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Luxurious Texas ranch retreat tees up lush new 18-hole championship golf course

acing it

Photo courtesy of Big Easy Ranch

A prestigious and exclusive getaway for Texans has just rolled out an exciting new destination for golfers. Big Easy Ranch, the private Colorado County retreat (about an hour from Houston) has unveiled the name and open date of its new, 18-hole championship golf course.

Dubbed The Covey — which harks to the ranch’s wingshooting and upland hunting — the par 72 course will boast more than 7,400 yards with multiple tee boxes, Zeon Zoysia fairways and rough, and TifEagle greens, all aiming to offer optimal playing and course conditions for the area, per press materials.

Groundbreaking kicked off in September; The Covey is slated for completion this fall. Renowned golf course architect Chet Williams returned to design The Covey; he originally designed The Ranch’s nine-hole, par three course that he also designed.

Not surprisingly, given how fast word-of-mouth golf news travels locally, Big Easy has already seen an uptick in members, Big Easy’s Nicole Scarbrough says.

“With the announcement of the new 18-hole golf course in spring 2021, we introduced the Legacy Membership, a new level of membership providing access to the ranch amenities along with exclusive access to the … course,” she says. “With a conservative limit of 300, more than 100 Legacy members have already joined. This is pretty significant considering The Covey will not be completed and open for play until fall 2022.”

Scarborough also notes that the retreat has seen new members from Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio — as well as across the U.S.

Meanwhile, course plans also for a second clubhouse that will provide sweeping, 360-degree views of the courses and neighboring foothills, plus lounge areas, a full service bar, dining areas, a wine room, and upscale locker rooms for both men and women.

Considered the elite retreat in Columbus, Texas/Colorado County, Big Easy Ranch (2400 Brunes Mill Rd.) spans some 2,000 acres of hilly terrain. Besides golf, members enjoy sporting clays course, fishing lakes, an infinity pool, wingshooting, whitetail and exotic hunting, luxury overnight accommodations, and a 12,000-square-foot lodge that serves up high-end dining and an award winning wine program.

Members can also take advantage of estate homesites that range from 2/3 of an acre to more than one acre, as well as shared ownership villas.

Rendering courtesy of Meow Wolf

Wildly popular Santa Fe immersive arts venture Meow Wolf to open new Grapevine 'portal'

Imagination station

The mesmerizing Santa Fe-based interactive adventure known for enchanting art lovers and amusement zealots with its mind-bending immersive experiences is tripping into Texas with a new permanent exhibition in Dallas-Fort Worth: Meow Wolfwill open a new "portal" in Grapevine next year.

Announced Wednesday, May 11, the DFW location marks the innovative business’ first permanent installation in the Lone Star State. A portal in Houston will follow, in 2024.

The new Grapevine portal (so called for Meow Wolf’s expertise in transporting visitors to fantastic realms of imagination) will be located in the Grapevine Mills shopping mall and encompass 40,000 square feet in the space formerly occupied by a big-box store. The Grapevine Meow Wolf is scheduled to open in 2023.

Following the Grapevine opening, Meow Wolf aims to unveil its Houston portal, which will be in the historic Fifth Ward cultural district and include Houston-based real estate firm The Deal Co as development partners. The Houston portal is planned for a 2024 opening.

Meow Wolf got its start in 2008 as a DIY collective of Santa Fe artists, growing into a full-fledged immersive-art affair with the opening of the permanent Santa Fe location in 2016. In 2021, the company branched out with two additional permanent portals in Denver and Las Vegas. Each location hosts a unique art exhibition, ranging from Santa Fe’s mysterious “House of Eternal Return” to Las Vegas’ surreal supermarket-themed “Omega Mart” and Denver’s transformative “Convergence Station.”

While additional info on themes, names, artists, and specific opening dates for the new Texas portals — the company’s fourth and fifth permanent exhibitions — will be released in the coming months, and the company declined to reveal the build-out costs for the new locations, Meow Wolf has confirmed that more than 50 percent of the artists contributing to the rooms, dioramas, and murals at the new Lone Star State portals hail from Texas. Meow Wolf says it will actively begin recruiting more artists and staff for the new Texas portals this summer.

The new locations, which the company teased as part of its appropriately mysterious Texas Portals marketing campaign, are part of a larger expansion plan for the arts consortium, says Didi Bethurum, vice president of marketing for Meow Wolf, which will add more permanent installations and roll out other artful projects in the coming years.

