Across the globe, when talk of music festivals come up, two Texas events always make the list – spring’s South by Southwest and fall’s Austin City Limits Music Festival, both in Austin – the Live Music Capital of the World, as we like to call it. Austin’s Fun, Fun, Fun Fest, in November, is also starting to rise to similar ranks.

We shared a sampling of SXSW in case you decide to add it to your list of things to do (registration for 2012 has already begun … and book those hotels already!). By that same token, Texas Highways senior editor Lori Moffatt and I will hit the ground running tomorrow, Sept. 16, as the three-day ACL festival kicks off. We will try to bring some of the experience to you via updates on Twitter, Facebook and the Texas Highways blog. Feel free to share your thoughts if you’re out there with us. Consider going next year if you’re not there this year.

You’ll also be able to check out some of the live action from Zilker Park on ACL’s YouTube page. The line up is pretty phenomenal with Stevie Wonder, Coldplay, Kanye West and Arcade Fire among the headliners. From legendary performers like Mavis Staples to up-and-coming talents like Ruby Jane, the eight stages will be populated by a vast mix of music including rock, indie, country, folk and electronic performances.

Like SXSW, the crowds at ACL prove that the event isn’t just good for Austin, it’s good for Texas, with many traveling great distances – across the country and world – to be part of the musical madness that is more than 130 acts over 3 days with crowds of about 70,000 per day.

We want people to travel to and within the state. It’s good for our economy, so … bring it on, and rock on!

See related: How I Survived SXSW: Film and Interactive

How I Survived SXSW: The Music

A welcome to SXSW and the Circus Mashimus Lounge during the interactive portion of South by Southwest.

It’s a given that I love living in Texas, but I feel especially fortunate to live in Austin. That’s not a slam on any other city. It’s just a city that’s a great fit for my personality and my varied interests. So, with my genuine pride in the Capital City, I get excited and kick into “hostess” mode whenever a big event like South by Southwest (SXSW) music, film and interactive conference and festival draws in lots of out-of-town guests. I want to make sure they feel welcome and enjoy this beautiful place I call home. I want them to go home and talk, with affection, about their experiences.

This year, the 25^th anniversary of this stellar event, was no different and I jumped in, feet first, to experience SXSW with our guests, as well – upwards of 30,000 attendees.

I want to share some of those experiences (and some of the photos I took) with you here and in a follow up blog posts, but let me first tell you – this place was packed. Maybe too much for the locals, but that’s something the City of Austin and SXSW organizers can sort out. For now, I focus on numbers and what those tourism dollars mean for Austin, and Texas. SXSW is Austin’s Super Bowl for the music, film and interactive set.

In 2010, SXSW injected more than $113 million into the Austin economy. That included booking more than 8,800 reservations totally 39,000-plus room nights from people coming in from all across the globe. The numbers for this year, though not officially in yet, may well exceed expectations and last year’s figures. It was touted as the biggest yet, and it certainly seemed that way.

Live from SXSW! Media outlets from across the globe covered SXSW events, which often included a glowing spotlight on the city itself.

That translates into a lot of music moohla, film finances and interactive ingots. OK. That was cheesy, I know! But in these economic times, that sort of boost to the system is welcomed with wide open arms!

And SXSW officials say the media coverage – all that free press covering world premiere movies, new bands, high-profile panelists and the invigorating scene – totaled in value of nearly $15 million.

Everywhere I turned there were news crews capturing the essence of it all with man-on-the-street interviews – most were clearly not local crews. From all the media outlets and worldwide bloggers I encountered to lunching at the makeshift CNN SXSW Grill, I can tell you the world had its eyes on Austin.

On top of that, the sheer volume of creative offerings helps strengthen the city’s brand identity, which goes a long way in securing future tourism dollars.

Max's Wine Dive restaurant was transformed into the CNN Grill SXSW. Operations continued, with guests receiving free food, drink and live music.

The New York Times says, “South by Southwest now has three vibrant legs – music, film and Web – that come together to create a stool that is the envy of every other American city.”

