Latest / Just Us Sisters / Episode 29: All Things Texas
Transcript
- speaker-0: Welcome to the Just Us Sisters Podcast. Life doesn't come with a manual, so we made a podcast. speaker-2: Hi and welcome to episode twenty nine All Things Texas the host for today we have Cheryl, we have Shelly, we have Stacy, all my sisters joining me today. speaker-3: You know speaker-2: We were all born and raised in Texas, and after all these years we still love calling Texas our home. Today we are gonna talk about everything from barbecue and blue bonnets to small towns, big personalities, Texas traditions, and things only Texans really understand. But if you're listening from out of state, we hope that you get a better understanding of Texans and would even want to come visit us. Also, I wanna say that I hope that this podcast gives you a good perspective. From us being lifelong Texans, and then also for those outside of Texas to know more about us as sisters. So I'm gonna start with a rapid fire questions. And we're gonna go in order. Cheryl, Shelly, Stacy, and then since I'm asking the question, I'll go last. Okay? All right, rapid fire, no explanation. All right. Barbecue or Tex Mex. speaker-1: Tex Mex here. speaker-4: Tex Mex. speaker-3: Say barbecue. speaker-2: Good. TechSmex. Okay. Mountain or coast? speaker-1: Definitely the coast. Coast. speaker-2: Coast Mountain Dallas or Houston? Houston. Houston. Houston. speaker-3: Dallas. speaker-2: Dr. Pepper or Coast speaker-1: Dr. Pepper speaker-2: Dr. speaker-3: Pepper. From a doctor Pepper a holic, doctor Pepper. speaker-2: Coke. Blue bonnets or Indian paintbrush? speaker-1: Lou Barnet. speaker-2: Both. speaker-3: Blue bonnets. speaker-2: Indian paintbrush. Boots or flip-flops? Flip-flops. Boots. speaker-3: It's but speaker-2: Sweet tea or just plain old tea? Good old sweet tea. speaker-1: T speaker-4: Flavored tea speaker-3: Pine tea. speaker-2: Sweet tea for me. State fair or rodeo? speaker-1: Audio. speaker-3: Prodeo speaker-2: Rodeo, we're rodeo girls. Awesome. Okay. All of those different things that we just talked about and said our favorite, these are all a part of Texas. And I sent my sisters separately some questions about favorite Texas things. It was place, food, tradition, landscape, and memory. And so I'm going to share with all of y'all. what their answer was. We're gonna try to convince each other why ours is better, why ours was the favorite. So the first one what we're gonna talk about is place. I said Fort Worth, Cheryl said Galveston, Shelly said Alamo and NASA, and Stacy said Galveston. So because y'all are both Galveston, why would y'all think that that would be your favorite place? speaker-1: Well it definitely wasn't for the color of the water. That's for speaker-3: It's plenty. speaker-1: but Galveston has a very rich historic downtown called the Strand and it's it's it offers so much to people that come to visit. And there's so many things to do also. All the cruise lines leave Galveston. You have your dolphin Baywatch dolphin tours, thanks to Craig Gorbell. There's just so much going on in Galveston and that's my reason. Yeah. speaker-3: real close to that, Cheryl. So I love Galveston. A lot of it has to do with memories. We try to go every year and spend at least a week, but sometimes it's a long weekend. The family goes, just the memories that we have been able to establish in Galveston. Also it brings me a peace to be there. It's the waves, it's the sand, it's like Cheryl said, maybe not the color of the water, although the last few years it's been a little prettier. But Just that peace that it brings and the historical significance. speaker-2: Shelly, what what about you with Alamo and NASA? Well speaker-4: Alamo represents the past. When people actually see the building, they're like, because it's little bitty. But the significance is huge for Texas. And so I see the Alamo as the past. And then NASA represents the future. And it just the prospects that are still out there. We can see through NASA. speaker-2: For me, Fort Worth was I think because of our upbringing, our grandfather traveled a lot to Fort Worth, worked a lot at the stockyards, and now when you walk through the stockyards, there is a museum there that has his name in it and friends of his that we've heard their names