Thu 7 Aug 2008
So there are stories of people meeting here for their first date, anniversaries, and so on. But the most fun we have had with love found were our Anole. We had a lonley male for the longest time………
and finally he found his love!!!!
So come on down and maybe you will find your love too!!!!!
Wed 30 Jul 2008
Salado’s 42nd Annual Art Fair
and
‘Best of the Best’ Fine Art
Sale & Reception!
August 2nd & 3rd
Meet Dalhart Windberg at the
‘Best of the Best’ Fine Art Sale & Reception - Tickets $50.00
Salado’s Art Fair
August 2nd & 3rd, 2008
Tickets $5.00
Quick Links
Salado’s 42nd Art Fair to Host
Texas State Artists & Texas Originals August 2nd & 3rd
Organizers of the hottest art show of the year just kicked it up a notch with participation by Texas Commission on the Arts’ Texas Originals artisans and the Texas State Artists. This includes some of the greatest painters, sculptors, musicians, and poet laureates from around the state. Art fans that have been traveling to the banks of Salado Creek for the past 42 years are in for a real treat this year. The quality and variety of artistic expression has never been greater.
The Salado Chamber of Commerce will host over 100 Texas artists and artisans at the 42nd Annual Art Fair August 2nd and 3rd at Pace Park and the new ‘Best of the Best’ Texas Fine Art Sale & Reception at Celebration Center on August 2nd.
“This is a very exciting year for both Art Fair fans and serious art collectors,” stated Larry Prellop, President of the Salado Chamber of Commerce. “Never before has there been such an extraordinary level of artistic talent… from top Texas artists that have rarely, if ever, exhibited together,” added Prellop.
Texas Original artisans working in a wide variety of media including clay, glass, fiber, wood, metal, stone, and more will be exhibiting along with Art Fair favorites at Pace Park on Saturday, August 2nd from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and again on Sunday, August 3rd from 8:00 a.m. to 4: p.m.
Texas State Artists will be honored at the inaugural “Best of the Best” Texas Fine Art Sale & Reception on Saturday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Celebration Center. This one-evening event offers art enthusiasts a unique opportunity to meet and mingle with some of their favorite Texas artists and poet laureates. Participating artists include: Dalhart Windberg, Roy Lee Ward, George Boutwell, Lee Herring, Ed Hayes, Kathy Vargas, Ralph White, David Keens, Jack Terry, B. Herd, Raul Gutierrez, Alan Birkelbach, and the 2008 Texas State Musician of the Year, Shelley King.
“The Texas Originals and Texas State Artists are two programs that we are very proud of, “stated Gaye Greever McElwain, Director of Marketing and Development for the Texas Commission on the Arts. “These artists represent the depth of the state’s artistic talent and its rich cultural diversity,” added McElwain. “Many of these artists began their careers at the Salado Art Fair,” noted McElwain. “I can’t imagine a better venue to showcase these two state programs,” concluded McElwain.
For ticket information, contact the Salado Chamber of Commerce at 254-947-5040 or visit them online at www.salado.com.
About Salado Art Fair:
Salado Art Fair, held the first weekend in August, is one of the oldest open-air art exhibits in the state of Texas. For the past forty-two years, thousands of artists and artisans have traveled to the banks of Salado Creek to showcase their work. Over the years, many nationally recognized Texas artists have participated in the event, including George Boutwell, B. Herd, and Ron Wells. The Salado Art Fair is a Salado Chamber of Commerce event that brings over 5,000 arts enthusiasts and visitors to the community each year. For more information about the Salado Art Fair and other Chamber events call 254-947-5040 or visit them online at www.salado.com.
About the Texas Commission on the Arts
TCA was organized in 1965 by the Texas Legislature to develop a receptive climate for the arts in Texas. TCA supports a diverse and innovative arts community in Texas, throughout the nation and internationally by providing resources to enhance economic development, arts education, cultural tourism and quality of life.
For more information on TCA and its programs, please visit www.arts.state.tx.us.
About Texas State Artists
Every two years, the Texas Legislature honors talented Texans for their years of excellence and dedicated commitment to the arts by designating them as Texas State Artists. Texas State Artists are native Texans or five-year residents of the state that have received recognition for high levels of excellence and success in their respective disciplines and are named as Texas State Poet Laureate, Musician or Visual Artist. Texas State Artists serve one-year appointments and demonstrate the essence of what art in Texas is all about. Previous winners include James Dick, Lee Herring, Ray Benson, Damian Priour, Red Steagall, Sharon Kopriva, and George Boutwell, just to name a few.
The Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) oversees the Texas State Artist program. The next call for Texas State Artist nominations will take place in the fall of 2008. More information, including a complete list of past Texas State Artists, is available online at www.arts.state.tx.us.