The Chicago Sun Times says, “From its humble beginning in the Texas capital, South by Southwest has grown to become the worldwide music industry’s biggest and most influential gathering.”

I feel so proud to live in this incredibly creative city, the Live Music Capital of the World. And in whatever non-Texan accent I overheard–– whether from the East Coast or Down Under –– word on the street was always about how awesome Austin is. Deep inside, I gloat. To myself I say, “Yes, and when it’s all over, you have to go home … I AM home.” How lucky is that?!

Get a sampling at www.sxsw.com and consider a visit.

TIPS FOR SXSW

If you decide to go to SXSW next year, I offer these tips that will help increase your enjoyment factor.

Book lodging early: Hotel rooms, especially those with the best rates, go quickly. So book as early as possible. Since the bulk of activities happen downtown, you’ll want to be close as possible for the convenience factor of having everything nearby, a resting spot in walking distance and to avoid the challenges of finding parking daily.

Plan your schedule.Closer to the event, check SXSW.com for additions and updates to the schedule. Take all the heads up you can get because by the time you receive your registration packet with your pocket guides and such, the wheels are already spinning pretty quickly. Still, study that schedule as soon as you get it. The worst thing is to miss something important to you because you didn’t see it on the schedule.

Pace yourself. If you decide to SXSW 2012, remember to select a few things that are must-see/do for you and then allow the rest to be icing on the cake. You’ll be happier and stress-free. Also, be willing to go to a screening or performances alone. With so many choices, the odds of conflicting interests with friends are possible. If you really want to see something, don’t compromise that because a friend wants to see something else. You’ll have fewer regrets. Besides, there’s plenty of time to be social with an impossible amount of SXSW parties, and even a softball game, happening every single day/night.

Move to the Front of the Line.Why didn’t I encounter lines like most everybody else? Should I let the cat out of the bag?

SXSW has a fabulous SXXpress pass for any movie or music venue. They hand these out at 10 a.m. daily. It’s actually no secret because the information is printed in the registrant’s guides, but they seemed to be virtually unclaimed during the music portion of the conference. These free passes are like a “front of the line” carte blanche that works in conjunction with your badge. So, at movies and music venues, where three lines are queued up in order of badge holders (priority entry), wristbands and then single ticket holders, SXXPress pass holders are bumped to the front of the line ahead of badge holders. For the more popular shows, badge holders alone may fill a venue to capacity, so it would behoove you to get a pass because it’s basically guaranteed entry. These passes aren’t necessary for less hyped-up events, but if it’s something you definitely want to see, consider it insurance. I believe they give out 10 percent of capacity in express passes. During the film portion, most express passes were distributed by 10:30 a.m. … or sooner for the more popular screenings. Lines for the passes started at 9 a.m., typically. For the music portion, well…10 a.m. proved to be too early for that lot. I, however, remained among the few who continued to take advantage of it during the music portion, and it paid off. I rolled out of bed, went for the express pass, and crawled back into bed. Simple. On several occasions, the badge line went around the building/block and I was able to walk right in, including an evening at Stubb’s when the venue was at capacity by 8 p.m. (when I showed up) for people hoping to see Duran Duran at 12:30 a.m. I did have to wait about 20 minutes, but when the fire marshal cleared more to go in, I along with only 5 other express badge holders in our own separate line) were the first to get in and I saw Duran Duran from front and center.

I want your opinions, but first …

In the December issue of Texas Highways, I explored a few places that serve some sweet pies – the kind that warms your heart in a way few foods can.

Clearly unable to eat my way across Texas one slice at a time, there are some places that deserve mention that were not.

For example, I received a few nice letters from readers willing to share.
Rhonda Cagle of Glen Rose shared that she and her friend Jean Ford run the Pie Peddlers there. She says her pies are 100 percent homemade and absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to try it, myself.

I also received a letter from Ann Arbor, Mich. from a doctor who recalled stopping at Frank’s in Schulenberg, year after year, for their pies. His favorite, he says, was the coconut cream pie with “meringue at least six inches high that took me back 50 years.” (Frank’s: 11 North Kessler Ave. (979) 743-3555.)