mentioned in conversations. And so it holds very special memories to me. Going to the rodeo there, walking through the museum, their shops. lots of Western shops. Of course I love Western Anything. And it kind of like Shelley said, it represents the old, but they're bringing in a new part. And they have a great place to go listen to music and dance. So that would be my my favorite. Okay, we talked about food earlier and Cheryl you had said barbecue on that one. Shelly Tex Mex, Stacy barbecue and I said Tex Mex. So why barbecue? I speaker-1: Well, actually it's a tie for meat. I mean, you just can't beat good old Texas barbecue. brisket, chicken, turkey, ribs, the flavors that they you know, use to smoke the meat. speaker-2: Where is your favorite place? speaker-1: My favorite place is still Cooper's Barbecue. In Llano, even though it has gotten very commercialized and the prices have gone up, they have not lost the flavor. And they still have the best bento beans around. speaker-2: Two. Stacey, what about you? Is is there anything about the barbecue thing? Yeah. That's speaker-3: So I don't know very many trips that are planned around stopping to eat somewhere, like trips are to stop and eat at Cooper's. I mean or other barbecue places. They may be smaller, but you know, a lot of trips are planned around where you're gonna stop to eat. And here in Texas it's normally Barbecue. it is the flavors. It's the time that it takes to prepare it. And it just I don't know. I just love it. And all of the fixins too, like Cheryl said, the beans or if it's fried okra or colesol or potato salad or banana pudding. I mean everything that goes with it is just yummy. So my favorite barbecue place right now is Johnny's in Saledo. It's not well known. It is right off of the highway. I but it's good. Barbecue and it has a great atmosphere as well. speaker-2: Shelly, you and I were the Tex Mex people. What's like your favorite Tex Mex meal? speaker-4: with Cheryl. I mean they were even, but I don't eat barbecue every week and I do eat Tex-Mex every week. And so I had to go with Tex-Mex. For someone that never ate Mexican food growing up, it's a big change, but I do enjoy fajitas and quesadillas and all the the stuff that goes with those. And my favorite has to be Hardying's because that's where we eat every single week. And you know, it may not be the best out there, but they treat us like queens and customer service goes a long way in my book. speaker-2: Absolutely. Well, for me, I mean, I like anything. I will eat I I don't go in and eat the same thing every time. But I will tell you in most Texas mech restaurants you have chips and and salsa. And I'll tell you there is some big differences in salsa in Texas. And I love the smoky with heat. it has a I don't know if they smoke the tomatoes or if they smoke the peppers, but there's a smoky taste. There's a restaurant in Austin that does that type of salsa, but you can't beat Gringo's green sauce. That is my favorite. And I mean, that's not the only thing I like about Tex. I love everything about Tex Mex from seafood to beef, chicken. So but the salsa can make or break a restaurant. And the chips. So yeah. speaker-3: The chips have to be fresh. speaker-2: Yes. Absolutely. Okay. So tradition. speaker-1: San Antonio Mitieros is probably one of the best. It's interior Mexican food. speaker-2: Mm. Okay. Ever all of our listeners can write that one down if they're headed to San Antonio. So on tradition, I said the Red River shootout. Cheryl said Friday night lights. Shelly said Texas hospitality. And Stacy said flying the Texas flag. So who wants to go first on why they felt like that their tradition was was the favorite? speaker-3: just love everything about the Texas flag and how how proud people are to fly it. You know, and it can be at the same height as the US flag too. I mean, it's just shows how proud we are to be from Texas. And I don't think there's another state that people are this proud to be from. If you're traveling and people ask where you're from, you don't say the United States, you say Texas. You know, they know. Yeah. And that just makes it special. And the flag just shows that patriotism towards our state. speaker-1: Yeah, people always say when you're from Texas, they go, Do you have a horse? speaker-3: