of all the luck. We stumbled upon Weatherford on the day of the Parker County Peach Festival! And we actually found a parking spot right off the square!

After slathering on sunblock, getting our cameras ready and donning caps, we set out for all the fun and activities. First thing we noticed was that it was blazing hot. I don't think we are babies about the heat but 100+ temps can take the 'fun' out of 'fun'. Most folks looked a little on the wilted side. But we were optimistic. Admission was $5.00 - seemed like a small price to pay for all the entertainment & excitement we would have heaped upon us.

First thing on the agenda was getting something cool to drink. There were lots of food booths set up - sausage on a stick, turkey legs, nachos, and the like, and I saw one that touted "the Original Peach Julep". That sounded interesting and looked cold - it fit the bill so we ordered two. Disappointing.... thank goodness they were just $2.00 each. I honestly believe the ingredients were a splash of peach juice, water to fill the cup, ice and a slice of peach. They had the taste of very weak Koolaid. Hmmm....

Ok, on to bigger and better things. We noticed lots of arts and crafts booths....lots. There were three 'stages' with live music and the bands were pretty good- one local rock group, a group of gospel fiddlers and a C & W band. That was nice, but I wanted to find all the peach 'stuff', after all, this was the Parker County Peach Festival! I wanted peach cobbler, peach pies, peach ice cream, peach gumbo, peach etoufee....just a little homage to Forest Gump....

We found a booth selling peach cobbler. There was a booth with peach smoothies and don't forget the "Original Peach Juleps" stand. One 'produce' booth with baskets of peaches for sale. Other than that, peach pickin's were pretty slim. I did see a few of the craft booths with jars of peach salsas & jam added in with all their other salsas but those sort of looked like an afterthought.

I've seen and been to other festivals focusing on one thing that's the pride of that area and they seem to have everything possible made from it - like the Gilroy Garlic Festival, where you can get most anything known to mankind made with garlic. I guess my expectations were too high.

We made the rounds of the entire place and headed back to the car. I got RJ to make one more stop at the Farmer's Market, just a block away and it brought back lots of good memories. I don't think it had changed one "iota" we used to drive from Fort Worth so long ago. I purchased a small basket of juicy peaches there and we finished them off last night for dessert, sliced up with a little sugar on them. Good stuff and I got my Parker County peach fix until next year.

Peaches & Herb on "Solid Gold"
Shake Your Groove Thing

Estella's in Arlington

Weekend Road Tripper — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:05:03 GMT

A few weeks ago, we were looking for a place to meet our son in the Arlington/Grand Prairie area for breakfast. I scoured the Weekend Guide and several sites online and found a few options. We did choose from the list and brunch was fine but there was one that sounded very intriguing that we'd visit another day. We did....last Saturday.

Estella's is located on Arkansas Lane in an unassuming little strip shopping center. We met RJ's sister and our brother-in-law there about 10:30. My sis-in-law has been there many times and said we'd need to get there before 11 to avoid the big lunch crowds. And there was a good size crowd already when we arrived. That's always a good sign!

She recommended the breakfast tacos. She mentioned she drives over frequently on the weekends and picks up a sack of them to go.They did have a huge selection of them to choose from. RJ went with a couple of barbacoa tacos with sides of beans and rice. He loves barbacoa- gets it a lot and is pretty picky about it. He gave Estella's a thumbs up. He said it wasn't the best he'd ever had but he did enjoy it.

My sister-in-law decided on a chorizo and eggs breakfast plate- scrambled eggs with chunks of chorizo blended in, served with rice, beans and homemade flour tortillas. She ate every bit!

Our brother-in-law tends to be a creature of habit and eats two beef tacos, rice and beans most anywhere we go. He didn't disappoint He went with his standard and told us they were good.

I got another breakfast plate - Migas, scrambled eggs with pieces of corn tortillas, tomatoes, peppers and onions added. It came with rice and beans and homemade tortillas as well. I liked it but will go with something else next time. For my taste, the tomatoes, peppers and onions were too big- not chopped finely enough. I guess that's just personal preference.