While Bethurum notes that several factors play into the decision-making process when choosing a new Meow Wolf location, she highlights the size and art-loving communities in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas as key criteria.

“Dallas is the ninth-largest city by population in the United States and Houston is the fourth-largest. Bringing Meow Wolf experiences to large cities allows for us to share art with the greatest amount of people,” she says, also calling attention to the Texas Cultural Trust’s 2021 State of the Arts Report, which claims Texas’ arts and culture industry has blossomed by more than 30 percent in the past decade. “We seek to be part of the amazing growth of this sector.”

And considering Meow Wolf has a “legacy of utilizing unique spaces” that allow for artistic creativity to flow — an old bowling alley in Santa Fe, a new experience district in Las Vegas, and football-stadium-adjacent triangular highway void in Denver — Grapevine’s nostalgic mall vibes and Houston’s diverse and historic location make for ideal haunts for Meow Wolf.

Likely also contributing to the Grapevine location decision is the fact that one of Meow Wolf’s founders, Matt King, grew up in the area and was even present at the grand opening of Grapevine Mills in the late 1990s.

“I am thrilled to welcome Meow Wolf to Grapevine,” says Mayor William D. Tate. “Our city is a premier destination for entertainment, and the interactive installation these artists will build at Grapevine Mills pairs perfectly with the high-quality restaurants, wineries, and family-friendly activities we have worked to place all over our fine city for decades.”

This marks the first time Meow Wolf will open two exhibitions in the same state at roughly the same time, certainly a major undertaking for any arts organization. But given that some 3 million raving fans have already visited Meow Wolf locations and that the company has been eyeing these Texas markets for more than two years, the new portals are destined to become a howling success, enthralling locals with “revolutionary artistic expression” unlike anything Grapevine or Houston have previously experienced.

“The Meow Wolf story universe is expanding, and Texas holds the keys to our next chapters,” says Jose Tolosa, CEO of Meow Wolf. “Opening a permanent exhibition in the largest and one of the most diverse states in the country has been on Meow Wolf’s radar for years, and we are excited to be formally underway. The opportunities this state has presented have already become the touchstones of a vibrant, arts-centric portal of imaginative creativity.”

Image courtesy of Grand Galvez

Landmark Galveston hotel reveals Gatsby-esque renovations and updates

Texas travel

Galveston’s historic hotel Grand Galvez is in the midst of a massive renovation and remodel and now, future guests can get a sneak peek of the updates to the Gulf Coast’s only 110-year-old, 4-Star landmark.

Dallas-based Grand Galvez owner Mark Wyant has just revealed his new plans and renderings for the iconic hotel and spa. Sneak peek imagery includes the music hall, terrace ballroom, lobby entrance with the 44-foot “Queen of the Gulf” mosaic, Coffee Café, and the Galvez Bar & Grill.

“These new, exciting designs will combine with the property’s current amenities and magnify the new vitality of the Grand Galvez,” said Wyant in a statement. He and his wife, interior designer Lorenda Wyant, have fueled the creative push behind Grand Galvez interior designs. The duo has previously collaborated on the Saint Hotels and other hotel properties and homes, according to their bio.

The “Queen of the Gulf” mosaic
A piece designed by Mark and Lorenda Wyant, the 44-foot by 17-foot mosaic is being produced by Dallas-based mosaicist Julie Richey and fabricated in Italy. A pink and red oleander garland surrounds the “Queen of the Gulf,” which will be created in gold. Thousands of Murano glass tiles are being created by a family of artisans in Venice, Italy. Installation will occur in spring 2022, per a press release.

The 1915 Model T
Wyant has found and restored a 1915 Ford Model T Roadster, which will be displayed in the East Loggia. He plans to personally drive it from his home in Dallas to the hotel in Galveston in spring.

The Founders Bar
This is a new lobby bar in the West Loggia that will overlook Peacock Alley and the Gulf of Mexico. The bar will exhibit photographs and mementos from the hotel’s opening and its founding five members. The original hotel bar will be moved to a permanent place in the Music Hall event space, according to Wyant.

The marble fountain
Another item being produced in Italy, this piece will sit in the Great Front Lawn. The fountain is being carved in Italy from Calacetta marble and will be 16 feet tall and 35 feet wide. Installation will occur mid-year 2022.