Yeah. Give speaker-2: Yeah. speaker-3: land. speaker-2: That's probably one of the misconceptions about Texans that we all have a horse or hat. speaker-4: With our Facebook inquiry, Chris said the warm hospitality and I had to agree. Texas hospitality is kind of famous all over the world and it's something that we are very proud of. And I like that about our state and our people. Called the friendly state for a reason. speaker-2: Yeah. Yeah. Well Cheryl and I kind of talked about the football aspect of of our state and its traditions. Cheryl, you want to say why you thought Friday Night Lights was your favorite? Yeah. speaker-1: So Texas football has been going on a long time, mainly on Friday nights. And so it it got named Friday Night Lights. And it's so rich in tradition, but it's so neat to see the communities come together and to root for their team, to cheer for the cheerleaders. The band is it works just as hard as the football players. And I just don't think you're gonna get anything better than Friday Night Lights. We don't even have anybody playing anymore and we still love to go Friday night lights. speaker-3: Nothing was better than the late nineties and early two thousands for Gerald either. That's true. Town would close down. Everybody went to the games and it's just brought it bring it's another pride thing. You know, it just brings that pride out in people. speaker-4: I'll have to provide a picture of the Texas homecoming mums as well because I don't think they're arrival by anyone either. speaker-2: No. Absolutely. Well, I put the Red River shootout because we've been watching that for a long time. We were big OU fans and our whole family. And there you go, right behind Cheryl. And I mean back in the Barry Switzer days. And so we've been kind of watching that OU Texas Red River. And it was named because of the Red River that divides Oklahoma and Texas. And they c the governors exchange some type of prize, whoever wins. speaker-4: Big gold hat. speaker-2: There you go. And but I think probably my favorite, I mean, I never went, I always saw it on television. And in two thousand two I got to go and it's a part of the state fair and so it is an all you know, all day thing. And You can't even explain it. The the electricity in the air between those two teams, but also just, you know, because it's a part of the state fair, just everything is Texas there. And even though I did not cheer for U T, it was still an experience. So I enjoyed it. Okay. speaker-4: Just want to go on record to say that you can be a Texan through and through and not support the Texas Longhorn. Just for the record. speaker-2: Yes. Just for the fuck. I'll second that. Okay. Landscape was another favorite Texas landscape. Cheryl said the hill country. Shelly said the field of blue bonnets and Indian paintbrush. Stacy said Paladuro Canyon and Texas Beach. And I said the blue bonnets in the hill country. Stacy, since you're the Lone Ranger on that, you're gonna have to sell us on Paladuro and Yeah. speaker-3: that it because it's not a place that I go every year. I don't I don't get to see it all the time. In fact I've probably only seen it twice. It is just beautiful. It is like God's artwork. It's just like the blue bonnets and paintbrushes and it's a it's real life art and and it does show the age of our state too. You know, it's kind of that old and new again because this is old and then you have your blue bonnets that are new. But It's just beautiful. It is a beautiful place. The sun sets, so speaker-2: You may have to do a hard sell on the beaches. speaker-3: The beaches I just love the beach. Puerto Ranzas is a prettier beach. South Padres better and but I just love the beach. If I could choose where I wanted to live in Texas, I would live down on one of the beaches. But no no can do for the husband there. speaker-2: Well, and my reason for loving the the hill the hill country is 'cause I don't live there. And it is beautiful when we drive through and the cedar and the blue I know that I know people go, You love the cedar? Chili's like going up cedar fever kills me. But it's just beautiful. It's always green. And then you have the blue bonnets under and the Indian paintbrush am among you know, it they they just spring up everywhere and you just see these