The service at Estella's was slow. I don't know if they were understaffed but our waitress only came to check on us if we signaled to her. Getting more coffee and tea was a chore.

I would give Estella's a "B". We had a good time and I am sure we'll go back. There must be something to it- there were plenty of regulars!

Estella's
1224 W Arkansas Ln
Arlington, TX 76013
(817) 276-8226

Willie Nelson
On the Road Again

Main Street Bread Baking Company

Weekend Road Tripper — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:28:17 GMT

This morning, we got up a little too late to try to make it for breakfast anywhere. And with today's scorching forecast, something cool sounded good. We remembered another fav of ours we've been neglecting lately - Main Street Bread Baking Company. We're lucky enough to have one about 10 minutes from us in the fairly new Shire shopping center at 190 and Jupiter Road in Richardson.

Though the menu is not huge, the offerings are different and delicious.

My absolute to-die for choice here is the Salad and Half Sandwich Combo with the French Brie Panini along with the Main Street House Salad. You can get whatever combo you want but I wouldn't trade these two for anything

The panini is made of buttery brie, spinach, bosc pear & prosciutto & served on pugliese bread. The brie is heated enough in the grilling to begin to melt and warm throughout. Add the flavors of the pear and proscuitto and you've got a little bit of heaven in your hand.

And the Main Street House Salad - oh my goodness! It's made of the freshest of mixed field greens, finely chopped red onion, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, crumbled feta, calamata olives & toasted pine nuts in the most wonderful lemon vinaigrette.

My plate had the more than ample half sandwich and hefty serving of salad, along with kettle chips, a pickle spear and homemade toasted French bread slices. Excellent!

RJ' choice du jour was the Croque Monsieur, a panini of ham, swiss cheese, & béchamel on pugliese bread and served with a small salad (RJ went with the same house salad I picked). He also added a couple of dollar mimosas and we ate until we couldn't eat any more. Well, I could have had several plates of the house salad - that lemon vinaigrette is simply the best.

Main Street has a pastry case right by the door filled with fresh baked breads, luscious pastry items and all sorts of breakfast goodies- croissants, muffins, Danishes and the like.

Check them out at: http://www.themainbakery.com/

Three locations~
Historic Downtown Grapevine
316 S. Main Street
Grapevine, Texas 76051
Phone: 817-424-4333

The Shops at Legacy in Plano
7200 Bishop Rd. Suite D - 11
Plano, TX 75024
Phone: 972-309-0404

The Shire in Richardson
3600 Shire Blvd., Suite 160
Richardson, TX 75081
Phone: 972-578-0294

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant
Sister Rosetta Goes Before Us

Black-eyed Pea

Weekend Road Tripper — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:34:39 GMT

Friday, the Fourth of July, we were on our own. The kids couldn't make it over for a cookout so we decided (meaning I decided), why cook.

We haven't been to the Black-eyed Pea in a while and there's one right down the street from us. It's about as Americana as you can get so it was a perfect choice.

We pulled up about noontime and there were only two or three cars out front. We weren't even certain they were open, but, yes, the front door was unlocked, and we trotted in. We were immediately met by a cheerful young fellow who seated us. We both glanced around and there were only a couple of tables of diners but figured everybody else was at home gobbling down hot dogs and burgers.

Well, no hot dogs and hamburgers for us...at least not this meal! We spotted a sign as we came in advertising a new appetizer item - Fried Guacamole.

Now I had this at the State Fair last year and loved it. We were up for trying it again. Black-eyed Pea's version is slightly different and several notches better. They take a whole avocado, half it & fill the seed cavities with a sour cream and tomato concoction. The halves are then battered (with probably the same batter used on their chicken fried steaks) and fried until golden. They are plated and served with corn chips, salsa and ranch dressing. The warm avocado along with the crunchiness of the crust is just plain yummy. We'll definitely be going back for this treat! And it was only $3.99!

I have always been a salad person and like all kinds. Black-eyed Pea makes a good Cobb Salad and that was what I was in the mood for.... lots of fresh ingredients, finely chopped and separated like a proper Cobb should be. With blue cheese dressing on the side, it was A+ material.