Coffee Café
Designed for the west lobby, this space will open early and throughout the day, serving freshly brewed coffee, teas, and snacks.

Meanwhile, renovations will include all hotel rooms, hospitality, and public areas. The hotel and spa will remain open and fully operational with guest bookings, weddings, dining, special events scheduled. (Guest rooms are being redesigned one floor at a time, the hotel notes.)

The all-white-and-indigo blue rooms feature a sofa at the end of the beds upholstered in a tropical green and white palm pattern and the white lacquered, while mirrored furniture is offset with light sky blue ceilings. Pillow-top beds feature a custom mirrored back wall extending to the ceiling.

Evoking the Gatsby era, public areas will include harlequin black and white marble flooring with black framing, crystal chandeliers throughout, royal burgundy carpets, and accent draperies, a release notes. The front desk harks to the original, 1911 front desk with its iron detailing and glass features.

A renewed, original Peacock Alley, the grand walkway leading from the lobby to the spa and ballroom, is a design element not seen at the hotel in over 70 years. Original moldings and ceilings found in the hotel walls are being restored for the first time since 1962.

For mementos, the Lolo Boutique will offer gifts, clothing, and souvenirs.

“We have great respect for the iconic architecture of this property,” Wyant said in a statement. “I can assure everyone that our vision for the ‘new’ Grand Galvez will honor the historic design, offering a refreshed elegance throughout the hotel. These designs reflect the new energy we will bring to the resort and all its amenities.”

The Grand Galvez is in the midst of a massive renovation.

Grand Galvez
Image courtesy of Grand Galvez
The Grand Galvez is in the midst of a massive renovation.
Photo courtesy of Lone Star Flight Museum

Texas museum salutes fierce female WWII pilots in soaring new exhibit

wonder women

When it comes to tales of the Greatest Generation and World War II, most of the stories are relegated to men. But women played a substantial part in the war effort, such as the valiant female pilots known as WASPS.

The story of the WASPS — Women Airforce Service Pilots — and their Texas connection is told in “Fly Girls of WWII,” a new exhibit premiering at Houston's Lone Star Flight Museum. The educational and landmark show, underwritten by Cher and John Floyd, opens on January 28 and runs through July 10.

On Saturday, January 29: flight museum curator Eleanor Barton will detail the history of fly girls at Houston Municipal Airport — the training site for the first WASP class.

A little backstory from the museum: In November 1942, the first training class of 28 women arrived at Houston Municipal Airport to complete their primary, basic, and advanced training. In February 1943, due to complications with weather and heavy air traffic, the WASP program was moved to Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas.

More than 25,000 women applied for the experimental flight training program; only 1,830 were accepted, per records. The female aviators earned their silver wings and were then deployed to 120 bases across the United States. Despite 38 women losing their lives in the line of duty, surprisingly, it wasn't until 1977 that WASP were granted veteran status.

In 2010, the fly girls received the Congressional Gold Medal and now, their story is told via photos, uniforms, artifacts, memorabilia, and more in this exhibit.

Along with the program, curator and docent talks will feature never-before-seen artifacts and personal stories about the WASP group. Katherine Sharp Landdeck, associate professor at Texas Women’s University, and a globally recognized expert on the WASPs will occur later in the spring. Landdeck will discuss the WASP women and her book, The Women With Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II.

This exhibit was created by Wings Across America, a project of Baylor University. It has been on display at Baylor, the Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, and other flight and history museums.

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“Fly Girls of WWII” at the Lone Star Flight Museum; January 28-July 10; $18 (adults), $15(12 to 17 and for ages 65+), $12 (ages 4 to 11), free for ages 3 and under. For more information, visit the flight museum website.

Photo by Shannon O'Hara

New luxury RV resort wheels Hill Country retro vibe into surprising Texas city

Texas travel

Texans are geared up to travel after enduring months of COVID-19 lockdown. But as reports show, travelers want a safe, socially distanced escape; many are opting for road trips rather than airplanes in these coronavirus times.

Perfect timing, then, for Texas businessmen and longtime friends Eric Houston and Jay Fields to launch an RV resort in Houston — but with a twist. Their new RV park, Eric & Jay’s RV Resort, is a stylish, amenity-laden destination offering a “charming Texas Hill Country vibe in the heart of Houston,” according to the duo.