this field of blue, kind of like my shirt. Just going across the the field. It's so pretty. Sprinkle in Indian paintbrush. Why did y'all pick that, Cheryl and Shelley? speaker-1: Go ahead, Shawn. speaker-4: Nothing beats a field of blue bonnets mixed in with Indian paintbrush. But the thing about Texas is you can get so many landscapes. I mean, you have West Texas and East Texas with tall pine trees and you have Dallas and the hill country and then South Texas with the beaches and you can get almost the only thing we don't have in Texas is our mountains to snow ski on. That's it. We have everything else. speaker-2: Rivers, lakes. Yeah. Cheryl, what about you? What why did you pick that? Well speaker-1: Because it is so neat just to get in your car and you can head out to Lano and have a beautiful drive of the hill country, kind of a different terrain and landscape. Or you could take a left and go out 281 and go through Johnson City and Fredericksburg and Wimberley and Blanco and you have a whole different type of hill country. And you don't even have to be going anywhere. We went the other day and just had a beautiful time driving through the hill country on Johnny's Burgess. With that. speaker-2: You know, I I don't think we've given East Texas enough. When Shelley brought that up, I was like, you know, East Texas is beautiful. All the pine trees. It it is gorgeous driving, just beautiful areas and lakes, some beautiful lakes. It speaker-4: Ladonna, our Facebook follower, agrees with you. She mentioned the tall pine trees in our request for what you love about Texas. speaker-2: That's good. I think they're beautiful too. speaker-4: Blue bonnets, this is how serious we take the blue bonnets. They start posting the best spots for blue bonnet pictures in the papers, online, with all always having the warning, watch out for the rattlesnakes. But we we have pictures of our children going far back in the blue bonnets. speaker-2: Yeah. And you might even see a car pulled off on the side of the freeway along the the embankment with all the blue bonnets and they're out there taking pictures. I mean that's a sight you see often. So if you've never been here during blue bonnet season, that is something that you don't want to miss. Okay, favorite memory. Cheryl said sunrises at Fort Aranzas. Shelley said at San Antonio Rodeo. Stacey said July fourth at Garner State Park. Intent camping. I said the state fair in the OU Texas game. So that was by far my favorite Texas memory. But y'all wanna elaborate on why those were your favorite memories? speaker-1: Think for me at Port Arences, we just so happen to have a friend that has a a beach house and it faces east. So in the morning, I mean, it's just beautiful to see the the sunrise over that beach. And it just I don't know why it just hits different there. I don't know if it's because everybody's just calm and peaceful because they're not at, you know, work or what. But yeah, that's my take on it. speaker-3: So for Garner State Park one year we went for July fourth and it's hot in Texas in July. We didn't have an R V And we took the kids and we tent camped. We got a spot somebody must have canceled. And it was crowded, very crowded. The water's very, very cold. It's on the Frio River. And the it was just a great family place to be. And so peaceful. And the kids still to this day say it's the best family trip that we have ever taken. Just and we did have electricity, you know, 'cause we camped at a campsite. So we had fans and stuff. to be able to sleep at night, but it was fun and it was beautiful and there was so much to do, no time to rest, no time to be tired. You gotta be going the whole time. So best memory in Texas. So speaker-2: Well, speaker-4: said in several episodes how important the San Antonio rodeo was to us. And when I think of Texas, I think of rodeos. And of course that's going to be one of my favorites. And just year after year going and being able to take friends to experience the same thing still holds a a special place in my heart. speaker-2: So what do y'all think makes someone a Texan? Do you think it because they were born here or how long they've been here or lived here or something else? What what makes someone a Texan? speaker-1: think it's their attitude and attitude of the heart. I