RJ decided on more traditional Black-eyed Pea fare - chicken fried steak, black-eyed peas (of course) and squash casserole. Served with a basket of piping hot rolls and cornbread, the meal was just perfect.

We stuffed our faces and went on our merry way. We were happy campers!

Visit Black-eyed Pea at http://www.theblackeyedpea.com/ for a location near you!

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant
Gone, Gone, Gone

Royal Chopstix

Weekend Road Tripper — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 18:29:53 GMT

Thursday night to get the holiday weekend started, we drove to Plano to Royal Chopstix on Jupiter Rd. at 14th Street. We've been several times but there's been quite a lapse in time since our last visit....don't know why because we always enjoy the food. I guess it's the ol "too many restaurants, too little time" dilemma.

Royal Chopstix is run by a friendly couple who always remember us and are appreciative of return customers. The place is clean and the chow is great. I tend to get the spicier dishes and went with Orange Chicken. RJ ordered a bowl of Egg Drop soup and Moo Goo Gai Pan. The main dishes are served in cute little 'woks' and entrées come with fried or steamed rice.

My Orange Chicken consisted of nuggets of chicken in a tempura type batter, fried and tossed in a citrusy sauce with and slight amount of heat to it. RJ's soup was flavorful and had plenty of egg swirling throughout. His Moo Goo Gai Pan was chock full of chicken and veggies in a smooth brown sauce.

Royal Chopstix offers an array of meat entrées, vegetarian dishes, soups and appetizers. It's not a fussy place - simple decor but neat as a pin and with good food, you'll want to come back!

1420 Jupiter Rd # 103, Plano - (972) 578-2255

Other locations:
6205 Coit Rd # 364, Plano - (972) 769-1391
Ste 118, 18484 Preston Rd, Dallas - (972) 985-8899
18484 Preston Rd Dallas, TX 75252

Ying Huang
Madame Butterfly
"Un bel di vedremo"

Upcoming Events - July '08

Weekend Road Tripper — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:09:53 GMT

Now thru Aug. 17, 2008- Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show (Fort Worth, TX)
A historical reenactment of the original Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show. www.cowtowncoliseum.com

Jul. 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2008 – “Sounds of Lewisville” Summer Concert Series (Lewisville, TX)
Eight top regional acts have been scheduled for the “Sounds of Lewisville” Summer Concert Series, presented for the 19th consecutive year by the City of

Lewisville. The free concerts will be held on Tuesday nights, from June 3 through July 22, starting at 7:00 p.m. www.cityoflewisville.com

Jul. 2 - Jul. 5, 2008 - 84th Annual 4th of July Celebration & PRCA Rodeo (Belton, TX)
www.rodeobelton.com

July 3, 2008 - Kaboom Town Fireworks Display (Addison, TX)
www.addisontexas.net

July 3, 2008 - Annual Farmers Branch Independence Day Celebration (Farmers Branch, TX)
www.farmersbranch.info

July 3 & 4, 2008 - Lone Stars & Stripes Fireworks Celebration (Grand Prairie, TX)
www.lonestarpark.com

July 4, 2008 - Star Spangled 4th (Garland, TX)
www.starspangledfourth.com

July 4, 2008 - 1320 X - A Celebration of the American Muscle Car (Ennis, TX)
www.texasmotorplex.com

Jul. 4 & 5, 2008 - Trinity River Fiesta (Dallas, TX)
www.trinityriverfiesta.com

July 4, 2008 - 43rd Annual 4th of July Parade (Arlington, TX)
www.arlington4th.com

Jul. 4, 2008 - 4thFEST Independence Day Celebration (Bedford, TX)
www.ci.bedford.tx.us Fireworks start about 9:30pm

Jul. 4, 2008 - A Musical Fourth (Dallas, TX)
www.musicalfourth.com

Jul. 4, 2008 - DeSoto & Lancaster Old Fashioned 4th Fireworks Show (Lancaster, TX)
www.ci.desoto.tx.us

Jul. 4, 2008 - Annual Independence Day Celebration (Flower Mound, TX)
www.flower-mound.com

Jul. 4, 2008 - City of Frisco’s 7th Annual Frisco Freedom Fest (Frisco, TX)
www.friscofreedomfest.org

Jul. 4, 2008 - 26th Annual Fireworks Extravaganza Over Lake Grapevine (Grapevine, TX)
www.grapevinetexasusa.com.