The 10-acre, tree-lined site — located near the city's Medical Center and Museum District — boasts 114 landscaped slips from 30-foot back in spots to luxury pull throughs. The fully fenced property is anchored by a clubhouse and a pool terrace with jacuzzi, plus an adjacent gazebo grilling and dining area, overlooking a central green space with a pond stocked for fishing.

Some 114 landscaped slips, ranging from 30-foot back in and 40-foot extended length to luxury pull through options, surround the pond and site. Each slip is outfitted with a picnic table and full hookups offering water, sewer, and pedestals with 50-, 30- and 20-amp power plus a data fiber connection. Rates start at $56 per night; long-term pricing is also available.

Other amenities include complimentary programming, Wi-Fi, pool, jacuzzi, stocked lake, gazebo grilling and outdoor dining area, plus an upscale clubhouse with game room, sundries, spa-like shower rooms, fitness facility, even and laundry. Convenience offerings within walking distance include a gas station, market, liquor store, and barbershop.

Fields and Houston tapped acclaimed Texas-based designer Renea Abbott to infuse an eclectic touch throughout the property’s built-from-the-ground-up clubhouse, according to a press release.

“To capture a modern Texas Hill Country retro vibe, we utilized a warm and welcoming color palette along with playful, unexpected design elements,” Abbott noted in a statement. The look is modern farmhouse style, fashioned by Scott Palermo of s+P Architecture.

The RV park is just another diversified interest in Fields’ portfolio; his investments include real estate, hospitality, and even film projects.

“With our flagship RV resort, we not only hope to create a distinctive and memorable experience for short and long-term visitors, including Texas Medical Center staff, patients and their families," he says, "but also add to the appeal of Houston as a drive-through destination for discerning RV travelers.”

The RV camp's clubhouse.

Eric & Jay\u2019s RV Resort Houston
Photo by Shannon O'Hara
The RV camp's clubhouse.
Courtesy photo

Fort Worth bakery makes amazing blackout cake for George Floyd justice

Cake News

Since the tragic death of George Floyd, an African-American man who died on May 25 in Minneapolis following an encounter with four police officers, many have come together to protest racism.

But few have done it as sweetly as Loft22 Cakes, a Fort Worth bakery known for its amazing artisanal cakes.

Owner Tareka Lofton has created a one-of-a-kind "blackout" cake, with dark chocolate cake, dark chocolate filling, and dark chocolate icing.

Tempting enough, but what really makes it stand out is that that the icing has been tinted black. Its glossy black surface is broken only by random white speckles, which Lofton says she added for a little contrast, to make the black look even blacker.

The cake is $55 and slices are $7. She'll donate half of the proceeds to blacklivesmatter.org.

"It's been a rough past two weeks, and we've been pondering what we could do," Lofton says. "I wanted to give back and be a part of the fight. We're known for our artistic cakes. Since we already make delicious sweets, I had an 'a-ha' moment where I thought we could make a donation and do something that's delicious and makes people happy."

Loft22 Cakes previously earned a few minutes of fame in April when they introduced a series of "quarantine" cakes, including one that looked exactly like a roll of toilet paper.

It helped get them through the tough days after the coronavirus shut down most businesses. "There's been so much going on, you don't know which pandemic from day to day," Lofton says.

She's never made this blackout cake before, but the recipe is similar to one she did at Halloween.

"It's for special occasions, but not anything we carry on a regular basis," she says. "It just seemed befitting for the time and this movement, especially as a black-owned business. We recognize what it's like to be directly affected and live this daily."

You can order the cake by calling 682-841-1771; they prefer 24 hours notice although they can sometimes get it for you on the same day.

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'Yellowstone' stars to greet fans at Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

Yellowstone news

Yellowstone fans, get your comfy shoes ready - there'll be a long line for this one. Cole Hauser a.k.a. "Rip Wheeler" on Yellowstone, and Taylor Sheridan, the show's co-creator, executive producer, and director of the series, will meet fans and sign autographs at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

The event will take place from 4:30-6:30 pm only on Friday, February 3. Location is the 6666 Ranch booth near the south end of Aisle 700 in the Amon G. Carter, Jr. Exhibits Hall.

According to a February 2 announcement from FWSSR, "fans will have the opportunity to snag an autograph as well as purchase some distinctive Yellowstone and 6666 Ranch merchandise while also enjoying all the features the Stock Show offers."

