The One About Texas

My baby brother is packing up to be a Freshman in Auburn, and my sister is coming back from Europe only to dive directly into school at Georgia again - but come August I'll still be here. I'm starting to get a little bit sad about having left Texas (and not being in college anymore). Why does it have to be so darn far away? So...in light of that fact - my top ten things about Fort Worth (and Texas in general).

10. Everyone LOVES Texas. You can't over estimate the importance of Texans' confidence in themselves. If you live there long enough (I'd suggest 4 years...) it starts to rub off on you.

via Joanna B. Pinneo in National Geographic's Traveler

9. Cowboy boots. Cowboy boots are appropriate at all times in Texas, not so much in Alabama. In Alabama boots are for jeans or dresses, only come in brown, and only in the fall. In Texas boots are for jeans, dresses, shorts, bathing suits and can be worn year round. People have them customized with initials, colors and fraternity letters. There were a significant number or purple and white cowboy boots with SAE inlaid in the leather running around every Saturday. Mine are currently sitting in the closet lonely and desperate for love.

8. Road trips. Road trips in any other state are long and require many days of adventure. If you're driving over an hour and a half to get somewhere - you're spending the night. Not so in Texas, in Texas people road trip to Houston for the day (4 hours), they road trip to San Marcos for outlet mall shopping at Pottery Barn and William-Sonoma (3 and a half hours), and they road trip to Dallas (45 minutes) for Zoe's chicken salad and JD's Chippery Snickerdoodles....oh wait, that was me.

via ElectrictyBid

7. The weather is predictable. This might be making the top ten list because in Alabama it's currently pouring down rain...but at least you (generally) know what you're waking up to in Texas. It might be brutally hot, and incredibly humid but it rarely rains (3 times my entire Freshman year - once in the middle of the night).

6. There is always someone up for going out. Texans are not workaholics. (Maybe this is just college students...) If you want a mimosa at 11 am head to Taverna for bottomless $5 mimosas and bellinis. If you want a margarita after class at 3 pm - then stop in at Chimy's, Joe T's or Fuzzy's, if you want Cherry Vodka Sours or beer at night then you're going to Pete's, and if you're intention it to obliterate a bad day from memory then order a James' Special at The Cellar. If you want to drink in a bar that's fine but people also drink at the pool, drink at sporting events, even drink in the car (Eskimo Hut). Now I'm not saying Texans (or college students) are alcoholic....just that they're always up for a good time.

via Lara Richard on Time Record News

5. Cowboys. Lots and lots of cowboys. Fort Worth definitely has a country kind of charm - but we're still a city. Some people however, still take the cowboy thing seriously and it's no surprise to see men on their lunch breaks (in suits and ties) with cowboy hats on their heads. People own "dress boots" for formal occasions, and I've even seen a guy walk into Fuzzy's wearing spurs. The best time for crazy cowboy watching is during the annual rodeo and stock show...then cowboys come into Fort Worth from all over Texas.

4. Culture changes. In one (granted, GIANT) state - there are so many different kinds of people and places. Everything from the Riverwalk in San Antonio to Northpark Mall in Dallas. There's the monstrosity that is Houston...and the laid back charm of the Stockyards in Fort Worth. Hippie chicks with good taste in music in Austin and cowboys in west Texas. Generally, anything you could possibly want or need.

Joe T Garcia's Mexican Restaurant (Fort Worth, TX) via Roadfood

3. The Mexican food. OH MY GOSH. Not only is it delicious, but it's everywhere. There are taco bars, heavy family style restaurants, swanky upscale tex-mex, there are burrito chains, and huts on the side of the road, your best friend's mom makes the world's best tamales and margaritas show up everywhere from fraternity parties to TCU's "Senior Toast." Texas is the best place in the world to be hungry.

2. It's the most laid back place on Earth. The nicest restaurant in Fort Worth is in the Stockyards and there is absolutely no problem with walking in wearing jeans and a cowboy hat.

1. All my lovely friends. It's weird feeling like I live two different lives. I have friends here in Alabama but then I have a completely different set it Texas...and they don't over lap (with the exception of my fellow Texas transfer Ian). It's a HUGE bummer that I don't own a private plane and can't jet back and forth whenever I feel like it.