Jul. 4, 2008 - Red White & Lewisville, Fireworks and Festival (Lewisville, TX)
www.cityoflewisville.com

Jul. 4 & 5, 2008 - Red, White, and Boom (McKinney, TX)
www.mckinneytexas.org

Jul. 4, 2008 - Northeast Family 4th of July Fireworks Celebration (Haltom City, TX)
www.haltomcitytx.org

Jul. 4, 2008 - Celebrate an "All American Fourth" with the City of Plano (Plano, TX)
www.planoparks.org

July 7 - 11, 2008 - Time Traveler Summer Camps – “Pages of the Past” (Dallas, TX)
www.dallasheritagevillage.org

July 10 - 12, 2008 - Fort Worth Museum of Science & History celebration (Fort Worth, TX)
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History will celebrate two construction milestones and a dinosaur's birthday during its Dino-Mite Weekend, July 10-12

at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. www.fwmsh.org

July 11 - 13, 2008 - 22nd Annual Taste of Dallas (Dallas, TX)
Some of the best restaurants in Dallas will be on hand to show off. www.tasteofdallas.org

July 12 - 13, 2008 - Dallas Bridal Show (Dallas, TX)
Come See The Premier Bridal Event In North Texas ...www.bridalshowsinc.com

July 12, 2008 - 2008 Annual Parker County Peach Festival (Weatherford, TX)
Weatherford will host the 2008 Annual Peach Festival on Saturday, July 12th. www.weatherford-chamber.com

Jul. 19, 2008 - 24thd Annual Tour de Paris Bicycle Rally (Paris, TX)
The Tour de Paris will be celebrating its 24th year in 2008 with it's Paris Bicycle Rally. www.tourdeparis.com

Jul. 25 - 27, 2008 - 9th Annual Gran Fiesta Fort Worth (Fort Worth, TX)
The 9th annual Gran Fiesta is a colorful three-evening outdoor celebration of Latin music, art, and cuisine. www.iemshows.com/granfiesta

Jul. 26, 2008 - National Day of the American Cowboy (Fort Worth, TX)
The Fort Worth Stockyards will celebrate the National Day of the American Cowboy on Saturday, July 26th 11 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with free-family events in the

Historic Fort Worth Stockyards that will educate visitors and honor the American Cowboy and the influences of the Charro, Vaquero, Native American and

African American Cowboys and Cowgirls. www.fortworthstockyards.org

Jul. 26 & 27, 2008 - Everything Babyfest (Fort Worth, TX)
www.everythingbabyfest.com

Jul. 30 - Aug. 10, 2008 - Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus (Dallas, TX)
www.ringling.com or www.americanairlinescenter.com

The Lovin' Spoonful
Summer in the City

Andrea's Italian Restaurant

Weekend Road Tripper — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:07:47 GMT

We've been waiting patiently for one of our favorite places, Andrea's, to open since they moved to their new location. Good news- they finally have.

They've been open now about 3 weeks in their new, spacious diggs at Beltline and Coit, right down from Whole Foods. The restaurant is much larger than before with nicer decor but the food is still the same - wonderful! With the classical Italian dishes and pastas, steaks and just added Mexican dishes, there's plenty to choose from.

I usually get the Chicken Piccata. (I love the lemony sauce with the flavorful capers and artichoke hearts topping the grilled chicken breast.) I am still trying to spread my wings and venture out on the taste spectrum so I went with something unusual for me - Gnocchi Andrea. You can choose from a marinara or gorgonzola sauce. I picked the gorgonzola and it was a winner. The homemade gnocchi at Andrea's are like little puffy pillows- so light and airy and that creamy gorgonzola sauce was a perfect topper.

RJ decided on Veal Piccata- I have raved so much about the chicken version, he had to give the veal a try. He loved it. It looked beautiful on the plate and was served with sautéed vegetables.