The event is free to attend (with paid Stock Show admission) and open to the public.

It's the second year in a row for Hauser to appear at FWSSR; in 2022, he and fellow cast mates drew huge crowds.

Sheridan, a Paschal High School graduate, is no stranger to Fort Worth; he lives in a ranch near Weatherford and filmed 1883, the prequel to Yellowstone, in and around Fort Worth. Currently, another spinoff, 1883: The Bass Reeves Story, is filming in North Texas.

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is winding up its 2023 run on Saturday, February 4.

Tasty restaurant news tops this week's 5 most-read Fort Worth stories

This week's hot headlines

Editor's note: A lot happened this week, so here's your chance to get caught up. Read on for the week's most popular headlines. Looking for the best things to do this weekend? Find that listhere.

1. Fat tacos, crispy pepperoni pizza, and more Fort Worth restaurant news. We have lots of tasty restaurant dish in Fort Worth right now, including a new pizzeria, a new AYCE pizza buffet, and new limited-edition tacos. There's more than one fried chicken offering, and at least two pumpkin specials. Here's what's happening in Fort Worth restaurant news.

2. Restaurant bullish on burgers and bourbon cocktails comes to Grapevine. A better burger concept from South Carolina is taking a crack at Texas: Bohemian Bull, a small chain founded in Charleston in 2013, has opened its first Texas location in Grapevine, featuring burgers and a full bar with 24 craft beer taps.

3. Award-winning Mexican restaurant hits the jackpot at new Denton location. A DFW restaurant that's earned national acclaim has opened in Denton: El Rincón del Maiz, previously of Garland, is now located at 1431 E. McKinney St. in Denton where it's winning over locals with its Tex-Mex classics and vegan dishes.

4. Fort Worth Symphony Opening Night Celebration ushers in new season with grace and gusto. Thunder crashed and lightning crackled outside, but a freak Friday night thunderstorm couldn’t dampen spirits at the Fort Worth Symphony Opening Night Concert and Celebration on September 8.

5. Where to drink in Fort Worth right now: 9 best bars to watch college football. Three weeks into the season and college football is on fire. Here are nine of the best bars to visit for some college football-watching in Fort Worth right now - a mix of old favorites and a few new surprises.

Mr Gatti's Pizza returns to home turf Fort Worth with new location

Pizza News

A Fort Worth-based pizzeria concept has opened a location in Fort Worth: Mr Gatti's Pizza has opened a restaurant off Camp Bowie at 2812 Horne St. #100, a space previously occupied by Helen's Hot Chicken, where they're open with pizza, pizza rolls, and their signature ranch dressing.

The location is a franchise owned by Kirk Jefferies, who also owns and operates franchises of Jason’s Deli and Chicken Express. This is his first Mr Gatti’s, but he has more locations planned.

“When people talk about Mr Gatti's Pizza, you can see a spark in their eyes. We love being able to bring that 'excitement' and combine it with our passion for pizza,” Jefferies says in a release. “Mr Gatti's Pizza has been satisfying cravings for over 50 years. It truly is an honor to be a part of this legacy brand that people cherish."

Menu favorites from about a dozen pizza options include The Sampler, The Deluxe with sausage, pepperoni, & smoked provolone, and BBQ chicken. A basic 12-inch cheese pizza with one topping is $12.

There are lunch specials from 10:30 am-3 pm including pepperoni rolls and salad for $10; 8 wings and salad for $13; and a medium pizza with 2 salads for $15.

The chain was first founded in Stephenville, Texas as The Pizza Place, in September 1964. In 1969, founder James Eure moved to Austin and opened the first Mr Gatti’s Pizza, named for his wife's maiden name.

They have a major presence in South Texas but only two in the DFW area: Plano and Allen.

There was a location that opened in Fort Worth in 2016, at 3280 W. Seventh St. in Museum Place, which at the time, was the first to use the Mr. Gatti’s name; the chain had been going by "Gatti's." So many name changes! It closed in 2018. There was also a location in North Richland Hills which opened in 2016 and closed in early 2019; and a location in Richardson that closed in 2018.

Back in the day they had a big buffet as well as a big game room, two features for which many longtime fans are nostalgic. But this location is just about the pizza.

There are now more than 70 locations in states across the Southeast, including Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

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