think it's very hard to find someone from Texas that's not like what Shelley said. Heartwarming people. speaker-4: Allison, our Facebook follower, I love what she had to say. True Texans think we are better than all other states, and we're okay with that attitude. speaker-2: That's good. That's good. So what comes to your mind when you hear the word Texas? What immediately comes to your mind? speaker-3: Pride and horses. speaker-2: I mean, you know, just it's huge. Well speaker-4: Everyone especially when it was real popular. When we go out of the country, everyone thinks that we live the T V show Dallas lifestyle. And or the other extreme, we all ride horses to school. So it's funny to see other people's perspective. Sometimes even within the United States. Well speaker-3: Taylor Sheridan is probably doing more for Texas than anybody. except for the Magnolia, Chip and Joanne. Chip and Joanne. speaker-2: And Joe and speaker-3: You know, they did a lot for Waco and for Texas. Yeah, they did. But Taylor Sheridan is although I don't think you can make it from Midland to Fort Worth, sit in meetings and make it back all in the daylight. I think that they speaker-1: We haven't yet. speaker-3: Well, he's on the road a lot, but still You're right. It's he's done a lot for Texas. Yeah. speaker-2: Yeah. So what is something about Texas that you didn't appreciate until you traveled outside? I have speaker-4: to agree with Mary, one of our Facebook followers, and go with H E B. speaker-2: It's a good one, Shelley. speaker-4: Because unlike Bucky's who sold out and decided to go into other states, Chi B still remains the absolute best grocery store ever and they're only in Texas. speaker-2: Well and besides good speaker-3: It's really speaker-2: food, really good brands. What's something else that you didn't appreciate until you traveled outside? That you did not appreciate until you traveled outside. speaker-1: I'm gonna say the people. We just we went to New York one time and people do not want to look into your eyes at all. Like make eye contact. And I wanna talk to everybody and they don't wanna talk to me. speaker-3: California was good. We didn't have that problem in California. speaker-1: You know what? They changed my thought about Californians. speaker-3: Good, good. But still the people here. Amazing. Yeah. I w I was just told the other day a a coworker of mine up in Massachusetts lost his mother. And so I had asked my other coworkers, hey, I'd like to send flowers. If anybody wants to pitch in, let me know. And and people sent me money on Venmo. Y'all apparently that's not done in other states. They said that's a Texas thing. That we're really people want to take care of the people around them when they go through something. I had so much money I we bought them flow huge flowers, baked goods to have sent to their home, gift cards to eat out. It was unbelievable. But apparently it's a Texas thing. And that that speaker-2: That Texas hospitality, isn't it? Yeah. speaker-3: Yeah. The good part of bless your heart, you know. Yes. speaker-2: So where would y'all take someone if they were visiting Texas for the first time? It may be you may have already said it or I know that, you know, that it it's there's a lot of places to take but if it was their first time in Texas, where would you take someone? It speaker-4: It's hard to get in. There's Blue Hole. It's very difficult to get in. Dripping Springs has some incredible places, but you have to plan in advance because you can't just show up. Enchanted Rock is awesome. There's there's just so many places. You a foreigner's planning a trip to Texas and he thought that he could take it all in in three days. And I was looking at the comments and I was just like, Okay, everyone else realizes that that's not possible. speaker-3: I think it's the stockyards. I think that's true, Texas. If you're not looking for landscape, if you're looking for the the feel of Texas, I think it's the stockyards. speaker-1: think also you gotta take down to San Antonio to the Alamo, River W speaker-3: yeah. speaker-2: Yeah. River Raw, yes. speaker-1: It's a history d down there and and drive through the hill country to get there. speaker-2: And not too far from there is New Bronzeville's, so you get a little bit of taste of German