We both added the house salad - very fresh assorted greens with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It was a perfect meal.

Andrea's also has a pianist quite often and the gentleman is excellent. He has an extensive repertoire of nice dinner tunes and we always marvel at his skills.

The new location offers a large dining area, a pretty bar( although they are still working on getting their liquor license) and two party rooms. They offer catering and still have the Wednesday night 2 for 1 specials as well as their Sunday brunch specials.

Watch for their grand opening celebration soon!

Andrea's
In the Dal Rich Village Shopping Center
Southeast corner of Coit & Beltline Road
Richardson, TX

Luciano Pavarotti
O Solo Mio

Galveston

Weekend Road Tripper — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:07:18 GMT

Recently, RJ took a week of his vacation time & we strayed from North Texas. The thought of the beach sounded good so we headed straight for Galveston. When I was little, my grandparents took me & my sister to Galveston every summer from the time I was about 6 until I was in my late teens. We'd stay 1-2 weeks at the Galvez Hotel and we'd have the best time. I have wonderful memories of doing all sorts of stuff at the hotel, having great meals there and around the island - Gaido's, Jack Tar's, John's, and the Dreamland Cafe that was built over the water. A lot of things have come & gone since then- Dreamland Cafe was washed away when Hurricane Carla hit in '61 and I guess Jack Tar's was torn down. John's is still there but has been several things over the years and when we were there last week, it was empty and fenced off- I suppose it's set for demolishment too.

But Gaido's is still going strong and one of our very favorite places to dine there. The service is first class and the food is even better. You can get entrées a la carte but they also offer 'complete meals' that are served with a salad, soup, entrée and dessert as well as fresh baked cheese bread and French bread. You can get a 'half complete meal' too- which is what we got- we can only stuff so much in sometimes The cheese bread came with dipping oil and reminded me of fresh bread we used to buy at a small bakery in Weatherford. It was soft, warm and wonderful and I could have been content with just that! But, of course, I had to forge on

I got a garden salad with Gaido's homemade Bleu Cheese dressing- olive oil and vinegar with chunks of bleu cheese tossed in. To die for. Shrimp Gumbo was my choice for soup. I'm not big on soups but this was terrific....full of veggies and pieces of shrimp. And, as if I couldn't get enough shrimp, I ordered the Charcoal Grilled Shrimp entrée. Hey, we're only there once in a while and when we are, we have to go for the gold. As if all that wasn't enough food, our excellent waiter brought the dessert tray by. Yes, the dessert came with the meal, so..... He showed us cheesecakes of all flavors, mousse, puddings, creme brulee, fruit parfaits, chocolate cakes, vanilla cakes and then I spied Gaido's famous crustless pecan pie. A thin slice served was plated with a dollop of fresh homemade whipped cream and a small scoop of Bluebell vanilla. I didn't want to offend the fine folks at Gaido's so naturally I had to finish it off. You can order those famous pecan pies online too: https://store.gaidos.com/category.asp

Check out the Gaido's menu at: http://www.gaidos.com/menus/index.htm

Gaido's Famous Seafood Restaurant 3900 Seawall Blvd. Galveston, TX 77550

Another fine place we tried for the first time on this trip was called Seaside Bistro. It's down on the West Beach. We had seen it while driving around one night, checked it out and decided we wanted to go. It was well worth it and we were so happy we did. It's a small eatery that offers seafood, American food and German fare. We saw regulars there plus newbies like us and everyone was enjoying the atmosphere and their meals.

Both of us got ribeye steaks - perfectly cooked. They came with salads- extremely fresh greens & veggies with a wonderful house dressing. Our steaks were also accompanied by German fries and sautéed zucchini strips. We splurged and got their bread pudding. I don't know how they make it like it is but it's lighter than most- almost fluffy and was excellent - some of the best we'd ever had. Service was good too - our waitress was friendly & attentive.