About Texas Original
Texas Original (TxO) was created by the Texas Commission on the Arts (TCA) to help preserve Texas’ unique arts and crafts heritage and was designed to achieve three primary goals:
Texas is home to an extraordinary number of talented craft artisans working in a wide variety of media including clay, glass, fiber, wood, metal, stone, and more. Artists included in the Texas Original program have been through a review process overseen by the Texas Commission on the Arts. Only artisans and crafts people who meet the highest business, quality and artistic standards are granted the title of Texas Original. When you see the TxO brand, you know you are looking at a high-quality, authentic, original work by a Texas artist.
For more information on the Texas Original program, please visit www.txoriginal.com.
Tue 29 Jul 2008
I’ve just attended the ribbon cutting for a brand new restaurant at 302 N. Main Street here in Salado. Their website is Adelea’s on Main. It is owned by two sisters and the place is BEAUTIFUL! Now there is another great place to have a glass of wine in Salado and I’m looking forward to doing some wine dinners with them.
Here’s their description:
Whether you are enjoying a relaxing lunch with friends, treating the special people in your life with an afternoon English tea, sipping our famous sangria on our outdoor patio, or cooling off with a cold beer in our Hemingway’s Bar, you will find whatever it is you are looking for at Adelea’s On Main. Our 1925 home features soothing tones meant to evoke the feeling of an elegant beach house complete with a front porch and a patio so you can enjoy the meanderings of Main Street while getting to know the locals or catching up with old friends.
Mon 28 Jul 2008
Hello!
My son, Josh Brown, will be in concert with his wife Alison and their band,
Shy Tree, on Sunday, August 17th at 7:00 at The Salado Silver Spur.
If you would like to listen to his music, please click on this link and go to
Audio and press Listen.
http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.aspx?epk_id=106582
I am on a mission to help their success in Central Texas so maybe they can move
back to this area from Las Vegas.
Please help me by spreading the word. If you or someone you know may enjoy
this concert, please come! Ask for the “Realtor” discount!
Artfully yours,
Rita Oden
Salado Realty
254.718.7956 cell
Thu 24 Jul 2008
http://www.temple-telegram.com/story/2008/07/24/50987
http://www.temple-telegram.com/story/2008/07/24/50986
Grape Growing in Bell County is featured in Temple Daily Telegram again!
Fri 18 Jul 2008
(Please note, this is much harder than it sounds and the utmost respect goes to those that spend the countless sticky, sweaty hours in the vines perfecting their ability to nurture and direct nature.)
So grape harvest season is fast approaching and grape growers/wine makers are busy little bees keeping the bugs, birds and deer (who also enjoy fruits of the vine) out of the crops. This is number three for the Salado Winery and a very exciting time. June produced her first wine last year and although tasty, she has learned much and has a better idea of what she wants in her grapes and wine this time around! We can’t wait to see what’s in store (no pun intended)! I thought we should take a moment and look at what science is behind a successful harvest…
Grapes must be mature before they can be harvested. This is important because grapes will not mature any further after being removed from the vine. Grapes generally mature around here from late July to late October, depending on the variety of the grapes. To check for maturity:
1. Watch for color changes such as green to yellow or green to red.
2. Seed color changes from green to brown.
3. Grapes will reach full size.
4. Grapes will become sweet. The only way to test this is to taste them.
5. The peduncle turns brown. We’re talking about the big stem that connects the grapes to the plant. Once it is brown and hard, then the grapes will start to raisin and the hopes of getting better grapes are over.
After determining that the grapes are mature and ready, then it is time to harvest them (if the weather is cooperating). There are two types of harvesting, by hand or with machinery. Hand harvesting is generally the method used when harvesting a small amount of vines, but is also done when harvesting larger crops.
To harvest by hand: (Salado Winery proudly hand-harvests and I could not be more excited to be a part of this year’s picking!)
1. Use picking shears that have been sharpened and oiled.
2. Locate mature cluster.
3. Hold the cluster away from the vine and cut it with part of the stem still attached.
4. Place cut cluster on harvest tray or in basket.
Harvesting with a machine is done on larger–usually commercial–operations. Harvesting machines are either self-propelled or pull-type. Self-propelled come in different sizes, such as 110 hp, 133 hp and 166 hp with 6 cylinder or 6 cylinder turbo engines that are either air cooled or liquid cooled. The benefits of using a machine instead of hand picking are:
1. Harvesting can be done at night when temperatures are lowest or stormy weather sets in to threaten the crop.
2. Harvesting is quicker and can be done when grapes are at the optimum ripeness.
3. Harvesting is cleaner because of the suction fans, which remove any leaves from the grapes.
After harvesting, grapes are ready to for use, either for making jellies, jams, juices and wines, or just for eating. No matter how well grapevines are cared for, it all comes down to the harvest. The difference between a profitable year and a disastrous year rides on the harvest occurring when all conditions are right, from the condition of the grapes to the weather.
Many grape growers then pass their crop along to wine makers with specifics of how they want it to taste. At this point it is chemistry, both science and passion. A little of this, a little of that…
Once the wines are produced, we (the consumers) anxiously await their aging and eventual arrival on our table. There are plenty of releases each month, so find your favorite Texas wine, and track when they are ready to sell. It’s fun to do a vintage comparison, so grab your favorite year and wait for the new one!
