So fortunate to personally experience and thoroughly enjoy the Sunday final round of the PGA Tour’s Crowne Plaza Invitatational at Colonial in Fort Worth. Quite a thrill. Winner Zach Johnson (with more than a passing resemblance to Hollywood star Joaquin Phoenix, and also happens to be a native Iowan like myself), shot a tournament record 21 under par 259! Among his 6 other tour titles are the 2007 Masters in Augusta and San Antonio’s Valero Texas Open in 2008 and 2009. The historic Colonial Country Club and golf course, surrounding FW neighborhoods, and TCU campus were perfectly gorgeous, while the Colonial staff’s wonderfully gracious hospitality is a pleasure to behold. And, the highly competitive field of top players brought out the best in each other during the final 18 holes. Hey, these guys are really good! Honestly, I’m not even a golfer (ok, maybe a little driving range/pitch and putt activity), but this is an event you absolutely must consider. It’s truly a Texas sports classic. You’re able to get incredibly close to the action, and the gallery of fans is most entertaining, as well. Be sure to view the statue of legendary Texan Ben Hogan, one of the game’s greatest, and the room full of impressive Hogan career memorabilia here, including some of his major (British Open, Masters, US Open, PGA Championship) tournament trophies. Colonial, founded in 1936, was Mr. Hogan’s home course. See www.colonialfw.com, www.crowneplazainvitational.com, or www.pgatour.com.

Lots to enjoy in the Lamar County seat of Paris. This northeast Texas community is proud of its Eiffel Tower replica at the Love Civic Center, the historical museum in Heritage Park, the Sam Bell Maxey State Historic Site, the Plaza Theatre, the Paris Municipal Band’s summer concert series at the Grecian Peristyle in Bywaters Park, Culbertson Fountain, the 1914 Santa Fe/Frisco Union Station Railroad Depot, the tree-lined Trail de Paris, July 17th’s annual Tour de Paris bicycle event, and the city’s new Trolley de Paris (see photo), among many other attractions. For additional information on this Red River Valley destination, call 800/727-4789; www.paristexas.com.

The border is beautiful, indeed. Miss Texas, Kelsey Elizabeth Moore, and Miss New Mexico, Rosanne Aguilar, both students at the University of Texas at El Paso, will be contestants for the Miss USA title this Sunday May 16 in Las Vegas at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. Moore is a UTEP sophomore volleyball team member from El Paso majoring in general studies. Aguilar, from Las Cruces, is a UTEP senior majoring in biology. Congratulations to both of these young ladies and good luck to them in this weekend’s competition. The winner of Sunday’s event represents the U.S. in the 2010 Miss Universe Pageant.

Thrilled to finally see and hear Michael Ramos’ band Charanga Cakewalk at Austin City Hall’s outdoor Live from the Plaza series over the lunch hour today. Their music is a seductive, original recipe of Cuba, Colombia, and TexMex, with some Steve Jordan-style accordion and Augustus Pablo-style melodica by Ramos swirled into the mix. Guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards combined with congas, other assorted percussive elements, and Ramos’ lead on several instruments merged cumbia, samba, son, cha cha cha, norteno, and merengue, and got the crowd happily swaying on a warm humid day downtown very near Lady Bird/Town Lake. Fittingly, for the upcoming Mother’s Day weekend, Ramos dedicated the last songs of the set to both his wife and mom, including a touching original called “Gloria.”

Texas Highways’ exhibit of vibrant wildflower photographs from the April issue is up and ready for enjoyment in the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s McDermott Learning Center. Cosponsored by TH, the Wildflower Center, and Canon, The Serendipity of Wildflowers 2010 features 20-plus bloom close-ups and spring scenes by such notable photographers as Richard Reynolds, Joe Lowery, and Wyman Meinzer, and coincides with the Center’s celebration of National Wildflower Week (May 3-9). In addition to the gorgeous gardens, other Center highlights this month include a show of Shou Ping’s paper sculpture and a display of Texas-native bonsai trees.

Photo by Greg Quinn

Enjoyed the wonderful spring weather by taking in #1 Texas vs. Oklahoma State Big 12 baseball at UT’s impressive UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin and a Southland Conference baseball game between Texas State and Northwestern State on campus in San Marcos at the Bobcats’ very nice new stadium complex. The biggest hit may have been discovering Herbert’s Taco Hut on Riverside Drive in San Marcos. Primo Tex Mex! Herbert’s Special of 1 crispy taco, 1 bean and cheese chalupa, and 1 enchilada (beef, cheese, or chicken), along with rice, beans, guacamole, and tortillas is a culinary classic. Superb melon agua fresca. Terrific tres leches cake (see Lois M. Rodriguez’ TH Taste feature on pastel de tres leches in the new May issue of Texas Highways). And check out Herbert’s house special strawberry margarita (pictured at left).

Head for Cisco (between Abilene and Fort Worth) and the Cisco College campus later this month, April 23-25, for the Cisco Folklife Festival. Activities include a Lions Club barbecue dinner, the Cisco College fine arts department’s spring concert, a golf scramble at the Cisco Country Club, sidewalk art, pioneer demonstrations, live music, arts & crafts, a tractor pull, car show, and lots of great food, including the festival’s famous cinnamon rolls (at right). For more information, call the chamber of commerce at 254/442-2537; www.ciscotx.com.