Seaside Bistro 11128 San Luis Pass Rd. Galveston, TX 77554

Next stop was Fisherman's Wharf. We've eaten there a few times now and it's also become a 'must' each visit to Galveston. Located right on the harbor, sandwiched in between the cruise ship terminals and the 1877 tall ship Elissa, it's got an incredible view. We stopped in for a light lunch and got half dozen oysters on the half shell along with the Cold Combo (grilled rare tuna, shrimp ceviche and peel'n'eat shrimp). This along with a couple of ice teas was more than enough for the two of us to share and feel full. And again, we were happy with out choices. First time I'd had grilled rare tuna (it had a nice wasabi sauce drizzled over it) and it was tasty. The ceviche was very good and the boiled shrimp and cold oysters were out-of-this-world great. But, you gotta know I'm a shrimp & oysters freak

We sat right by the windows overlooking the Elissa, watched the other tourists and just enjoyed the afternoon. If you're down that way, GO!

Fisherman's Wharf Pier 22 Galveston, TX 77550

Our fourth dining experience during our stay was another repeat restaurant, Willie G's, which is just around the corner from Fisherman's Wharf. It's got a killer view too! While it's more upscale and you probably won't feel comfortable wearing an old t shirt and shorts there, but put on something a little nicer and be in for a treat.

RJ ordered a steak topped with crab and shrimp in a creamy wine sauce, accompanied by fresh grilled asparagus and sautéed veggies - it was a special that night. I got the Seafood Platter which normally comes fried but the waiter asked if I might like to try it broiled instead. Sounded good to me, so I went with it. The platter consisted of two stuffed crabs, a few crab balls, oysters, shrimp stuffed with crab, bacon-wrapped shrimp and a catfish fillet. Other than the catfish (which is just not my thing), it was unbelievable great. I wish I had that platter here in front of me right now

Willie G's is a beautiful restaurant - lots of dark wood, clean, crisp white table cloths and soft lighting. You can eat in or out on the patio right by the water. It's a lovely place.

Willie G's Pier 21 Galveston, TX 77550

Well, other than eat, we actually did do a lot of swimming & sightseeing. Yes, there ARE things to do besides swim in Galveston. We've always ridden the Galveston-Bolivar ferry, and the best part, it's FREE! You can catch the ferry down towards the East Beach (go along the seawall heading east and follow the signs, they'll show you where to turn) and you can either drive on with your car or walk on. We always just walk on because we usually are just along for the ride and don't want to venture off on Bolivar and then come back. The ride takes about 20 minutes each way, with about a 10-15 minute layover as they re-load and is always enjoyable, seeing the gulls following the vessel, spotting dolphins, seeing Seawolf Park and the remains of the sunken ship, the Selma.

http://www.txdot.gov/services/maintenance/ferries/default.htm

Another destination we always try to get to is the Lone Star Flight Museum. Much like the ones in Dallas & Addison, it's chock full of amazing history. It's home to one of the finest collections of restored aircraft and aviation exhibits in the nation with Over 40 restored displayed aircraft (unless they are out flying!) The collection includes WWII Fighters, Bombers, Liaison Trainers, and Executive Planes.

As well as the aircrafts, they've got a fantastic area called the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame with displays and information about all of the inductees. While we were there, a film was showing with CSI: NY actor Gary Sinise. He brought his uncle down for a ride on their B-17. The film was short but powerful, telling about his uncle's experiences as a former B-17 navigator and a little about the Lone Star Flight Museum's programs.

This is a family-friendly place and if you are the least bit interested in aviation, warbirds or American history, please go. Admission is reasonable - Adults (18+) $8.00 Seniors (65+) $5.00 Youth/Students (5-17) $5.00 Children under 5 Free.