Where do YOU go for your favorite slice of pie? Please share so that we can explore these places, too.

I’m not sure I understand the competition to come up with the next best fried thing, and I’m not here to judge (I’m responsible for my extra poundage – no one else), but every year, when the State Fair of Texas announces its list of fried food finalists, my ears perk up. I am excited to know what’s being tossed into the vat next.

"Corny" dogs, like these shown during an eating contest, make a regular appearance on State Fair of Texas concession menus. (Photo courtesy State Fair of Texas)

They never disappoint, at least not in terms of generating a buzz. So in case you didn’t get the memo, let me share the menu.

This year, you’ll get ID’d if you order items like Deep-Fried Frozen Margarita or Fried Beer. Like the Fried Coke or Fried Butter before them, that just seems to defy some scientific law, but I’ll admit I’m ready for the lines to open up for a frozen margarita. While waiting in line, I’ll ponder the difference between “fried” and “deep-fried.”

The Deep-Fried Frozen Margarita is born of the goodness of two things – margarita ingredients and funnel cake batter. They are mixed together, fried, dusted with a lemon-lime mixture and served in a salt-rimmed glass. While probably not as refreshing as the real thing, it sounds pretty good to me.

The Fried Beer is a beer-filled pretzel pocket. I’m not a fan of beer, so someone else will have to vouch for this later. I hear the beer really does pour out when you take a bite.

Again, don’t forget your ID. You will get carded for these – even though, I’m pretty sure the alcohol disappears somewhere in the frying process.

As a bona fide lemon addict, I’ll need to order the Fried Lemonade, a baked lemon-flavored pastry that is then fried and glazed with a mix of lemonade, powdered sugar and lemon zest. I’ll probably seek out fresh lemonade to wash this down with, and be in citrus heaven.

For chocolate lovers, there is, of course, Fried Chocolate, a white chocolate candy bar and a cherry are stuffed inside a brownie, dipped in chocolate cake batter, deep fried and topped off with powdered sugar, a cherry sauce and chocolate whipped cream. I might have called it Fried Cherry Cordial, but alas, once again they did not call for my opinion. *insert audible gasp here* Just kidding. Well see, though, if that shows up on the menu next year. Remember, you heard it here first! Ha! Oh boy, do I have all kinds of GREAT ideas for next year!

There also is the Deep-Fried S’mores Pop Tart, which is pretty self-explanatory. A s’mores flavored Pop Tart is battered, fried and then topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. I’d like to put this to the test with my friend Kate who lights up her fire pit at home as often as she can to feed her s’mores cravings.

For something more savory, traditional and Texan, they’re promising Texas Fried Frito Pie. Not sure how, but they are apparently able to hold together the chili, cheese and Fritos long enough to fry it. It’s a mystery to me, but the item made it as a finalist, so it can be done. Amazing what a little human will and ingenuity can achieve. Speaking of: Look for Texas Fried Caviar –– fried and seasoned black-eyed peas. Whodathunkit? Someone thought of it.

And finally, for you health nuts … oh, wait … nevermind. This salad is fried, too. Fernie’s Fried Club Salad is a spinach wrap stuffed with the goodness of diced ham, chicken, shredded lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, cheese and bacon. Sounds good, but wait, I’m not finished. It’s fried, topped with deep-fried sour dough croutons on a stick and then served on a bed of lettuce. Well, at least you can still say you had the “salad,” if anyone asks.

So there you have it. Don’t try them all in one sitting, or it’ll be “groan” appétit instead of bon appétit. Pace yourself. You’ll have 20-something days to get it all in. The State Fair of Texas runs from Sept. 24-Oct. 17.

Winter wonderlands are hardly cliché in Texas.

Snow-covered steps to the Texas Travel Information Center in Denison. Submitted by Center Supervisor Robbie Dudley.

That’s why drivers freak out when the flurries start to fall. We don’t know how to drive (or walk!) in icy or snowy conditions. Northerners like to laugh when us southerners become incapacitated by the weather, but that’s like a teen laughing at a baby for not walking more gracefully. They get a LOT more practice with it than we do, so for us, it’s still new.