Again and sincerely,
Cheers!
Tue 15 Jul 2008
It’s finally here folks!
I’ve been working on this for a couple years. First I served on a committee that explored forming a new website. Then I served on the committee that overhauled our Chamber of Commerce brochure. Then a year ago, I formed the new website committee, found volunteers to help me, brainstormed, issued a Request For Proposal, reviewed, and helped choose a designer. Then we worked with the designer, Steve Kleypas at the Woodward Creative Group. He designed 3 mock-ups and then we debated, and debated, then finally we decided. Then the work began! We tweaked, twisted and tortured the data into the new website. So check it out, and only let me know if you like it!
To find the restaurants in town, go to Salado Restaurants
To find a place to stay in Salado, go to Salado Bed & Breakfasts
To find me, go to Salado Wine Seller
Sun 6 Jul 2008
A local author from Belton, Texas has recently written a book about free places to visit in Texas. One of the places mentioned is the Central Texas Area Museum right here in Salado! The book is only $13.46 on Amazon.com. You can find out more about the book at http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=1&nid=15975.
I have visited the museum and it is in an interesting old building and chock full of history related to the various Scottish clans who settled in Texas. The museum also sponsors an annual “Gathering of the Clans” which is a fun weekend of traditional Scottish contests. I am excited because this year, November 8-9, 2008, the events will take place in downtown Salado and will be much closer to us.
But don’t wait for the big weekend to visit because the “Wee Scots Shop” will be full of hot, sweaty, kilt-clad guys fighting for haegus! Come to Salado now and visit the museum then walk or drive exactly one mile north on Main St. and cool off with a glass of Texas wine and tell us what you think.
Tue 1 Jul 2008
I hear we have a local celebrity who recently moved to Texas and is quite the expert on chocolate…..
We know where she is, and if you’re nice to us and spend lots of money, we just might tell you….
And stay tuned for more details for the Chocolate and Art Festival here in Salado on October 10-12! On Friday night, October 10, we will have a chocolate and wine pairing event at Salado Wine Seller~
Fri 27 Jun 2008
In my short time with wine, I have had the opportunity to taste some very beautiful wines from all over the world. The amazing thing about wine is that it not only changes with time, but the friends you enjoy it with, the atmosphere or ambiance and even your mood. In other words, it is subject to interpretation and if you say peaches and I say apricots or you say raisins and I say plum, no one is wrong. Sure there are connoisseurs like Robert Parker whose palate is amazing almost to a fault, but the bottom line, is that if you like it, you like it and no need for further explanation. That being said, wine enjoyers can train their palates to recognize a wider variety of aromas and flavors…ultimately enhancing the entire wine drinking experience! Practice does make perfect!
Please note, Texas wines will absolutely awaken new taste buds for you! I am already spoiled here, as June works very hard on her palate and tasting so that she can bring you the very best Texas has to offer. Salado Wine Seller is the coolest one-stop-shop to get a good palate workout! Drink up and enjoy! Here are some tips to developing and keeping your palate sharp:
How to Develop a Wine Palate
Training your wine palate is not just for professional wine tasters and connoisseurs. In fact, all wine drinkers are training their palates everyday just by experiencing different tastes. A trained wine palate simply means that you can recognize the various flavors that you taste in the wines you consume. The more flavors you can successfully identify, the more trained your palate has become. Ultimately your experience with taste is your wine tasting guide.
Instructions
Step One
See below for a list of flavors common to wine. Write these flavors down in your wine journal.
Step Two
Seek out and purchase a small quantity of each item from your list. Many of the items may be purchased at your local grocery store or specialty mart; however, others may require a trip to a nursery, hardware store or other less conventional store.
Step Three
Taste and smell each of the items you have purchased. Try to recall wines you have previously tasted, which may have had hints or notes of the flavor you are tasting.
Step Four
Repeat this process, adding new items occasionally. This will allow your palate to solidify these tastes.
Step Five
Continue to drink a variety of wine types including wines from different regions and countries. This will allow you numerous opportunities to test your palate against a multitude of flavors.
Step Six
Verbalize your thoughts as you drink different wines. By verbalizing thoughts through dialogue, you may gain further understanding of what you are tasting. You may also record your thoughts in your wine journal.
Tips & Warnings
· Training your palate is like training for anything else, the more you do it, the better you are likely to get at it.
· Wine tasting at wineries and wine stores is a great way to meet people who enjoy talking about wine. Such tastings are also a good way to taste a wide variety of wines without breaking the bank.
· Jams and jellies are good for training your palate to recognize a variety of the fruit flavors you are likely to encounter when wine tasting. When you taste jams and jellies, try to stick with organic or preservative free jams and jellies.
· Palate sensitivity does vary from person to person, so even if you can’t identify every nuance in your favorite wine, remember that wine enjoyment does not come from the knowledge of what you are tasting, but from the pleasure of the taste.
· Don’t wear out your tasters; be sure and keep trying new, non-wine foods and flavors to keep senses sharp.