and the Guadalupe River and the that's a lot of fun to float the river. Yeah. Girl. Not speaker-3: Fredericksburg, which is Frederick. speaker-2: that area either. speaker-1: Yeah, it's kinda gotten commercial. speaker-3: Commercialized, yeah. speaker-2: Okay, we're going to end kind of like how we started, but I'm not giving you an either or. It's just gonna be your favorite, and then I'll fill in the blank. And we're gonna do the same thing, Cheryl, Shelly, Stacey, and then I'll end. So what is your favorite Texas city? speaker-1: San Antonio, Houston. speaker-3: Like all. speaker-2: Yeah. speaker-3: Cell, I love Gerald. The dirty Jay. I'm I probably would say San Antonio. speaker-2: I would say Fort Worth. Okay. Favorite small town. speaker-1: Winnsboro, Texas. speaker-3: Green. that's a good one, Shelley. Yeah. That little town outside of San Antonio where the three twisted sisters is. And speaker-2: Well but speaker-4: Bandera. speaker-3: there is my favorite small town. speaker-2: Lucanbach is mine. Favorite type of barbecue. speaker-1: Brisket. speaker-3: Brisket sliced brisket. speaker-2: Ribs, favorite Tex Mex food. Yeah. speaker-1: Inchidus. speaker-3: Sour cream chicken enchiladas. speaker-2: Fajitas, fajitas favorite Texas Lake speaker-1: Canon mate. speaker-3: Sorry. Somerville. speaker-2: Dunlap Pexas B speaker-1: Portoransis. speaker-4: Galveston speaker-3: Stop Padering. speaker-2: South Padre for me too. Favorite Texas road trip from speaker-1: Austin to Windsboro, East Texas, all through East. speaker-2: Austin speaker-3: It's out in the country the whole way, no traffic, maybe a tractor. speaker-2: What's yours, Shelley? Favorite Texas road trip? Marfa. Okay. speaker-4: Road trip to Marla. speaker-2: We haven't even talked about Marfa. Okay, mine would be the the trip to the Shiner Brewery. Just a fun road trip back because it's mainly back roads. But if you've never been to the Shiner Brewery, it's a great little tour and it's really historical. Very historical. All natural water. So favorite Texas season. Fall. Bring Spring favorite Texas saying. speaker-1: It's hotter than a coondog in heat. speaker-4: Mess with Texas. speaker-3: I go with Don't Mess With Texas. speaker-2: I'm just gonna say howdy. Howdy. Howdy. speaker-3: Hmm speaker-2: Or hey y'all. Hey y'all. speaker-3: Yeah. speaker-2: Forget fixing. speaker-4: Fixin' don't fix. speaker-2: We're fixing. We're fixing. Okay. Favorite Texas song. speaker-3: Emerillo by morning ma speaker-1: Texas live in Texas. speaker-2: What's yours, Shelly? speaker-4: Amarilla by morning, same aste. speaker-2: Lines Deep in the Heart of Texas Favorite Texas celebrity George speaker-1: Need to set it too. Yeah. speaker-2: I would have to agree. Yeah. speaker-4: So in second place for me though would because he loves Texas, Matthew McConaughey. speaker-2: Mine too. speaker-1: My second place was Patrick Mahomes. speaker-3: Yeah. speaker-2: Favorite Texas sports team. speaker-1: Houston Astros. speaker-4: Dallas. speaker-2: Cowboys. Yeah. mine would be the Houston Astros. Okay, last question. Best thing about being a Texan. speaker-1: I know I'm I'm beating this in the ground. Friday night nights and all the good food in Texas. speaker-4: Texas state of mine. speaker-3: The pride, the pride of Texas. I speaker-2: I would agree, the pride of Texas. I hope that you have enjoyed the time that we've shared with you guys about our favorite things about Texas. And I hope that you will share through comments some of your favorite things about Texas. And if you've never visited Texas, come on down, partner. You are welcome. We would love to have you. And we want to speaker-4: Thank the Facebook followers that participated in our little challenge and that a shout out to Allison, Ladonna, Chris and Mary and those that thought about it too. speaker-2: Yes, thank you so much. That means a lot to us for you to share that. Cause we are really interested. We want to know more about you too. So I hope you can join us next time with for episode 30 as we talk about our bucket lists. Cheryl will be leading us in that time. Until then, just remember life is messy, meaningful, and better when shared. Thanks for joining us. And don't forget to like us. speaker-1: Share us. speaker-2: Comment. speaker-3: Subscribe