But despite all that taunting, we have something they don’t when it comes to snow –– a child-like awe when even the slightest flake falls. It’s still magical to us. Or at least more magical.

This week, friends across the state had the chance to experience the snow. Texas Department of Transportation’s Travel Services Section has 12 travel information centers at various entry points across the state. Our friends at the Texarkana, Waskom and Denison travel information centers shared some of their snow photos and stories, so I thought I’d share.

Chilly day at the Texas Travel Information Center in Texarkana. Submitted by Linda Vaughan.

Waskom travel counselors made use of the ice melt they had on hand and made their own shovels (not like snow shovels are easy to find in Texas!).

“Most travelers enjoyed the snow and someone made a snowman on our grounds,” says Waskom travel counselor Donna Watson.

Even in our glee, we understand that snow comes with some inconveniences, too.

Waskom Travel Information Center Supervisor Melissa Wilson says, “Some of my employees didn’t have electricity at their homes. They had to fix their ‘Texas hair’ at the center.”

Wilson added, “We’ve had several Winter Texans say they left their homes, up north, to come to Texas, so they could get away from the snow.” One Winter Texan said, “It must have followed them from Pennsylvania.”

For that, we’re (sort of) grateful.

Snowy day at the Texas Travel Information Center in Waskom. Photo by Melissa Wilson.

By the way, if you have not visited a Texas Travel Information Center, please make a point to stop by. They are informational havens –– with sophisticated, and locally-inspired architectural designs –– that serve the traveling public. The travel information centers also just happen to be staffed by some of Texas’ best ambassadors.

You can find a list of Texas Travel Information Centers here.

While children get to have special mail that’s postmarked from the North Pole, lovers can look forward to sending their sweetheart a valentine postmarked and stamped from Valentine (Texas, that is)? More than a dozen post offices across the United States –– including Valentine, Texas –– offer special postmarks for the lovely occasion, to help impress your loved ones. This special touch is easy as pie to achieve, and the effort could yield priceless benefits.

Simply place your pre-stamped and addressed valentine(s) in a Priority or Express Mail envelope or box and mail it to:

Postmaster: Maria Carrasco

Valentine Re-mailing

Valentine, TX 79854

Once received, each outgoing letter/package will receive a special Valentine cancellation stamp and will be mailed off to recipients. High school students compete each year in a contest to determine the year’s cancellation stamp.

Sending it off sooner is better, of course, but it is suggested that the package to be re-mailed should be received in Valentine by Feb. 10 to help ensure a Feb. 14 delivery. If you’re a procrastinator, take note that you might be in the last-minute bag with other procrastinators. According to the USPS, Valentine’s Love Station hand-stamped a record 39,000 pieces of mail from across the globe with the Valentine postmark in 1994. On average, the postmaster handles approximately 100 cards and letters a day. Two weeks before Valentine’s Day, that number jumps to as much as 2,000 a day.

Visit www.usps.com to get ZIP codes for other cities offering a special postmarking, such as Heart Butte, Mont.; Loveland, Colo.; Loveville, Md.; Loving, N. Mex.; Romance, Ariz.; Romeo, Mich.; Juliet, Ga.; Bliss, N.Y.; Sugar City, Colo.; and Valentine in Nebraska or Virginia.

Everything’s big in Texas, in fact, Texas is so big, it’s gone global  Or so it’s been pointed out in a Facebook thread that started with “Good morning, Texas!”

New Mexico and Australia chimed in – “What about us?!” To which we replied with the simple truth: “If you love Texas, you ARE Texas.”  That good morning goes a long way. That’s how Texas rolls.:)

So now, I’m curious where, in the world, are you if you’re not living in Texas now?  Did you use to live here? Just wish you could live here? What is it you love so much about it?

Share, please.

The January issue of Texas Highways includes a feature about the oddball attractions of sophisticated Houston. As a native Houstonian, I enjoy recalling those quirky sites. Of course, I’m living in Austin now, where, luckily, there’s no dearth of “quirky” here.