Lone Star Flight Museum 2002 Terminal Dr. Galveston, TX 77554

Galveston offers a couple of tours around the island too and of all the times I have been down, I've never been on one. So, this trip, we had to try the Duck Tour, the bright yellow and blue DUCW, a six-wheel-drive amphibious truck originally designed by GM during World War II for transporting goods and troops over land and water. This intriguing vehicle carries you around the island for sightseeing and then into Offat's Bayou for a 15 minute 'sail' before it hits land again and heads back. Our tour guide was very informative, lively and humorous and made the experience even better. Price for adults is $14.00, children $8.00

Duck Tours 25th and Seawall Blvd Galveston, TX

We stayed at Moody Gardens Hotel- it's our third time there and we enjoy it. The times we've tried other places, we were disappointed. I loved the Galvez when we used to go back in the 60's and 70's and have been inside on later visits to look around and reminisce. It's a beautiful hotel and very classy. But we like to stick with Moody Gardens for whatever reason. Our room was perfect, overlooking the Schlitterbahn Water Park and the whole island, for that matter. They have all the amenities- great pool area, nice restaurants, bars, a full service spa and salon, internet connections, game room, etc. plus Moody Gardens also offers the park area, just right across the parking lot.

Moody Gardens features a 10 story Rainforest Pyramid offering an incredible tropical environment. The Aquarium Pyramid is one of the largest aquariums in the world, There's also the Discovery Pyramid, which currently has a Titanic exhibit, plus there's the exciting IMAX 3D theater. Palm Beach offers a white sand beach with a blue lagoon and lots of fun for kids. Colonel Paddlewheeler, an authentic replica of an 1800's paddleboat, cruises Offats Bayou daily for an hour long ride. Moody Gardens has recently added the 4D Special FX Theater and they have the Ridefilm, where each 18-passenger ride is surrounded by a seamless 180° wraparound screen that fully encompasses each viewer's peripheral vision. Sounds like fun, huh! Prices vary for each attraction or you can also purchase a one or two day pass that allows you to go to each.

Moody Gardens One Hope Boulevard Galveston, Texas 77554

Hope I've made you want to take a trip down to Galveston. It's about a 5 hour drive from Dallas and not bad (if you can avoid Houston rush-hour ). The Galveston.com web site is full of information about everything you can do while there plus you can even book your hotel thru their site.

What else but Glen Campbell singing Galveston

Nolan McGee's Eatery in Richardson

Weekend Road Tripper — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:33:12 GMT

Friday night RJ and I drove down to a new restaurant we had spied earlier in the week at Jupiter@Buckingham in Richardson- a quaint little deli called Nolan McGee's Eatery. We learned from the owner, Judy, that they've been open for 3 weeks and business is picking up daily as new customers find their way over.

Nolan McGee's specialty is roasted chicken. You can get the special - two big pieces, a side and a drink for $4.95 but you can also get whole roasted chickens to go at very reasonable prices. I got the special Friday night and was surprised at the hefty size of the pieces I was given. I picked potato salad for the side. I'm picky about potato salad - I like the mayo version, not mustard and I don't care for it to be sweet. Nolan McGee's was perfect.

RJ ordered a Reuben sandwich and, like my chicken - a very ample size. It was loaded with thinly sliced corned beef, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing, all stuffed in between toasted rye bread. He loves Reubens and gave this one a thumbs up.

They have several hot & cold sandwiches on the menu but will make anything to order- they've got a nice selection of meats, cheeses, breads & veggies for you to pick from. They also offer salads, pizza, breakfast items (served all day) and desserts.

With righteous prices and a friendly staff, it's worth checking it out. Pick up a sandwich at lunchtime or grab one of those roasted chickens to take home for dinner!

Nolan McGee's Eatery
2189 East Buckingham Rd. (facing Jupiter)
Richardson, TX
972-234-4774
Mon-Sat 6:30am - 8pm

FOLLOW-UP VISITS:
We've been back to Nolan McGee's two more times now, once for dinner and once for lunch. Both trips didn't disappoint.

I've tried new things each visit- now I've had the Rueben and the Lucky Club. Both were excellent. The club was full of fresh, thinly slice turkey & ham, cheese, bacon, tomatoes, & lettuce on a nice ciabatta bun. And that Rueben- delicious!

The friends with me at lunch got the steak sandwich and the Rueben. Both were so surprised at how big the sandwiches were for such reasonable prices. We all had the 'combos' - sandwich, side and drink (they offer potato salad, cole slaw, side salads and pasta salad as sides).

We'll definitely be going back to Nolan McGee's soon!

John McCormack
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling