The Texas Connection Vol. 16

May 12, 2021 Hanna Carroll

Howdy & Happy Cinco De Mayo!

Cinco de Mayo is an annual celebration held on May 5. The date is observed to commemorate the Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla, on May 5, 1862. So FYI, it's time for Margaritas.

As always, welcome back to the Texas Connection. Grab your cup of coffee (or your Margarita) and read this week's interesting finds from your Pals at Texas Humor.

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Howdy, friends! Here's your news updates for this week:

In Your Neck of the Woods:

Houston Traffic? Or Zoo?? To be determined.
The Dallas Maverick's have a new Mascot and no... it's not a rejected Pixar Character.
A 90-Year-Old Texan Has Some Advice for Willie Nelson on His 88th Birthday

Weird Finds:

If you haven't heard about the woman who gave birth mid-way through her flight to Honolulu... this article is for you.
I think this actually might be my worst nightmare. This man was TRAPPED in a Port-a-potty by a tree that fell on him... as he was in... the port-a-potty.
This $1 Million wine is literally out of this world.
Remember the Mother-Daughter duo that rigged HS Homecoming in Florida? They're each facing 16 years in prison.

The Furry Friend Weeklies:

A 240 lb. fish was caught in the Delaware River and is expected to be over 100 years old.
This Florida Deputy wrangled an Alligator with a broom... and it worked.
TP&W are investigating into why there's hundreds of dead fish in and around Lake Murvaul.

Until next week... stay newsy my friends.

Things are starting to look a little brighter up in those Texas Skies! And as the heat begins to stick around, it’s time to start preppin’ you for a summer full of floatin’.

Here’s your quick guide to the perfect floatin’ rivers across the state of Texas

If you find yourself in Central Texas, you’re in luck, most of the best floats are located right in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Here you’ll find…

The Guadalupe River in New Braunfels.
The Comal River, also found in New Braunfels.
The San Marcos River, in none other than San Marcos, Texas.
The Medina River just north of San Antonio in Bandera, Texas.

It’s no secret West Texas isn’t rushing with tubing options, but here are your options for a “short” road trip to cooler times...

The Frio River in Leakey, Texas.
The South Llano River in Junction.

In North Texas? There’s still options for you, depending on where you call home...

The Brazos River, just past Possum Kingdom Dam .
The Trinity River running through Dallas and Fort Worth.

And for all my Eastern Texans, if you’re not up for the drive, there’s still room to get a good float in, without having to find yourself way out west...

The Colorado River, via Columbus, Texas.

Wherever you choose to float, make sure you check in with local regulations to make sure you’re fully prepared for a day out on the river. And whether you choose to tube this summer, or find another outdoor activity to spend your time, make sure you do all you can to save yourself from that Texas sun… Remember the Alamo, the sunscreen, and your NEW visor!

We’re not here for a long time, but we are all here for good times! Happy Floatin’!

Howdy y’all and Happy Cinco de Mayo!

This week I want to share with y’all this place called Shady’s Burgers and Brewhaha. Shady’s is conveniently located right next to our feature from last week, Sweet Firefly. Shady’s is a really cool spot to get burgers and hangout with friends y’all. I dind’t stay too long inside, but I wanted to. The energy was vibrant and everyone seemed to be having a good time!

This week I ordered their Shady burger, the giant onion rings, and fried pickles. I gotta tell y’all when people said their onion rings are huge, I did not know what they meant, but look at this picture!

I was SHOKT when they gave me my food, cause I just had this giant box and I didn’t know it was the onion rings! They were wonderfully breaded and the breading held on well to the ring. The onions were delightfully sweet, and not under fried. I think my pet peeve with onion rings is that sometimes they can be under cooked and still have a raw edge to them, but these were perfect. They were also really well seasoned and SUPER CRISPY! You should definitely order them if you get the chance.

As for the fried pickles, they were a little thin, but i’ve learned that that is how folks like them! I am a fan of thicker fried pickles, but to be frank the ranch that they had on the side made it all worth it.

It wasn’t too drippy, and it clung to the fried pickles like a nice coat.I was in love with the ranch, and I actually put it on my burger because it was so good!

Speaking of the burger, Y’ALL. I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS BURGER. It was cooked well done (and I will fight anyone who eats their burgers medium), and it was SO JUICY. It felt like there was butter just dripping out the patty, and I was dripping with delight, y’all. Let me put a picture in for y’all cause this is something you need to see, and taste if you are in the Richardson/Plano area.

Look at this beauty! The melty cheese, all those pickles, and the crispy bacon! I am in love with this burger and I can’t wait to try others. I think next time I’m going to try their turkey burger and get some desserts as well. I hope y’all have a chance to try this place out, and until next time,

I hope you eat something delicious!

Happy Cinco De Mayo y'all!
While I know that the "official" drink of Cinco De Mayo is the margarita (which you should also have at least one of today), Texas has plenty of "Mexican style lagers" to offer, and what better day to try a new one than Cinco De Mayo?

Here are some of my Texas-made faves. Lime and salt not necessary, but I won't judge if ya feel the need to fix it up 😉.

Austin Beerwork's La Verdad (seasonal): This one is currently my favorite I think. It's smooth, a bit sweet, and feels super familiar with that "traditional" German lager taste. As the temperatures start to warm up, this is a great, refreshing choice if you're in the Austin area.
Deep Ellum's Neato Bandito: When I lived in Dallas, this was a frequent go-to for me. It's a light drinker that's a little bready, and a little fruity (sweet) with a tad higher ABV for this style (6%). They also make a "turned up" version called Cadillac Bandito with salt and lime added (if that's your thing).
Blackwater Draw's Border Town: A straightforward Vienna-style lager that has all that you would expect from a Mexican Lager, but with a bit more bitterness.
Weathered Soul's Dale Shine: From one of my favorite breweries in this state, you'll only be able to get this one in the San Antonio area. Dale Shine is a dry-hopped easy drinking lager, full in flavor with a crisp dry finish. This one is definitely the hoppiest lager on this list.
Rahr & Son's Adios Pantalones: Funny name, solid beer. It's real light, real refreshing, and has a REAL lime taste.