Still, the Houston feature brought to mind a particularly oddball moment, in relation to one of the noted attractions – sculptor David Adickes’ Sculpturworx Studios.

Adickes is known for the giant Sam Houston sculpture in Huntsville and other creations like “The Virtuoso” sculpture in front of the Lyric Centre building in Houston’s Theater District. It wasn’t until I had an office in the Lyric Centre that I realized there’s actual music coming from “The Virtuoso.” It’s impressive, but I digress.

One year, I was invited to a party called The Big Head Ball, hosted by Adickes. I didn’t know if I should expect huge egos, but the buzz was that it would be a blast … and it was.

On my way into the party, held at his Sculpturworx Studio, there was a woman outside, doing a balancing act atop a white horse. She was dressed in a green,  grass suit and hat, welcoming guests and looking like a Magritte painting in action. I knew I was in for a fun evening.

The studio, nestled in an unassuming and drab section of warehouses, was a large space lined, along the walls and in random spaces, with the big head sculptures in various stages of completion – all still much taller than me. I was fascinated to see the progressive stages of Adickes’ works – especially since his looming Sam Houston statue was an integral part of the Texas landscape for me. It was a key landmark in my family’s travels as I was growing up. Isn’t it for everyone who drives that way?

The setting itself was surreal. Now, on to the guests!

This Big Head Ball turned out to be an opportunity for guests to don whatever whacky or big head they could. I saw huge hats, masquerade masks, scary and funny heads, even Jack-in-the-Box “CEO” Jack. So much creativity played out in those above-the-shoulders costumes. The tables were decorated with skulls and assorted representations of heads. The woman in the grass suit, now inside, doled out performance art for us––running in place, flailing arms and moving along with her projected video prop––all to the sounds of Laurie Anderson. Again, I thought of Magritte.

The rest of the details from that evening have since faded, and I don’t know if Adickes does that party still, but it was certainly an experience, and one of my favorite odd nights in Houston.

Even though his studio isn’t open to the public, it’s still worth it to drive by and take a gander at those giant heads. The next time I do,  I can say, “I partied with those guys, once.”

Since I moved from Houston – and an office smack dab in the middle of the city’s incredible Theater District – I have to admit that I’ve been woefully neglectful of taking in as much live theater. I mean to, and I do miss going as often as I did. Lately, I’ve been getting back into the swing of things. I’ve seen a couple of touring musicals (“Wicked” and “Mama Mia”), enjoyed readings by the legendary Maya Angelou and the hilarious writer David Sedaris, as well as some local performances.

I forget, until I’m there, how important and good it feels to witness the art of live performance … of people entertaining people … sharing and communicating in music, dance, words, comedy and movement. This kind of creative expression, I believe, is inherent to our humanity. There’s nothing like it. The best thing is, no matter where you are –– big city or small town –– there are plenty of opportunities to take in a show.

It would do us good to get back to being better audiences –– in major performance halls, restored historic theaters, community halls and in wide open spaces under the great Texas sky.

So when you travel, or stay home, consider live performances as one of the options when asking, “So, what should we do today?”

What performance/venue would you suggest for your neck of the woods?

Every once in a blue moon, I lament the fact that I never went to summer camp as a kid (Vacation Bible School doesn’t count, but thank you, Jesus.). I did the outdoorsy thing for years with my Bluebird/Camp Fire Girls, but I later grew up to realize that the “big forest” – where we learned to pitch a tent, make fire and turn a coffee can into a stove – was really Bay Area Park in Clear Lake area of Houston. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lovely, wooded park next to Armand Bayou and I’ve canoed from there as an adult, but it’s not the wilderness. Maybe Hollywood images of summer camp (Friday the 13th aside!) makes me feel like I missed out on some real fun. It’s too late for me now (or is it?), but I want to live it out vicariously through our readers. Maybe I’ll get it out of my system. What is summer camp REALLY like? What kind of summer camps have you experienced? What are some of the top choices in Texas where you might consider sending your own children? I’d love to know.