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.

Inspired by a comment on my last post on dining in McKinney (thanks, Shelly from This Eclectic Life), I paid a visit to Cafe Malaga Mediterranean Tapas Bar for dinner on a weekday evening, after arriving from Austin to help my daughter pack after completing her freshman year at Austin College in Sherman.

Originated in Spain, tapas are “small plates”—mini meals of vegetables, meat, seafood or a combination.  I counted 28 of these on the menu, and among the items our group had were artichoke tapenade (kalamata olive & artichoke spread w/pita bread), smoked salmon crostini, roasted potatoes with roasted garlic aioli, chicken piri piri (hot pepper marinated grilled chicken breasts) and Spanish tortilla (a classic potato and egg dish).   All were excellent, and we especially loved the smoked salmon for the smooth texture and subtle smoked flavor.  We also indulged in dessert—chocolate-covered almond cake was my favorite.  My daughter had what looked like a coffee martini, served chilled with a mint garnish.

The next evening, on our way home to Austin, we returned to McKinney for an early dinner and found La Misha, which also serves Mediterranean-inspired cuisine in an sophisticated-yet-inviting atmosphere.  We started our meal with the smoothest, most flavorful hummus I’ve ever tasted, served with light, delicate slices of pita bread.  I inquired about the flavored iced tea on the menu, and was offered a box of six different tealeaf samplings which to select (and sniff) from—I chose the pomegranate-infused blend, which was exceptional, and even more so with refills!

For entrées, we had crab cakes with saffron sauce, oven-baked chicken in apricot sauce and tilapia in creamy dill sauce.  The crab cake was meaty and flaky, and the chicken was the right balance of slightly dry-to-moist that I prefer.  There were some luscious cakes available for dessert in the display case in back and we split some carrot cake, moist and just sweet enough not to overpower.  Once again, McKinney mesmerizes me with its culinary gems!

A few days ago, I made the one-hour trek up I-35 from Austin to check out the old Santa Fe depot and train museum, and also to revisit the Czech Heritage Museum & Genealogy Center, the latter a repository of fascinating and strange stuff (everything from century-old marionettes to stamp collections) donated to the museum by Texans with Czech heritage.

I had heard that the Czech Museum would soon be moving from its cramped home in the basement of the SPJST insurance building to new digs in a restored historic building nearby—great news, as the museum will finally be able to properly highlight its collection. But I wanted to see one particular item—known as The Magic Gambler— before the museum became fancified.

What is The Magic Gambler, you ask? First of all, know that has that curious, creepy-appealing quality of old dolls and circus freak shows. Covered by an oblong dome some two feet high, a doll that looks vaguely like a monkey—dressed in a black pointed hat and a faded red-and gold cape—holds what appears to be a brass cake dome in his hands. A faded garland of leaves and flowers adds a Hansel-and-Gretel-ish, woodland touch to the display. But the magic starts when you place a key into a slot, turn it a few times to wind a mechanism in a music box, and step back. The doll’s wizened head starts to bob, its eyes open and close, and its teeth start to chatter. Then one, two, three, The Magic Gambler’s century-old, bony hand lifts the cake dome to reveal two tiny dice.

Curator Don Mears tells me this whole production was probably a bar gimmick; you and a group of your 19^th Century, Czech friends would order a round of beers, pick a number, and the mysterious caped gent with the chattering teeth and the cake dome would determine who paid the bar tab. I’d like a Pilsner Urquell right about now, come to think of it. Join me: This round’s on me.

I just received a phone call from a Tammy Huerta-Mallini from San Benito, who turns out to be the late Freddy Fender’s daughter. She called to tell me that on June 6 at 10 a.m., the City of San Benito will host a memorial tribute to her dad, along with a dedication of a headstone at his grave at San Benito Memorial Park. Along with a headstone and six monuments commemorating his long career, the gravesite will also include a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Tammy says that Latin-country-pop start Rick Trevino will sing Fender’s hit “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” after the dedication.

Fender, born Baldemar Huerta in San Benito in 1937, died in Corpus Christi in 2006. Today, most people remember him for his hits “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” and “Teardrops,” as well as his roles in the groups Los Super Seven and The Texas Tornados.

 I can’t be there for the dedication of his memorial, but it promises to be a  heartfelt and joyous occasion. Call the City of San Benito, 956-361-3804 Ex. 301, for details. 

I recently visited Houston on some personal business, and aimed to make the visit more pleasant with some retail therapy. 

In general, I love Houston; I like the heat and humidity, which allow most plants to flourish in wild growth spurts we don’t see in more arid Austin; I like the museums, which showcase art and culture from around the world. And while I feel quite shallow admitting this, I really like the shopping. On my last trips to Hugetown, I did my civic duty to help the economy by pumping some dough into one of my favorite retail ventures: the Guild Shop, a resale-for-charity venture just north of Westheimer on Dunlavy. This place is chockablock with everything from handbags and housewares to paintings and jewelry—most of it donated by philanthropic Houstonians who needed some extra closet space. Keep in mind that the Guild Shop is convenient to the deep-pocketed residents of River Oaks, and you’ll get an idea of the quality of merchandise. That said, I walked away with a broiling pan (hu-hum, but much needed) in addition to some interesting costume jewelry and a few choice gifts. The Guild Shop is staffed by volunteers, and the shop closes at 3:30. And trust me, when the big hand reaches the “6,” they’ll chase you out faster than you can scoop up those perfect Italian Ferragamo flats.  

I just want to express thanks to everyone who stopped by the Visitors Gallery at the LBJ Wildflower Center this weekend to meet Rick Tolar and check out his incredible flower close-ups on canvas.  It was also a great pleasure meeting current and future fans of TH, and to see the faces behind the readership.  May y’all keep on reading and traveling about Texas!

Rick Tolar (seated) chats with visitors at his Flowers of Observation exhibit at LBJ Wildflower Center. Managing Editor Jill Lawless is standing at left.

Heading out to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in southwest Austin this morning, where fine-art  photographer Rick Tolar is busily setting up his Flowers of Observation exhibit, which opens tomorrow in the Center’s Visitors Gallery. Cosponsored by the Wildflower Center and Texas Highways, the exhibit features 20-plus of Tolar’s eye-popping wildflower close-ups on canvas, and coincides with the Center’s celebration of National Wildflower Week (May 4-10). Rick will be in the Gallery from 9 to 4 on Saturday, May 9^th, to sign copies of April TH, which features seven of his stunning images.  He’ll also have signed 5×7 prints of his work for sale ($20 each) that day. The exhibit stays up through Mother’s Day (May 10^th), so treat mom to a day at the Center—enjoy a relaxing stroll through the glorious gardens and see the vibrant Tolar show. Better than a bouquet!