I’m hardly a wine connoisseur—during blind tastings in the past, I’ve invariably preferred the least expensive wines—but when friends suggested we meet Sunday afternoon for drinks at Crú, a wine bar in Austin’s Domain shopping center, I was up for the experience. I figured at the very least it would offer a quiet place to talk. I’ve grown tired of trying to communicate, much less connect, in noisy restaurants and clubs.  

And I was right—the atmosphere was definitely conducive to conversation. One of my friends commented that the wine bar looked a little like a library, with the floor-to-ceiling custom wine shelving on one wall. Oversize wine labels and elegant light sconces graced another. We sat at a comfortable table for four, and although the place was full, I don’t even remember the neighboring diners. We had enough quiet to hear ourselves talk and enough space to avoid overhearing others’ conversations.

We shared a bottle of Grenache recommended by our server, who was quite knowledgeable. She fended my wine-savvy friends’ questions admirably, explaining that this particular wine was not fruity, nor was it too dry, either. She described it as “having a lot of earth.” Given my track record with choosing wines, I won’t attempt to describe the taste, but one of my companions said, “It has a slightly fruity start, with complex layers of flavor, and a smooth, slightly drier finish.”

Crú offers full dinner and dessert menus, as well as a “sharing menu,” a concept that seems to be catching on in many restaurants. Crú’s version  includes stone-fired pizzas and cheese flights, but we settled on shrimp potstickers and three-cheese fondue with white truffle oil. The fondue was flanked with apples, pears, green beans, carrots, and rustic bread. Both appetizers were delicious, and neither was overly filling (especially when shared with four people).

The knowledgeable staff came through again after our meal, when one of the cooks in our group wanted to know what cheeses were in the fondue. Our server graciously fetched the chef, who came to our table and reeled off the ingredients: fontina, Gruyère, and Gorgonzola, and, of course, white truffle oil. When the same friend asked about the sauce on the potstickers, he practically gave her the recipe from memory. The kitchen staff here knows what it’s doing.

Fondue always fires a conversation, but I think the sharing-menu concept overall does the same thing. It also allows you to try a variety of items, while saving money and calories. Count me a fan.

TH reader “Steve” from Liberty Hill just emailed us about Melissa Gaskill’s “Trips to Bountiful” in the new April issue (available on newsstands): “This is regarding a special wildflower located on the drive route within Melissa’s very nice Wildflower Drives story,” Steve says. “She mentions Park Road 4 off Texas 29 west of Inks lake. Tell readers to be on the lookout for a special variety of Indian blanket that are all red; their ray flowers are not tipped with yellow. There are very few patches of these in western Burnet County. One spectacular patch is located on Texas 29 between the Inks Dam and Park Road 4 to Inks Lake. Look for the big patch located near two small roadside ponds; it is quite dramatic.”

 The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s plant database lists the red Indian blanket (Gaillardia amblyodon), also known as maroon blanketflower and red gaillardia.

 Tell us about your favorite wildflower finds!

It’s becoming a familiar scenario: A friend comes in from out of town, and I discover a new Austin restaurant. Usually, it’s just a matter of my wanting to try a place I’d heard about and good timing. Recently, though, when my friend Candy was here for a convention, she came armed with her own recommendation. Of course, this particular friend knows Austin better than I do (although she lives in Victoria now), so it didn’t surprise me. What’s more, she’s a foodie, so I figured her choice would be a good bet.

Candy’s recommendation was Buenos Aires Café, an Argentine (what else?) restaurant known for using fresh, organic ingredients. (We went to the East Sixth location.) We managed to get a small table near the front, even on a Friday night when things seemed plenty lively. Candy opted for the Pastel de Papas, or shepherd’s pie; she’d read rave reviews about this dish. I chose the Gnocci Quartet, despite her reviewer’s advice to the contrary. How could I resist, after reading the description on the menu: “…pumpkin-cinnamon, sweet potato-chipotle, cilantro-jalapeño, and potato-herb gnocchi tossed with roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and haricots verts and olive oil, finished with specialty sauces and fresh parmesan.”

Candy’s classic Caesar salad was just that—classic—and my spinach salad, with feta cheese, Fuji apples, and spicy roasted pecans tossed in a sweet and tangy vinaigrette, proved a great beginning to the meal. Candy also ordered a pollo empanada—chicken, red bell peppers, green onions, and herbs enveloped in a rich, flaky pastry. I had a bite, and considered ordering another one of the savory concoctions for myself. 

But then, our entrées came. Candy’s shepherd’s pie—ground beef, green onions, raisins, green olives, herbs, and spices topped with mashed potatoes that had been baked into a crispy crust—was tasty, but after exchanging samples, we both agreed that my gnocchi was the best by far. The tender-yet-firm texture of the gnocchi with all those delectable flavors inside made for a wonderful combination. It was so good that “no dessert” was a no-brainer, despite the great-looking chocolate crème brûlée I saw diners enjoying at a nearby table. The plan for my next visit? Share an order of gnocchi and save room for the crème brûlée.